Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

electricorca19 said:This might sound like a totally silly question—but am I allowed to put powder on my nose and maybe give it a super gentle exfoliation? My skin is peeling just a little bit right now.

Honestly, you should probably stick to just washing your nose after surgery.
I actually used powder myself!

Mayo, it sounds like you’ve really been through the wringer lately! I actually went ahead and scheduled my procedure with the exact same specialist you saw, and now that it's on the calendar, I'm feeling a little bit of that pre-op anxiety.
Is your breathing any different now compared to how it felt before the surgery? And regarding that little lump—is it quite large, or is it one of those small, subtle ones that others might not even notice (the one you mentioned he said wouldn't fully go away), or something else entirely?

Nancy Perez62 said:Mayo, things have gotten so complicated for you! I actually just scheduled an appointment with the same surgeon you saw, so now I'm feeling a little nervous myself.
Is your breathing any worse than it was before the surgery? And that bump—is it big, or more like one of those small ones that others might not even notice (the one you mentioned he said wouldn't go away)? Or what's the deal?

Yeah, exactly.
And look, I'm not pointing fingers at him—I've heard that stuff can be tied to how your own body reacts to having "bone tissue removed." But honestly, the bump is definitely there—it's not just something you feel "under your fingertips," it's a visible thickening on the bridge that shows up in photos and in person—you can see different profiles because it's sitting right on the right side of the nasal bone area.

When it comes to internal issues, I don't even know who to blame—the surgeon, or just the way time works...
But hey, I'm still being patient and holding out hope for some improvement...

rapidbadger7 said:Yeah.
I'm not even blaming him—I've heard this stuff is all about how your body reacts to the "bone shaving" process. The lump isn't just something you feel "under your fingers," either; there’s a definite thickening on the bridge. You can see it in photos and in person—it's sitting right on the right side of the nasal bone area.

As for internal issues, I honestly don't know who to "blame"—the surgeon or just how time works...
still being patient and waiting to see things improve...

Is it actually possible for the lump to come back? Mine already feels like it's back after just 10 days, right where they filed it down. It looks like they didn't even do anything, just like before. 😢 I thought it was just swelling, but now what? Is it the doctor's fault or just my body acting up? Is there any chance it'll actually go away?

tonka, it’s not even like I had a lump to begin with
it was just one of those things where they had to shave down about 1mm from every side to get it flush with the tip—and on one side, this "lump" popped up right away (though it was movable, and honestly, felt more like a fatty deposit), which actually vanished within a month or so; but on the other side, the bone itself—well, the bone tissue—basically thickened out, like a bony callus. It's this hard, unmoving protrusion now, and I really don't think it's going anywhere

just bad luck, I guess.
The only real options left are going back under the knife for another surgery or just "learning to live with the new bump" 😉
I'll make a call on it in about a year

I figured I’d chime in here and share my own experience following my surgery.🙂
I underwent a septum correction on July 10th at Holy Spirit Hospital in Chicago. While they were at it, they performed an aesthetic refinement as well. The procedure itself went smoothly, even though it ran a bit longer than expected—about three and a half hours. They removed the packing on day five, which was also when I was discharged. On day nine, I went back in to have the cast removed and get the stitches taken out; they applied some patches to keep things steady while the swelling subsides. By day sixteen, I returned for a follow-up, where they removed the patches and did a quick cleaning of the nasal passages. My recovery has been excellent; the bruising and swelling cleared up much faster than anticipated—even the doctor seemed surprised by how quickly I bounced back 😁). I’ve been consistently rinsing with saline and applying Contractubex. Since Friday, the swelling has subsided even further, so I expect everything to look perfect in about a month or so. My only real concern now is making sure I don't bump into anything—or better yet, that nobody accidentally bumps into me—since you can't even tell I had work done. 😁
Now, regarding the surgeon... I was under the care of Dr. Raguž. He’s a younger physician, but he is incredibly kind, professional, and approachable. Honestly, I couldn't say enough good things about him. 😍
As for the nursing staff and the other doctors, I have nothing but praise for them as well... 🙏 Everyone was truly top-tier. I have to admit, I haven't encountered a more compassionate or capable group of people. They were there for us 24/7, attending to every tiny detail, offering support, and even sharing a joke when needed. No one was ever grumpy, no one raised their voice, and no one made it feel like our care was a burden. That level of care makes a massive difference when you feel like a 500-ton steamroller just flattened you. 😁
So, ladies, if you're looking into surgery for your septum, sinuses, or whatever else, I would absolutely recommend Holy Spirit Hospital. Regardless of which doctor you select, you really can't go wrong. 😉
I also want to give a special shout-out to Dr. Gudelj (who wasn't my primary surgeon). He took the time to check in on all the patients over the weekend, even though he wasn't required to. That kind of initiative tells you everything you need to know about his character as a person... 👍

restlessdrifter41 said:Can anyone tell me—or maybe just shoot me a DM—what the typical costs look like for an ESRETICA procedure? I'm specifically looking at the pricing for just the esretica itself when going through the Actress, Ostojica, or Bagatin clinics if anyone happens to have any info. Thanks!

The late Professor Bagatin (the father) was truly the gold standard; honestly, his sons don't have a clue how to match him.

rapidbadger7 said:tonka, I didn't even have a lump to begin with
they just had to shave down about 1mm from each side to make it level with the tip. On one side, this "lump" popped up immediately (but it was movable, plus there was some fatty tissue)—and that actually disappeared within a month. On the other side, though, the bone itself thickened up—like a bony callus. It’s a hard, unmoving protrusion, and honestly, I don't think it's going anywhere.

just bad luck.
The only real options are getting another surgery or just "learning to live with the new bump." 😉
I'll make a call on it in a year.

Ugh, that sounds even worse... I had mine right where it is now... my doctor thinks it'll settle down, we'll see how it goes over time... and it was narrowing my nose too. At least it isn't worse than before and I can breathe okay. 🙂

redcobra92 said:The late Prof. Bagatin (the dad) was the absolute best, his sons don't have a clue

Wait, why would you even say that???

So, I have a deviated septum on the right side, and I’m scheduled for surgery this September. My doctor told me it’s a totally routine procedure and that they’ll be doing it under local anesthesia. But when I went to sign up for the appointment and mentioned that the surgeon would be working with just local, the staff gave me these really weird looks. They even whispered to each other, "Since when do we do septoplasty under local?" Now I'm sitting here feeling super confused, and honestly, I've always been a bit of a nervous person. This is actually going to be my first surgery ever.

If you're really that terrified, don't even bother with local anesthesia—just go straight for the general stuff, otherwise you might actually die on the table. I know for a fact my heart rate hit about 200 bpm while watching the EKG before they finally knocked me out. Personally, I had a wisdom tooth pulled under general anesthesia once, and it was twenty minutes of pure, unadulterated struggling. I had a sheet over my head so I couldn't see anything, but I could hear everything and just imagine what they were doing to me; I nearly lost it right there.

General anesthesia is the way to go. You don't have to worry about a thing; they put you under, do their work, and two hours later you're waking up in your hospital bed in the ward. Seriously, there’s no reason to be scared, trust me.

lonehawk8 said:I have a right-sided nasal deviation and I'm scheduled for surgery this September. My doctor told me it's a routine procedure and that he plans to perform it under local anesthesia. However, when I went to book my appointment and mentioned they'd be using local anesthesia, the staff gave me such a weird look. They even whispered to each other, "Since when do we do septoplasty under local anesthesia?" Now I'm feeling really confused, and honestly, I'm a pretty anxious person. This is going to be the first surgery I've ever had in my life.

Well, actually—it definitely used to be done that way. Nowadays, you could probably count on one hand how many people still opt for local anesthesia for this kind of thing.
It's hard to say for sure without knowing the specifics of your particular deviation, but ultimately, the surgeon has to inform you about the specific techniques and conditions they intend to use for the operation.

Carl Young57 said:If you're really that nervous, don't even bother with local anesthesia—just go for general. Otherwise, you might actually end up passing out on the table from pure stress. I remember my heart rate hitting nearly 200 bpm (I saw it right there on the EKG) before they finally knocked me out. For instance, when I had a wisdom tooth pulled under general anesthesia, it was about 20 minutes of just pure struggling and tension before the meds kicked in. I had a sheet over my head so I couldn't see anything, but I could hear everything and my imagination was running wild... I honestly felt like I was going to throw up right then and there.

General anesthesia is definitely the way to go if you want peace of mind. They put you under, they do their thing, and two hours later, you're waking up comfortably in your hospital bed on the ward. Seriously, there’s nothing to be afraid of, trust me.

Hmm... Sorry, but I think you got your numbers mixed up—most babies don't even have a heart rate that high!

Fear isn't going to kill you, but it certainly won't help the procedure go smoothly either—nobody wants to feel like things are being messed up around their head.

As for general anesthesia—sure, it’s convenient and smooth, but let's be real: it carries its own set of risks. We shouldn't overlook that.

My doctor asked me if I wanted an aesthetic procedure too, and now I’m honestly a little confused. How does the whole process actually work? Is he the one performing the cosmetic part, or is that handed off to a plastic surgeon? Also, for those of you who ended up getting cosmetic work done—did you have to pay out of pocket, even if the main surgery was done at the hospital?

Betty Edwards22 said:Hmm... Sorry, but you've got your numbers mixed up—that many babies just doesn't add up.

Fear won't kill you, but it certainly won't get much done either. Who actually wants to end up with their brains scrambled?

Regarding general anesthesia—it’s effective, sure, but let’s not kid ourselves: it carries real risks. We shouldn't overlook that.

What do babies have to do with this? I'm telling you, I had roughly 200—maybe closer to 180 or 190. During my follow-up, I asked the doctor if those numbers were normal, and he said they were fine and that I’m hardly a rare case. I know I was sweating like crazy, though; I was practically begging them to just get the anesthesia started.

What kind of risks are we actually talking about here? If you’re healthy, the risk is basically negligible.

Carl Young57 said:What do babies have to do with any of this? I'm telling you, my count was around 200—maybe somewhere between 180 and 190. During my follow-up appointment, I actually asked the doctor if those numbers were normal, and he reassured me that everything looks fine and that I'm definitely not some rare outlier. Honestly, though, I was sweating bullets the whole time and couldn't wait for them to just give me more sedation so I could relax.

What kind of risks are you actually talking about here? If you’re healthy, the risk is pretty much negligible.

There are risks out there that I’m personally aware of—things you might not have considered—but instead of giving you a long-winded lecture on them, I’ll just pose a single question: if the incidence of an event is 1 in 100, making it incredibly rare, what happens if *you* are that 1? It’s a heavy thought, I know, but it's something we really need to weigh. Suggesting that a "one-size-fits-all" approach is always the superior solution is fundamentally flawed. In local clinics, you aren't exactly facing life-or-death stakes, but when you move into general hospital care, that's where things get real.

That’s an interesting take, though I think you might be stretching the truth a little bit—if that happened at my place, they would have hauled you straight to the ward just for joking around. I'm not an anesthesiologist, so I can't say for sure how much weight to give your reasoning, but I definitely notice a pattern in how things play out. A heart rate hitting tachycardia? No way, that's a massive red flag. Seriously, try counting out what 200 beats per minute actually feels like.

lonehawk8 said:My doctor also asked if I wanted to go the aesthetic route too, so now I'm a bit confused. How does the process actually work? Does he perform the cosmetic part himself, or is that handled by a plastic surgeon? Also, for those of you who had cosmetic work done, did you have to pay out of pocket even if the initial surgery was done in the hospital?

When it comes to certain procedures, you don't even need a specific title—nose surgeries can be performed by plastic surgeons, maxillofacial surgeons, or ENT specialists. In terms of training, ENTs almost exclusively undergo continuous specialized training regarding the structure of the nose, but more importantly, they focus on maintaining its function. Plastic and maxillofacial surgeons generally just do as much training as they personally choose to pursue.

The aesthetic portion was framed as "plastic surgery." Lately, Medicare has really started putting the squeeze on hospitals, pushing them to stop performing purely cosmetic procedures. You might still see it happening here and there under a differently defined medical heading, but that’s becoming increasingly rare. The healthcare system is honestly in a desperate state right now. We're seeing a massive shift toward everything being handled through private out-of-pocket solutions.
Anyway, that's my two cents—don't want to ramble on forever!

Has anyone here gone through with nose surgery under local anesthesia? I think I’m leaning toward that option after all.

lonehawk8 said:Has anyone here had nose surgery done under local anesthesia? I think I might actually go with that option after all.

I did mine under general, and honestly? I wouldn't touch local anesthesia if I could help it. Just the thought of being wide awake while they're poking around in my nose—even if you don't feel pain—is a hard pass for me! But hey, definitely have your doctors walk you through the pros and cons of both before you make the call.