Posts by rustygardener172

slylynx23 said:Ugh, honestly, I’ve been scrolling through this whole thread and now my brain is just complete mush. I can’t remember a single thing clearly. 😁 My overall vibe from reading this is just pure chaos—one person had an amazing experience, while someone else got totally screwed over, etc. As for the price being off by a few thousand bucks, look, we're talking about surgery here; I'd much rather do it once and do it right than have to go back for touch-ups and pay triple. What exactly are Tončić's pros? Also, I noticed Glušac uses some kind of non-general anesthesia. That’s actually super appealing to me because I’d love to skip the general anesthesia if possible, but I don't know if that's even doable when you're dealing with a septum—you know, when they have to actually break bone.

From what I’ve gathered from everyone talking, Dr. Tončić is incredibly approachable and polite. The guy has over 4,000 nose jobs under his belt, which is insane... I heard some other surgeons only have around 1,500. His office is top-tier, and the staff is always on point. I don't know... I honestly can't recall anyone posting anything truly terrible about him. He’s a member of some plastic surgery association and based out of Chicago...
I’ve already dealt with one failed surgery before... I was looking for someone who was actually an expert and seasoned... and he seems to fit the bill. I’ll check everything out in a few days... then I'll let you guys know. 😁
Everyone is using one of two types of anesthesia... either general or local with sedation. With general, you're completely out cold, but with local, you're in this half-sleep state where you don't remember a thing and don't feel any pain. Though, there was one nasty story involving local anesthesia... some girl on this forum went through it and wrote about it... look up 👎 It really depends on how intense the procedure is... Tončić told me I'll need general because my case is pretty complicated.
@ Chris Price... you did a great job laying all this out. It helps people reading this immensely when they're trying to make a decision. Who knows... maybe Tončić won't be the one for me, and I'll end up heading down to San Diego instead. 👍

slylynx23 said:Hey guys, does anyone have any recent experience with Zambelli? Did he "fix" a botched nose job like Sevki did? Also, what about Glušac? They're both on my shortlist right now. I'm looking at dealing with a deviated septum plus some aesthetics (shrinking the tip)... Thanks in advance for any info you can drop! 🙂

Look, Zambelli is basically the king of plastic surgeons here in America... everyone says he's top-tier. But that "top-tier" service comes with a massive price tag, 😁. You can find plenty of threads about both of them on this forum if you dig around... honestly, I don't remember every single detail because I've been focusing my energy on a few other names on my list...
...I'm heading in for consultations with Dr. Tončić next week 😁 so I'll let you know how it goes and what my gut feeling is... at least from my perspective...

darkhawk10 said:I’m just crossing my fingers that before I actually manage to scrape enough cash together, they don't go and retire on me. 😁

How on earth did I miss this one?!?!

hahhahahahhahahahhahah 🤣 you seriously cracked me up with this 🤣

stormyharbor2 said:OMG, thanks for the heads-up!😳 I think I’ll do the same thing, even if taking profile shots of myself feels totally awkward. 🤦

My boyfriend actually took some photos of me, and we ended up just cropping them together into one shot where everything is clearly visible. Honestly, that’s the way to go. Trying to describe your nose through text is a nightmare... you just send the photo and they get it instantly. Case closed!☕

stormyharbor2 said:That’s a killer idea! Did everyone get back to them?

Yeah, they did.👍

stormyharbor2 said:So, my nose is completely busted, which means I’m headed in for surgery to have the bone reset. Honestly, just thinking about the whole thing makes me want to crawl under my covers and stay there. It’s going to be a total mess. 😁 Honestly, if you ask me, that surgery definitely falls into the "heavy hitter" category. I mean, we're talking serious business here. Local anesthesia? Yeah, no thanks. Not a chance in hell. I've seen enough to know that when things get that intense, you don't want to be feeling every single second of it. You want to be out cold, far away from the drama. Passing on that one, for sure. 😳

I actually took photos of my nose from both angles—straight on and from that low profile view... then I put them all together in one shot with a few specific questions and blasted that email out to every surgeon on my list who actually had an address listed. 😁

Speaking of Dr. Tončić... man, that guy was actually incredibly helpful. Seriously, he answered every single one of my questions without skipping a beat. He didn't sugarcoat anything either—he told me straight up that because of the way my nose is shaped, the surgery is going to be pretty complicated, especially since it's functional. He made it clear I’ll definitely need to go under general anesthesia, and then he laid out exactly what the price tag for an operation like that looks like. $5000We’ll hash out all the nitty-gritty details during that first consultation—which, just so you know, isn't free. $83 Man, this guy’s got the most expensive consultation fees out of anyone I've ever seen. Seriously, you might as well just hand him your entire paycheck before you even sit down in the chair. It's absolutely wild. 🙂 So, here’s the deal with the scheduling: you’re looking at waiting a few days just to get a consultation on the books. Once you actually sit down and talk things through, you're stuck waiting another two or three weeks before they'll even schedule the surgery. It all really just boils down to how slammed he is with his current surgical lineup—if his calendar is packed, you're just sitting there twiddling your thumbs.

neonbadger43 said:So, that’s basically the deal. Just wanted to lay it all out there so I know exactly which specialist to hit up—and I mean a real surgeon, not some butcher—if I actually pull the trigger on this rhinoplasty. 🙂 You're welcome! Feel free to drop more whenever you need.

Trust me, I have absolutely no clue who I’d recommend to you. Honestly, I haven't even made up my mind yet. I’ve been stuck in a hospital once before, and let me tell you, the thought of stepping foot back in a place like that makes my skin crawl. You don't feel like a patient there; you just feel like another nameless product on a conveyor belt. Nobody actually talks to you, nobody looks you in the eye—it's just total clinical indifference. To make matters worse, even after everything, I still have zero clue what they actually operated on. My breathing feels even more labored now than it did before the surgery! It's a joke. So, this time around, I'm just going to pay out of pocket for a private specialist so I can finally have some peace of mind... well, hopefully.
I’m still stuck in this endless loop of trying to decide which surgeon to actually go with. Honestly, I’ve been scrolling through this entire forum like my life depends on it... I even went as far as making my own little mental tally, marking names with pluses and minuses just to try and separate the legends from the hacks. But man, did that even help? Not even a little bit. It’s absolute chaos in here—everyone is getting praised by one person and then dragged through the mud by the next. It's totally bipolar. From what I can gather, Dr. Bastajić seems to be the golden boy around here; he’s getting nothing but rave reviews and zero shade. Following him, you've got Zambelli, Tončić, Ostojić, and Glumičić... but even with them, it’s a mixed bag. You'll find someone swearing by their work one minute, and then reading a horror story about them the next. It's driving me crazy.
The more I sit here and chew on this, the harder it gets to actually pull the trigger. Honestly, I feel like I’m stuck in analysis paralysis. At this point, I probably just need to go hunt down some before-and-after photos of their rhinoplasty work. If I see their results and they don't make me cringe, then maybe—just maybe—I'll actually book the appointment. It feels like no matter which surgeon you pick, the risks are pretty much baked into the deal anyway. You can't win. 😁

fadedbison182 said:I need to go hit up a few of these guys to see what they actually have to say. I'm trying to figure out who sounds like they actually know their stuff and who's just some total hack running a scam. Honestly, if the consultation fees themselves are going to cost me an arm and a leg, I need to make sure I'm not throwing good money after bad.

Every single checkup costs money now... starting from... $50, $67, $83Well, I guess it really just depends on who you ask. Everyone's got their own take on it, right?

neonbadger43 said:Hey there. So, I’ve got a question. I’ve been lurking here reading all sorts of stuff, and honestly, you guys have totally played me. Hmm... I'm planning on getting nose surgery. My nose is actually okay for the most part—it's not bumpy or low—it’s just a bit wide, and from the side, it looks really pointy. I've always wanted that cute little Angelina nose, you know? Something sweet from the profile... mine just looks way too sharp for my face. But yeah, it's not just some random whim; I know I need to think this through seriously so I don't end up looking like a disaster.

I've got one that looks like this...http://www.mediabistro.com/unbeige/original/a_nose.jpg
I definitely don't have that cute little curve. I just can't stand it.
Has anyone here actually gone through this kind of procedure? I noticed that Zanamara had that same nose job—you can tell. She used to have that wide, pointy thing too, and now she has a tiny, sweet one. So, yeah... I'm genuinely curious who the absolute best surgeon is right now, someone who won't totally screw things up.🙂 Thanks.

Personally, I think this nose is perfectly fine... though, obviously, you can't see how wide it is from the profile view. As for this "cute little curve" you mentioned, I have no clue what you mean. But seriously, think about how many girls go under the knife just to get a slightly pointier tip. I don't know how old you are, but your post gives off the vibe that you're pretty young... if you aren't dealing with some medical issue, I'd say wait it out. Your perspective might change. It's honestly not worth dropping that much cash and risking surgery just to potentially end up hating the result. It is way, WAY easier to fix huge bumps or crooked noses than it is to tweak tiny details. Someone who nitpicks over every little feature of their nose is definitely going to be nitpicking about whether the surgery was a success, too.🙂

Carol Hernandez94 said:Nobody’s actually talking about the costs here... seriously, can someone just give me some numbers?

Look, there’s been a ton of talk about prices on this board before... if you really want to know, just do yourself a favor and scroll through the archives for a bit.
Generally, you’re looking at somewhere between $12,000 and $18,000$0.00, depending on how intense the surgery is and what kind of anesthesia they use. On average, though, people are paying around $2,000.

casualscout65 said:Mine was pretty much like yours. Everyone around me was acting like I’d totally lost my mind, asking what was wrong with me, just because I didn't have some massive, giant honker with a huge hump... but even then, it was crooked and uneven. Every time I’d point it out to them, they’d be like, "Oh, wow, you're right, it actually is crooked." It looked super obvious in photos, too. And whenever I’d wiggle the tip of my nose, I could literally hear this clicking or snapping sound happening inside.

Look, the nose isn't just for show—it’s a breathing organ. There are actual specialists who deal specifically with this stuff. If you're dealing with a deviated septum and not just trying to tweak the aesthetics, don't just wing it. Go see an ENT or a plastic surgeon for a real consultation!

I've gotta know... how does your nose look now? Are you actually happy with how the surgery turned out? Is it straight now, or is it still leaning one way? And of course... which doctor did you go with?
Tnx

frozenridge13 said:Hey! Can someone please help me out here. I have to go in for septoplasty because of some health issues, but I noticed you can also get cosmetic work done at the same time. Does that cost extra if they fix the shape of my nose while they're at it?? And is all of this covered by Medicare? THANKS!!

From what I know, there shouldn't be an extra charge. But honestly, just sit down and have a real talk with your doctor before the surgery and hammer out all those details.

Anthony Kern43 said:So, I finally took the cast off today. Honestly, my nose looks totally flat right now, even though it’s huge. I’ve got some bruising going on and the skin is looking a bit weird in that spot, but I won't know the real deal for another month once the swelling actually dies down and my skin settles back into place. Regardless, the shape is already better than what I started with... seriously people, watch where you go with this stuff. I didn't end up going to any of those places you mentioned because they all just rush through it in like thirty minutes, and look what happens when they do that. My surgeon actually took his time—spent two and a half hours working on my nose. I have no clue how it'll look once the puffiness fades, but for now, I'm pretty happy with it 🙂 :P

So, who did you actually go to? Give us the details! Help out those of us who haven't pulled the trigger yet but definitely need to 😁

Michelle Chavez74 said:So, I’ve got a quick question for all the ladies out there who were complaining about Glumičić’s noses—seriously, where on earth am I supposed to find photos of them? Help a guy out, thanks! 🙂

So, if you actually bother to take a look at his website... http://www.glumicic-dzepina.com/inde...mid=15&lang=hr

Kyle Torres2 said:I don't know about your experience, but I had a deviated septum. My nose leaned so far to the left I basically couldn't breathe through one nostril. So, I went in for surgery—they broke it, centered everything, cleared out some cartilage... all done using the closed technique. Honestly, it wasn't nearly as scary as I thought it would be. Now? I can actually breathe normally, and my nose looks great. Obviously, it’s not perfectly symmetrical down to the millimeter on both sides, but I’m not expecting perfection, nor do I care. The bottom line is I can breathe, and it looks totally fine. I was beyond happy with my surgeon.

No way! Seriously? Who did you go to? Maybe you mentioned it before, but I clearly missed it. 🙂

Kyle Torres2 said:They’re gonna toss it right back where they found it, only this time they'll smash it to pieces before they center it perfectly.😁

😲 Oh, please... don't even bother stressing about the bill, I already took care of it. Honestly, my bone structure—specifically the bridge of my nose—is perfectly straight. The problem is that little bit of cartilage underneath from the surgery; it clearly decided to go rogue and start making a move toward my right ear. Every single day, it feels like it’s inching closer to its new destination. 😁
Jokes aside... the reality is I honestly have no clue if my first surgery was just a dud or if my septum deviation is simply making a comeback on its own. I’m really crossing my fingers that it's the former. Because if it's the latter? Man, does that mean I'm looking at a cycle of repeating these surgeries every few years? That sounds like a total nightmare.

I haven't heard much about Turkey... but I have heard things about Thailand. Apparently, getting surgery done over there is dirt cheap. Just a thought. $667And you see this stuff being marketed like some kind of luxury hotel package? It’s insane. You look online and it’s all "stay for a week plus a nose job included" or "not included," mixed in with those sketchy medical tourism spikes they promote. Honestly, it just feels shady. Personally, I feel way more secure staying right here in the States. First off, the communication with the doctor is seamless since we actually speak the same language—no playing telephone with a translator. Plus, there's nothing like being home. Like they say, the grass isn't always greener on the other side, especially when you're dealing with surgery. 😛 And one more thing... honestly, no matter how much people talk trash about American plastic surgeons, you still see huge crowds of people flying in from all over the map just to get their work done here in the States. So, who’s actually the smart one in this scenario? At the end of the day, everyone’s just looking out for number one, and that's that.

Jason White26 said:I’ve asked for specifics on this forum more times than I can count, but honestly? It feels like I'm just shouting into a void here. Nobody seems to take me seriously. 😁
Honestly, everyone is just way too wrapped up in their own little insecurities, obsessing over whether their nose looks perfect or if they need some quick cosmetic fix to fit in. It’s like nobody even notices anything else anymore.
If they don't start making time to actually listen to the people dealing with real-world issues—you know, the ones actually going under the knife and facing life-altering surgeries—then what's even the point? It’s all just noise if they ignore the folks who are actually in the trenches.
We’re sitting this one out for health reasons. Honestly, it’s a bummer because that other topic was actually starting to get somewhere.
Someone started rambling about mental deviations and the whole thread got locked on me. Seriously? Give me a break. 🙂 Honestly, looking at all this absolute nonsense being peddled here... it's just exhausting.
Honestly, people are out here throwing away huge amounts of cash just to try and fix "complexes" that, let’s be real, don't even exist 80% of the time. It’s wild. They go chasing after these expensive fixes for problems they basically manufactured themselves.
It’s all just living in their own heads, honestly. They spend all this time chasing some imaginary ideal, and then, once they finally get what they thought they wanted, they realize they aren't even remotely happy with it. It's a cycle.
Even after two... no, let's call it three surgeries... nothing changes. Honestly? It would be way more productive if they just put that money toward paying for a good therapist instead. 😁

Look, when it comes to the doctor, he’s legit—easily one of the best you could find. I’ve been chatting with a few people who went through the exact same surgery, and honestly? It sounds like everyone is basically just dealing with getting a tampon removed. Simple as that.
Honestly, that was hands down the most traumatic experience out of everything. It doesn't even matter who was performing the surgery—it was just pure nightmare fuel regardless.

Look, first off, I don't think it's ever okay to just go out and insult people like that. If someone’s dealing with their own baggage or personal issues, that’s on them—it’s not your business, and you definitely don't have the right to just start spitting on them. Everyone is out here just trying to live their own lives.

Look, as for that whole "nobody notices me" thing... honestly, maybe it’s just because this forum is already sixty-nine pages deep. Most of the new folks don't bother scrolling through the archives; they just drop in out of nowhere, ask some question that's been answered a billion times already, and act like it's brand new. If you ask me? It feels pretty selfish. They want instant attention without doing any of the legwork first.
Look, if you’ve got a problem or something’s bugging you, here’s my advice: go do some digging first. Actually put in the work to find the answer on your own. If you still come up empty-handed after that, then—and only then—should you reach out. Don't just waltz onto this forum and drop a question like it's the most monumental, life-altering crisis in the history of the universe. It's honestly exhausting.
So, I’m still pretty much the new kid on the block here... but before I even dared to type a single word, I went down the rabbit hole and read this entire forum from top to bottom. Every last page. Honestly, I already know more about this surgery than most people because I've actually been through one before. It’s not even a vanity thing for me—it’s purely medical. It causes these massive headaches, which is exactly what you're dealing with, too. It’s been a few years since my last one, but I’m facing another round because the issue came crawling back, and now my nose is actually starting to lean to one side. It’s getting more noticeable every single day, so let’s get one thing straight: this isn't about some deep-seated insecurity or "complexes" about how I look. My nose is actually cute! I’m just heading back under the knife to get everything centered again and so I can finally stop living my life constantly relying on nasal spray just to breathe. 😁
People have been talking about the whole tampon situation quite a bit lately... honestly, though, I completely forgot I was even wearing one because I couldn't feel it at all. It was like nothing was there—sort of like someone giving you a tiny little tickle on the nose. 😁 Honestly, what sticks with me most isn't even the specifics, it’s just that feeling of taking that first real breath after five days of nothing... It was wild. It felt like oxygen was hitting my brain directly, like a literal surge straight to the gray matter. Such a trip. 🤣

feralbadger102 said:Hey everyone,

So, I swung by the Vinogradska hospital today regarding my nose. About five years back, I had surgery with Dr. Bilic to fix a deviated septum, but honestly? The results are a total disaster. My nose is basically crooked now, leaning heavily to one side, and I can barely breathe through the left nostril because it’s so narrow. It’s been a nightmare. I won't even show you pictures 😢, I literally only take photos of one side of my face just so people don't notice how skewed my nose looks—it’s actually tragic and hilarious at the same time... Anyway, I've booked a consultation with Dr. Kalogjera. Does anyone here have experience with him? What's the verdict? Also, does anyone know what the waitlist looks like for surgery at Vinogradska right now?

I am in the exact same boat as you... I was actually dying laughing reading your post, especially the part about only taking photos from one side to hide the damage 🤣

slymoose95 said:Honestly, even then it’s fine. 🙂 I hit that brutal heatwave back in May, but I managed to power through it... besides, who are you actually going to end up choosing?

Believe it or not, I still haven't made up my mind. 😂 Should I go with Ostojić, Tončić, or Bastajić? I am genuinely torn... 🤷

I think it’ll finally click once I actually sit down and talk to them face-to-face. As far as the emails go, they were all super helpful and responded really nicely, though their vibes were pretty different from one another. Once I get them in front of me and let them walk me through everything in detail, I’ll just go with whichever one feels right. 🙂

Dana Alvarez said:The thing is, there isn't just one way to do this—it all comes down to how much skill the surgeon actually brings to the table. Most people cut corners because they don't truly understand the mechanics of what they're doing from the inside out, trying to avoid leaving any visible scars on the surface...

Look, about 95% of these surgeries are done using the closed technique (meaning the incisions are tucked away inside the nostrils). That other 5%? That’s the open technique (incisions right under the nose). But let’s get one thing straight: doctors don't switch to the open method because they lack the skills for a closed approach. They do it because some cases are just straight-up brutal. When things get complicated, you need to peel back the skin from the entire nose so the surgeon can actually see what they're doing. To quote the medical standard: "Open" technique is indicated for particularly severe tip deformities or noses that have been repeatedly operated on or heavily traumatized, where a successful outcome simply isn't possible through a "closed" approach.

And regarding that incision under the upper lip... like I’ve mentioned before, that’s specifically for patients whose nasal tip drops whenever they smile or talk. It’s got nothing to do with whether the surgeon chooses the open or closed technique for the rhinoplasty itself. ☕