Posts by Jesse Sanchez90

Sam Grant5 said:Fair enough, I hadn't actually checked out their profile yet 🙂

Alright, look, I don't want to be one of those people who constantly nitpicks or pushes a specific point too hard, hmm... 😉

Sam Grant5 said:after that, it's just a matter of basic physiological 😬

It's Saturday anyway, so I don't even have anyone to transcribe this for me right now 🤷

And by the way, are you some kind of technician or surgeon working over at Oracle?

Well, it says it right there in my profile, so the conclusion is pretty easy—yes, Oracle is definitely my field of work and interest, though I tend to focus more on ears than on the nose.

frozennomad25 said:I had this bump on my nose that was really noticeable in profile. At the time, I was just starting out in modeling, so some people in the industry suggested I go see Dr. Bedeković to get his professional opinion. Now, sure, surgeons do work on the cartilage at the tip of the nose, but they never literally cut it the way he did to me. That’s actually been confirmed by other doctors, especially when they had to go back in to open up my nose again. They told me it was a total mess inside. And considering how incredibly swollen I stayed for months, I guess I shouldn't be surprised by what he was doing 😢 I should also mention that Dr. Bedeković never once tried to talk me out of the surgery or suggest I wait until I was older—if anything, he kept encouraging me to go through with it, saying it was a minor thing and all that...

I’m not going to speculate on things I didn't witness personally, but I will break down a few specific points that don't quite seem right:
So, they *are* working on the cartilage after all. Nowadays, even with minors, the septum is addressed, though they don't mess with the nasal pyramid or perform osteotomies, which are much more serious nasal procedures.

I can't comment on surgical results I haven't seen myself, but if these details are accurate, then something is seriously off—very few surgeons pay as much attention to detail as he does. It's also rare to find someone trained in nasal aesthetics quite like him, especially since it's hard to name a major figure in this field who didn't study in NY.
I'm not saying these comments are meant to justify him specifically—your account isn't consistent with how everyone else views his work.
On the other hand, since you brought up Prof. Uglešić, I could probably tell a whole story about my own nose and individual expertise without needing any extra input.
It's pretty clear there was a massive breakdown in communication regarding the procedure, but calling it a complete mess-up...🤔

Sam Grant5 said:I know those drops are only supposed to be used for five days—that’s what they told me and wrote down... 🙂
I'm going to see how my nose feels starting today, and if just using saline isn't cutting it, then I'll go ahead and pick up the stuff you suggested. 😉

Exactly! And then what? You end up with a nose that's totally raw on the inside—it's basically like pouring a bucket of water directly onto an open wound and calling it a day.
Also, you really have to follow a prescription, even for private doctors. They have to specifically recommend it before the pharmacist will even give it to you.

Sam Grant5 said:So, should I be buying those too? 🤷
It’s been five days since they took my tampons out... the doctor checked inside my nose today and everything looked fine. 🤷

Do you think there's any chance something could go wrong in my nose?

I don't really get why they'd prescribe this specific therapy at the hospital if it wasn't necessary... just saline plus Operil... surely they aren't that clueless. 🤷

I'm just trying to help you understand the logic behind using one thing and not the other—the swelling in your nasal lining is going to last much longer than the window of time you're actually allowed to use those decongestant drops. So what happens then? Honestly, feel free to ask your surgeon directly about it. But just a heads up: nasal spray drops should only be used for a maximum of 5 days. That's the part a lot of people fail to realize.

frozennomad25 said:I actually decided to join this forum because Smith literally ruined my nose. It was naturally beautiful, just had one tiny little bump. I was only 17 at the time, and he totally convinced my mom that removing the bump was no big deal—just a routine procedure. I won't even get into how swollen I stayed for almost nine months straight. He kept insisting he only removed a 2mm bump, but my nose looked completely different afterward. I kept begging him to tell me exactly what he did, since we specifically agreed he wouldn't touch anything else. In the end, I had to go back for corrective surgery. Other doctors confirmed that he completely botched it; he nearly cut away the cartilage at the tip (which you should *never* do to the nasal tip), especially since my nose naturally tilted slightly upward. My nose ended up looking unnaturally pinched and, frankly, much uglier than my natural one—it just didn't have that 2mm bump anymore. It was constantly swollen and felt numb all the time. The worst part is that I have documentation from other specialists showing the mess he made, yet he stubbornly insisted he hadn't touched anything besides the bump. To top it off, he was incredibly rude and actually yelled at me, threatening that he'd "give me the bump back" if I kept complaining.🤣I even showed a photo of my nose from before the surgery to his close colleague, Prof. Uglešić, and told him who operated on me. Uglešić started stuttering and making excuses, saying mistakes happen, that every nose is different, and that Smith is a good doctor. Honestly, my nose was nearly perfect; the only issue was that tiny bump. Unfortunately, there's no recourse for legal action because Smith performed the surgery at the Mayo Clinic through a specific connection he has there for septum and aesthetic rhinoplasties. The man is just a complete jerk.👎I'm truly not writing this just to badmouth anyone. Every word here is the truth. I've heard from a few people over at the Mayo Clinic that he enjoys drinking a bit too much, too. I haven't seen that myself, but I can certainly confirm that as both a doctor and a person, he turned out to be a total zero.

All 5 stars—I really appreciate you sharing this, though I honestly don't understand why you went to him in the first place. What was bothering you about your nose originally?
And, just a thought—it isn't strictly true that you never, ever touch the cartilage at the tip. You just have to know how to work with it, and very few people actually have that skill.

Elizabeth Fox57 said:Hehehe, yeah, I mentioned this before, but here it is again... at Boeing over in San Francisco... it was $2,200...

And just so you know... they used a closed technique on me. There was no cutting of the muscle under my lip, and I don't have a single external scar. 😁 😁

I mean, what would you even call it if they were cutting from the outside? 😍 😍 😍 😈

That sounds lovely, but honestly, you really should have asked about the warranty before going under the knife.
From what I can tell, revision surgeries aren't free, though it’s not entirely clear what happens if something isn't working right from day one. 🤔 😕

redcobra92 said:That guy totally messed up my nose during my procedure! I really hope things go smoother for you than they did for me. Just a heads-up, he’s also incredibly money-hungry. ☕

Could you give me a little more detail on that?

Sam Grant5 said:Exactly! Honestly, I highly doubt they even mentioned it to her... personally, I just stick to saline rinses and Operil nasal drops three times a day. Though, you can really use the saline as often as you need to.

See, it’s not about the drops—those might help you breathe easier, but that isn't even the main goal here. We're looking at mucosal recovery first, and then the swelling follows. That means an intranasal corticosteroid spray is really the only thing that hits the mark: things like Rhinocort, Nasonex, or Nasonex.

darktiger19 said:I'm looking at cosmetic changes. My nose has a bump and a curve when viewed from the side. I'd really love to have a slightly smaller, straighter nose. So, here's the situation: I've made up my mind and I've got the funds ready, but honestly, I'm still completely in the dark about how to actually proceed.

My best advice? Make sure you pick an ENT Specialist who truly understands both the structural integrity and the actual function of the nose.

darktiger19 said:Hey everyone! I could really use some advice. I've finally decided to go through with the surgery and I have the funds set aside, but honestly, I'm feeling pretty lost on the next steps. Where should I go, which doctor should I trust, and what does the actual procedure look like? I've been scrolling through this thread and noticed a mix of happy stories and some less successful ones—which makes sense—but I'd love to hear any recommendations you might have. Feel free to shoot me a DM if that's easier!

Well, it really depends on what your main issue is.

Elizabeth Fox57 said:I figured I’d jump in here too, since this forum has been such a huge help to me... I had my surgery with Dr. Zambelli just five days ago. I don't want to write a novel here, but if anyone has questions, please feel free to shoot me a private message! 😉

Also, I wanted to ask you all... okay, so the packing has been removed, but the mold is still in there. Should I be rinsing my nose with something specific? My nose feels completely stuffed up, but I end up breathing through it during the night (totally by accident)—is that bad? Like, am I putting too much pressure on it, or is the airflow actually a good thing? Also, I’m feeling a little lightheaded; I'm guessing it's because everything is so congested...???

Wait, shouldn't your surgeon be the one giving you those directions?
Post-op care is really important.

For the patients we discharge, we always recommend doing heavy saline rinses three times a day, using Garasone/Maxitrol drops for five days, and then following up with an intranasal corticosteroid spray for a shorter period to help restore the mucous membrane.

But again—you really need to check with your own doctor to be sure.

vividangler69 said:So, who would actually be the best choice for those little details? And regarding the cost... honestly, is there anyone here who has gone through this kind of thing and could point me in the right direction or offer some guidance?

Those "little details" you mentioned can actually be even more critical than fixing a kyphosis. One of the most vital aspects is making sure your nose can actually function and breathe properly. To achieve that, you need a stable nasal valve, which is essentially defined by how those alar cartilages interact with the septum. It’s a mistake to look at this purely from an aesthetic standpoint. That’s exactly why not every ENT specialist focuses on this specific type of work.

Hannah Turner46 said:Has anyone had any positive experiences with our local doctors when it comes to refining or defining the nasal tip? My impression is that they're mostly capable of fixing a hump (which is the easy part of the surgery), but I don't see anything particularly specific regarding tip work based on the photos on their websites...

My doubts about their skill sets actually led me to do some digging on international forums like MakeMeHeal and RealSelf. I ended up finding two surgeons here in the States whose work I absolutely loved—maybe someone else might find this helpful! 🙂

Dr. Vladimir Grigoryants

http://www.vgplasticsurgery.com/Nose...%20Gallery.htm

and Dr. Ashkan Ghavami

http://www.ghavamiplasticsurgery.com...and_after.html

There's nothing like an American doctor 😁

When you're dealing with the tip, you really have to play around with the alar cartilages, and that’s where you truly need an artist at the helm.
On the other hand, just shaving down a hump or adjusting the sides is a much simpler task.

rustygardener172 said:Some people argue winter is better because swelling goes down faster in the cold. Plus, you don't have to worry about infections spiking due to summer heat. When your nose is freshly operated on, you really shouldn't be exposing it directly to the sun for a while. So, winter seems like the smart move... But then again... they recommend getting as much movement as possible to help the mucosa recover and improve breathing. Also, since fewer people schedule surgeries during the summer, you might actually get on the operating table sooner. So, summer has its perks too...
😁
What I’m trying to say is that everything comes with its own set of pros and cons. Honestly, the best time to get your nose done is whenever it works for your schedule—basically, whenever you can carve out two or three weeks of downtime. 😁

Infections aren't really tied to the season itself. I agree with most of what was said, except for that final conclusion—I don't think anyone actually wants to be dealing with a freshly operated, heavily packed nose when it's 95 degrees outside!

Sarah Cox66 said:I was wondering if those might actually be nasal polyps—you know, those growths that come from chronic inflammation in the nasal lining. Since you mentioned they’re planning on removing them, I'm assuming that's exactly what the procedure is for.🙂

When it comes to polyps, we aren't talking about burning them off. Instead, the procedure involves manually extracting those polypoid masses or using a suturing technique. After that's done, if the lining looks thickened, the doctor will go ahead and clear out the mucosa to make sure everything is clean.

Eric Sanchez11 said:So, are they actually driving or what? 🙂 Because if you go without them, what are you even going to do? 🙂

Does anyone know the legal age limit for a minor to travel internationally from the US on their own?

If I could ask the mod for a small favor 🙂 — could you please update the title to include "buying guide" Trek bikes?

Eric Ward4 said:So, for about three weeks now, I’ve been dealing with this strange popping sensation in my right ear whenever I’m out for a walk. It seems to follow the rhythm of my steps almost perfectly. Interestingly enough, if I’m just lounging around the house, everything feels totally fine, but the moment I step outside and get moving, that clicking starts up again. It isn't happening every single second, but I’d say it kicks in during maybe 60% or 70% of my stride. When I'm sitting still, there's nothing at all. On a side note, for the last few years, I've actually been wearing earplugs every night because even the slightest bit of noise bothers me while I'm trying to sleep. Does anyone have any insight into what might be causing this?

Are you feeling congested, or is it just the sound itself?
Could it be allergies?

Using cotton balls in your ears isn't really a great idea either.

dustyeagle27 said:I actually went in for consultations over at St. Jude's. The doctor I saw was wonderful—he walked me through everything and used images to show exactly why I need this surgery. But honestly, the main reason I wouldn't choose a public hospital under an ENT specialist is simply because I don't think every ENT has an eye for aesthetics. Look, if someone just has a tiny bump that needs a quick smoothing out, fine. But when you need actual shaping, I feel like you need someone with an artistic touch. My other reason for skipping the public system is that I study abroad, so I’m only back in the States for a month in the winter and a month in the summer. In the public hospital system, you won't even get an appointment for a check-up during those short windows... so private practice is really my only realistic option.

I think your priorities might be a little skewed there—it's all about how you coordinate things. If you can't get in immediately, you can always negotiate an appointment for six months down the road for when you're actually visiting the US.

What matters way more is building trust with your diagnostician, regardless of what their specific specialty is. 😁

Besides, being an "artist" isn't something plastic surgeons just get handed automatically. That distinction is pretty irrelevant when you're looking at a spec sheet filled with other technical details. Being an artist is a much broader concept than just a medical credential.