Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

How are you guys handling the internal nose cleaning, or at least dealing with this constant mucus drip? Is it actually normal for this to be running non-stop? It’s been three days since they pulled the packing out. My doctor told me to avoid blowing my nose or using saline rinses because of the surgical work still going on inside, but I'm low-key terrified everything is just going to crust over up in there. :/

(I’m following his orders, obviously, but I’m just wondering if this much drainage is standard—especially since he told me it would wrap up in a day.)

northernmaker84 said:Quick question: if we decide to go back to the same surgeon for a follow-up procedure, does the price stay the same, or can we expect a bit of a discount? Thanks.🙂

Can you give me a quick rundown on why you're unhappy with the first round of edits? Thanks.

Betty Bailey4 said:Could you maybe just give me a quick rundown of why you weren't quite happy with that first edit? Thanks!

It isn't quite short enough, I suppose; I mean, it's actually pretty good, but I think I might want to trim it down just a tiny bit more.

analogotter43 said:How are you guys cleaning out your nostrils? Or at least getting rid of this constant mucus drainage? Is it normal for it to keep leaking non-stop, even three days after having the packing removed? My doctor told me not to blow my nose or use saline rinses because I still have internal packing, but I'm worried about everything clotting up inside. :/

(I'm doing exactly what I was told, obviously, but I just want to know if this much drainage is normal, since he told me it would stop within a day.)

I didn't have any internal packing, but during those first few days, I rolled up some non-sterile gauze into a little tube, dampened it with saline, and gently cleaned the entrance of my nose. I also used Q-tips to pick up whatever I could reach at the top.

It’s been exactly a month since my surgery, and honestly? I’ve never felt better about how things are looking! 👍
I'm still waiting for the tip to settle down a bit more—it feels like there's still some swelling to go through. Also, my right side is looking way more swollen than my left... I have no clue why one side is acting up more than the other, but hey, that's just part of the process, right? It definitely feels like I'm heading in the right direction, though. My nose used to be quite narrow before this, so I can't help but wonder if the view from the front will end up looking similar to how it did before... especially since they removed the hump during the procedure, so who knows! If anyone wants to see some progress photos, just shoot me a private messageeeee 😁🎉

Hey everyone... so, I had my nose job about 12 days ago. I remember reading somewhere that some people end up looking like they have a pig snout right after surgery 😁....well, that's exactly where I'm at right now....🙄....is this swelling actually going to go down?🤔...

Timothy Ortiz13 said:Hey everyone... so, I had my nose job about 12 days ago. I feel like I read somewhere that someone's nose looked like a total disaster after surgery 😁....well, that’s exactly how mine looks right now....🙄....is this swelling going to go down anytime soon?🤔...

A friend of mine dealt with that for about two months before everything finally settled into place. It'll pass. 🙂

coppermoose42 said:An acquaintance of mine dealt with this for about two months before things finally leveled out. It'll pass 🙂

uhh... thanks for the reply...🎉...

crimsonpanther8 said:I didn't have any plastic filling inside me, but during those first few days, I wrapped some non-sterile gauze in a tissue, dampened it with saline, and gently cleaned the top of my nose. I also used Q-tips to pick out whatever I could reach at the entrance.

Thanks, I'm definitely going to give that a shot. I've already been trying to clean things out with gauze.

I think a lot of us don't actually grasp the fact that we went under the knife. We somehow expect zero side effects. It's like people watching too much reality TV 😁

fadedfalcon13 said:You really have to decide if he's worth the trip. From what I gather, his specialty is general and plastic surgery—basically, the stuff people rave about him for. If there are compliments, they're usually about breast augmentations; I haven't heard much regarding his rhinoplasty work. I know he did Severina’s nose, but who knows how that actually turned out. Just because he worked on her doesn't guarantee anything for you; it could go great, or it could be a disaster. You're taking the risk yourself. Honestly, for the price he's asking—over two thousand dollars—I’d rather go straight to Glumičić or some other big-name specialist specifically for noses. Plus, he’s known for being cold and just ignoring emails.🙄It's pretty well-known. You just need to check some forums or reviews regarding silicone implants and other cosmetic procedures.

I was actually sure I'd go with Glumičić before, but now I'm genuinely terrified! He did an amazing job for one of my friends... but for her sister? Not so much. He removed way too much cartilage, and now she's stuck saying it wasn't what she wanted. I feel so stupid!! And I want this surgery so badly!!!!! aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa:rolleyes
Maybe I should go for a consultation with Zambelli or Glumičić... though I see some happy patients with Dr. Tončić too! Like dreamchaser

I don't knowwwwwww

🤦🤦

I have a pretty good feeling about Zambelli, and I’m hopeful that sentiment holds up once the exam is over. Washington, D.C. isn't really an option for me, though, since I don't have anyone to stay with there.

Grace Patel75 said:I was planning to email Zambelli, but they require me to fill out a form for a preliminary review first. Has anyone actually had a doctor give them specific feedback just by looking at a photo? I'm mostly just looking to straighten my nose without touching the tip, so I assume it wouldn't cost as much.

If I were you, I wouldn't go to Zambelli. I’d steer clear of anyone who isn't primarily an ENT specialist. That means neither Zambelli nor any of those other options are really worth considering. It’s one thing when you're talking about breast surgery or liposuction, but for a nose job, you should let nothing but an ENT handle it.☕

How many ENT surgeons actually specialize in plastic surgery? I’m looking into Dr. Cikojević over in San Francisco, though I have a feeling his practice isn't strictly limited to aesthetics.
The location is a major factor for me since I don't plan on traveling alone, so I'd honestly rather just deal with a specialist who focuses solely on plastic surgery.

Is the location more important than the skill level?

Grace Patel75 said:How many ENT plastic surgeons are actually out there? I'm looking into Dr. Cikojević in San Francisco, but I have a feeling he doesn't just do cosmetic work.
The location is huge for me since I won't be traveling alone; I'd honestly rather accept that he's just a plastic surgeon if it means staying local.

Trust me, you don't want to go down that road. 🙂
I've pulled long trips from other cities myself, and having someone to stay the night with makes a massive difference—you can definitely find someone to tag along. But whatever you do, never let a pure plastic surgeon touch your nose. Ever. (Seriously, I cannot stress this enough 😉).

Look, we’re living in the 21st century here; you really shouldn't feel pressured to just walk into Zambelli just because they happen to be located in your neck of the woods. Rhinoplasty isn't some minor tweak—it's a serious procedure, and there are so many variables involved that can go sideways. Honestly, I'm totally on board with what everyone else is saying: you should strictly look for someone who specializes specifically in ENT if you're going this route. I mean, kudos to Zambelli for being a legend and all, but for the massive amount of money he's asking for, you could easily find way more skilled rhinoplasty specialists elsewhere.

analogotter43 said:Trust me, you don't want to go down that road 🙂
. I’ve traveled from out of town myself, and honestly, you just need someone who can host you for a night—I'm sure you can find a place. But whatever you do, never, ever get your nose done at some random plastic surgeon's office. Just never! (Seriously, I can't stress that enough 😉)

I don't want to dig through this whole thread, but could you remind me which doctor you went to for your nose job?

Judging by his recent posts, it looks like 😁

All jokes aside, I had an amazing experience with Dr. Glušac until about a year ago, but his blunt way of doing things... it definitely leaves an impression.

fadedfalcon13 said:Based on what brankec has been posting lately, 😁

All jokes aside, I had an incredible experience with Dr. Glušac until about a year ago, but his bluntness during appointments definitely leaves an impression.

True, and his bedside manner is exactly why I hesitated for so long. In the end, I decided to prioritize actual expertise over someone who’s overly charming or rude. He definitely needs to work on his approach.😁

I'll try to put together a longer post sometime this week if anyone finds it useful.

analogotter43 said:Trust me when I say you haven't considered this 🙂
I've traveled from out of town myself, and you really need someone who can host you for a night; I'm certain you can find somewhere to stay. And whatever you do, never go to a plastic surgeon for this kind of thing—never, ever! (I truly cannot emphasize that enough 😉)

Even I have to travel all the way to Seattle sometimes.

Why never? There isn't a doctor out there who can offer any guarantees, regardless of who you see.
I get the feeling that Glušac isn't actually an aesthetic specialist.