Posts by Jesse Sanchez90

Donna Johnson16 said:How much does it actually matter if you get the procedure done before anyone notices, versus having people see you while you're still looking a little swollen? A gentle facial massage using Heparin cream might help speed up the reduction of that swelling.

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Come on now, could you please explain the actual mechanism behind how that Heparin cream is supposed to reduce swelling?
😍

Alexander Mendoza21 said:How long do the swelling and bruising last—basically everything you can see right away? Will the swelling and all those marks on my face clear up within a month?

I'm asking because I need to figure out if I can manage my college schedule around it.

Bruising definitely takes some time to break down as the hemoglobin clears out, but it should resolve within a reasonable timeframe. As for the swelling, it tends to be a bit more stubborn, though it does eventually subside. You might have some very mild lingering puffiness, but honestly, everyone heals differently!

Don't hold your breath. You already know that—it’s not something they ask the audience; it's something decided by the conductor.

Who are you even worried about? Don't sweat it—nobody's going to lay a finger on you... :P

Donna Johnson16 said:🙂 thanks; they can write prescriptions—but can they actually perform surgery?

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That’s something you’ll have to ask them directly 🙂

Donna Johnson16 said:-

Does anyone here know if Miso Virag is still performing surgeries? I know he was doing procedures over at the Mayo Clinic back around 2007, but I’m not sure if he’s retired or what. You guys don't seem to mention him much, but he did an absolutely amazing job for my mom a while back—both functional and aesthetic results were perfect—so I’d love to find out if he's still practicing.

@Elizabeth Fox57/">@@Elizabeth Fox57 - stress really does take a toll on the body. Try not to worry too much; your hair will bounce back! 🙂

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He’s officially retired, but he still consults there like an unofficial head of the department.

Elizabeth Fox57 said:It's day 19 post-op, and I was just cleaning my nose when I pulled out one single stitch... do you think that could cause any issues? 😢

No, you shouldn't worry! The healing process is already well underway, which means everything is settling into its new position. It's actually pretty normal at this stage for those stitches to start loosening up or working themselves loose.

Sarah Cox66 said:I was wondering about something regarding a potential rhinoplasty involving an osteotomy and hump reduction. My main goal is to keep my nasal tip exactly where it is right now. I realize that if the surgeon doesn't actually touch the tip, it should technically stay put, but I’m curious about the mechanics of it all. Specifically, if they perform the osteotomy and focus on shaving down the hump, is there a chance the tip might shift—either lifting or drooping—even if it isn't being directly manipulated? I'd love to hear some insight on this. Thanks in advance!🙂🙂

It’s actually not about the nasal cartilage itself. When you undergo a rhinoplasty specifically to remove a hump, surgeons almost always perform an osteotomy. This creates what's known as an "open-roof" technique to close the bone-cartilage defect. Think of it like two swinging doors—by carefully breaking and repositioning those side bones, they can pull everything together to close the gap, which visually narrows the bridge of the nose. If nothing is done to address the cartilage section, then the tip is simply going to stay exactly where it is.

northernmaker84 said:Thanks so much for getting back to me! I'm planning on going in for surgery after the summer. My main priority is really the tip of my nose—it's all about those fine details, and honestly, I'm still feeling a bit lost on which surgeon to choose. What's your take on Zambelli? He's the closest option for me, so I was thinking of starting with a consultation there. :-) Thanks again!

I'm sorry, but like I mentioned before: I'm just a student of the American medical school system. I've never actually watched his work, so I can't really weigh in on his skill or the work of anyone else being discussed here in any capacity.
The true result of any surgery isn't just what you see immediately afterward or even at the six-month mark—it's the long-term outcome.

northernmaker84 said:Hey, which doctor would you recommend for nose surgery? I see you really know your stuff from your posts, so if you could share your opinion, I'd appreciate it! 🙂 thanks

Everyone has their own take on this. To give anyone a truly solid recommendation, you really need to see a wide enough variety of results—basically, you need to see whose hands produce consistent results regardless of the day.
To be completely honest, based on what I see every single day—every one of us residents would jump at the chance to work under Prof. Bedekovic. That isn't just a random opinion; it's based on seeing dozens of successful cases because he exclusively uses that specific approach for septorhinoplasties. By the way, one of the places that embraced and preserved this technique very early on, long before it became a global standard again, was actually the Mayo Clinic/Prof. Sercer. The method really saw a resurgence when our rhinoplasty surgeons headed over to the States in the early 90s; it was presented at a congress and then spread like wildfire. Nowadays, many institutions perform up to 90% of surgeries using this method. Why? Because there’s nothing quite like having everything done under direct supervision.

I totally agree. There’s just something about that look on a border patrol agent's face—they always seem to flash this massive, ear-to-ear grin the second they spot you pulling up to the checkpoint. 🙂

Rachel Fisher97 said:That’s true, but honestly, the doctor being willing to touch up my nose aesthetically is just a nice bonus. I originally came in to fix the breathing issues, not because I was bothered by a crooked nose. But I am definitely going to ask him about everything...
Just let me know when I might actually get a chance to talk to him again. Should I try to catch him during a consultation right before the surgery, or should I bring my test results in to chat privately? Honestly, thank God, I've never actually had surgery before, so I have no idea how this all works...

Well, once you arrive at the hospital, just tell the head nurse that you’d really like to have a quick word with the surgeon.

That’s true enough, though you're acting like you're trying to build a relationship with Ra himself! It’s definitely a good idea to ask, and having a vision for the outcome isn't bad at all—it just has to be realistic.
Just don't forget who made this whole thing possible for you, and keep in mind that since this isn't being covered by Medicare through a public plan but is instead private, it's all coming straight out of your own pocket.

Rachel Fisher97 said:You're totally right, and I really should be saying that, it’s just a little awkward since I'm currently stuck in a public hospital rather than a private clinic... but honestly, if I can get a handle on things before the surgery, then so be it! :-P

🙄
Look, nothing was actually "gifted" here—if you feel the need to apologize, you should be doing it to the American taxpayers who fund our healthcare system and pay for everything from chemotherapy to stuff like this. The operator doesn't have anything to do with it because they get paid for their job regardless. So, seriously, feel free to ask whatever else is on your mind...

Rachel Fisher97 said:My medical report says they’re going to use an open technique. Honestly, I’m just trusting the doctor to do his thing—he clearly knows what he's doing. I probably shouldn't even bring up my fear of ending up looking like Miss Piggy! 🙂

So, I’ve got a left-sided nasal septal deviation, an empty columella, and some external kyphosis of the cartilaginous and bony part of the dorsum... everything makes perfect sense to me so far, except for that last bit. Can someone break down what that actually means?
Thanks so much for getting back to me! I really appreciate the response. 🙂

It’s the same old story: people fail to ask the right questions and then act completely shocked when they don't like the results. You really have to stay on top of things and check in with all your service providers—they aren't mind readers, after all!

To answer the question you asked earlier—yes, they are going to be correcting that hump on the nose. It’s actually a case of kyphosis.

Karen Ross84 said:Since we're already talking about cartilage, I actually have a question myself. When they perform nose surgery and reduce the tip—meaning they're touching the cartilage there too—do you have to constantly fiddle with it or anything?

Well, what other choice is there? For anyone interested, the structure of the nostrils is made up of alar cartilages, which together form the nasal valve—a crucial factor for breathing properly. It can be traumatic, but any kind of picking or messing around in that area can lead to issues with the valve and your ability to breathe. That's why you really have to be careful about how you handle it.

Rachel Fisher97 said:Betty Edwards22
I have a question... does the tip of the nose always drop? Like, is it always lifted higher than it should be once the splint comes off?
They told me they’ll have to do a lot of work on my columella because it’s considered "hollow." So, what do they actually do in that situation? In my own crazy logic, I'm guessing they lift the nose and stitch the cartilage together, 😁 and my biggest fear is ending up with that "Miss Piggy" look if they lift it too much.
Honestly, I originally went to the hospital just to fix my breathing issues, but the doctor was the one who suggested the cosmetic side of things too.
So, would it be awkward to ask him not to make it look "overly upturned or pig-like," especially since I'm there primarily for functional reasons? I'd love some advice. Thanks! 🙂

Modern surgeons really try to avoid that extreme "upturned" look where you feel like you're breathing through your nostrils—they aim for a natural profile. Plus, keep in mind that the nose almost always has a tendency to settle and drop slightly over the first few months.

As for working on the nasal tip itself, an open rhinoplasty technique is usually best because it gives the surgeon full visibility and total control over everything happening under the hood.

What you mentioned about the "hollow" area suggests the nose lacks stability because there isn't enough cartilage support in the columella. To visualize this, imagine taking a piece of cartilage from another part of the nose and grafting it into what's called a "columellar strut." This creates a structural support that keeps everything elevated while the sutures hold the shape in place. Once those stitches eventually dissolve, you finally see how well the natural tissue has taken over the job of stabilizing the structure.

frozennomad25 said:Well, yeah. They moved me over to the ICU overnight right after my surgery. I honestly have no idea why—I guess they just ran out of room elsewhere.🤷I wanted to jump in here because this is where we all swap stories and experiences. I really wouldn't want anyone else to go through what I went through just because of some silly oversight. Regarding the follow-up, I think Dr. Milton is a great physician; I believe he practices at the main University Hospital and also at a private clinic.

Standard procedure is to head to the ICU unless there’s absolutely no space left, since those cases are more complex and the unit has a capacity of about seven patients.
The main thing is that you're feeling satisfied with how things turned out now.

This is the space where we discuss both the surgeons you might want to avoid and those who truly excel. It would be wonderful if people could share some success stories too, especially for anyone considering revision rhinoplasty or looking for that specific "second-hand" aesthetic. That’s exactly why this forum exists.

Hmm... The pediatric ward is pretty intense right now; they're staying overnight.

frozennomad25 said:It’s not even about us having a misunderstanding over small details; the truth is he made my nose look way worse than it ever was. It was a complete mess, honestly. I’ve lost count of how many specialized rhinoplasty surgeons I’ve visited trying to fix the damage he caused. You could really see the extent of his mistake when they had to reopen my nose to deal with what he did. There have been plenty of people on this forum sharing stories about how Bedeković ruined their noses, too. Even if we just look at how much worse my nose became compared to before, it’s undeniable. What kind of person lies and claims they didn't alter someone's nose when the results clearly show otherwise? I don't really care who he saw in NY or anything else—no general surgeon, let alone someone who isn't a specialist, would have caused this kind of damage to my nose.

I’m not quite sure—I didn't catch the thread from the very beginning since there's just so much to read through. I can only say so much, but I will say that I watched him perform a few open septorhinoplasties (which is essentially the only way to do it), and the technique he used there was actually state of the art.
That being said, after digging through the posts, it seems everyone has their own horror story. I actually had no idea that Uglešić and Bedeković were buddies—maybe they went to school together or something?
Maybe they're part of the same generation?
From what I can gather, he seemed just as blindsided by the whole situation as anyone else—so, who ended up fixing everything?

Elizabeth Fox57 said:Hahahaha, I know they’d be using the closed technique back then, I was just sharing how excited I am about avoiding scars! 😉 😉

Quick question for everyone else too... is it actually possible for one side of my nose to be way more swollen than the other? It's day 12 post-op today, and I still look like a total piglet. -.-

Well, that's a really important distinction to make because if they go with the closed technique, there won't be any visible scarring at all.

As for the swelling, you really have to prepare yourself for that to stick around for a while...
And honestly, everyone heals on their own timeline when it comes to that stuff.