Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

briskmason42 said:How long has it been since your surgery, and which doctor performed the first one? Was it always shaped like that, or is this new? I really hope you’re happy with the results after the second round, though honestly, I have no idea who I could even recommend to you since I'm just as lost in this area myself. 🙂

Well, the first surgeon was from the hospital, but now I'm looking to go with a private plastic surgeon. Before that, an ENT handled it.
My tip has always been a bit wider, but it wasn't that specific BULGE on top of the bridge. It’s also always been a bit droopy. Now, my goal is to narrow the tip and get rid of that lump at the same time. I just don't have the energy anymore; I've completely lost any desire to sit through consultations, vet different doctors, or visit various clinics. Honestly, the whole thing just makes me feel sick.
It’s been over six months since the operation, and I want my tip to stay fixed when I smile, rather than having it spread out all over my face—it's absolutely horrific. If I actually go through with this surgery, I think I’ll need to see a psychiatrist beforehand, because I seriously, truly cannot deal with this anymore.

neonhawk78 said:So, I was originally seen by an ENT at the hospital, but now I'm looking to go to a private plastic surgeon instead.
The tip of my nose has always been a bit wider—but above the bridge, it wasn't that BULGE. It’s just always been drooping. Now, I want to narrow that tip and get rid of this lump all at once. Honestly, I’m out of patience; I’ve lost any desire to deal with consultations, doctors, or clinics—the whole thing just makes me sick.
It’s been over six months since my surgery, and I just want my nose tip to stay fixed when I smile, rather than spreading across my entire face—it’s absolutely horrific. If I actually go through with this procedure, I’ll probably need to see a psychiatrist first, because I truly, truly cannot deal with this anymore.

Believe me, I’m already at the point where I need a psychiatrist. After two procedures that felt like two steps backward, 🙂 I find myself regretting and mourning my decisions every single day.

briskmason42 said:Believe me, I think I might actually need to see a psychiatrist at this point. After those last two setbacks, which felt like taking two massive steps backward, I’m starting to wonder if I've finally hit my limit. 🙂 To be honest, I find myself wallowing in regret every single day. I’m constantly kicking myself over that decision, and the weight of it just doesn't seem to lift.

God, I feel for you. Honestly, I’m right there with you. I absolutely loathe coming to this site—it honestly gives me more PTSD than anything else—but I have to be here to consult with a top-tier plastic surgeon. Did you go through private specialists for both of your procedures? 🤦

As far as I know, Davor Džepina did his specialty training in ORL right here in the USA, and I find myself agreeing with you completely—he really is both an ORL specialist and a plastic surgeon. I’m actually heading into the hospital for surgery with him very soon, and he comes highly recommended to me. He isn't the type to shout about himself or rely on heavy self-marketing, but what truly matters is the depth of experience and the sheer amount of hours he has spent in the operating room. Every one of us is unique, which means our needs and challenges vary; there is no "one size fits all" approach in medicine. If you let your expectations get too high or start daydreaming about perfection, you might end up disappointed, so it is vital to look at everything through a lens of reality and manage your expectations accordingly...

briskmason42 said:He works privately, of course! His focus is on aesthetics because he is both an ORL doctor and a plastic surgeon who belongs to several international plastic surgery societies. That dual expertise is exactly why I am choosing him; I don't want to risk compromising my nasal function after everything is done.
I've read quite a few negative comments about others, but when it comes to him, it's almost exclusively positive, so that's what led me here....

Man, I am officially out of patience. Where is that one doctor who always gives such solid advice on here? Does anyone have a plastic surgeon they actually trust? This is the final touch-up, and I absolutely cannot afford to pick some idiot like I did with my last surgery. People, please, I need help. We’re talking about the tip and a corrective procedure there. 😢
I'm done with hospitals. They're all just glorified slums. It's honestly a nightmare!
P.S. While you're at it, if anyone knows a good psychiatrist, send them my way!

Joshua Murphy7 said:As far as I know, Davor did his residency in ORL over in the USA. I’m totally with you—he’s both a plastic surgeon and an ORL specialist. I’m actually heading to the hospital soon for a surgical procedure with him. He was highly recommended, even though he doesn't brag much or push himself through self-marketing. What matters is the experience and the hours logged in the OR. Everyone is different, which means everyone has a unique approach and a unique set of issues. It's not one-size-fits-all. If you get too high on expectations, you're just going to end up disappointed. You have to look at everything with a realistic lens...

Why are you giving such bad advice? He could have specialized in ENT on Mars for all it matters. If you're following my logic... Every patient here is looking for a skilled surgeon and that sweet spot between quality and price. Price is huge because most of us don't have $5,000 lying around to fly straight to the USA. From a patient's perspective, all that matters is actual knowledge, hands-on experience, and results in the operating room—not how many medical congresses they attend in America or elsewhere. Those trips aren't exactly a guarantee when you're the one going under the knife, right? 🤔

She needs corrective aesthetic surgery. Nothing overly complex, but nothing so simple that any random private doctor or plastic surgeon thinks they can breeze through it. Another thing—don't jump the gun here—is how much experience Davor Đepina actually has with fine nasal aesthetics. I'm not saying he lacks the skill, and based on his work at the local hospital, he clearly knows his stuff. But does performing six septoplasty procedures a day there actually translate to advanced tip reshaping? Not necessarily. If he hasn't earned your absolute trust through photos of his own specific work, then there's no point in looking at him.

There isn't a single photo of a nose or any other procedure on his clinic's website.

Bottom line: if I understood you correctly, I don't think Đepina is your best bet. Your issue seems more about aesthetics than function...

neonhawk78 said:Oh my gosh, I am officially out of patience. Where is that one doctor who always gives great advice on here? Does anyone have a plastic surgeon they can recommend? This is the final finishing touch, and I absolutely cannot afford to pick some amateur after what happened with my last surgery. Seriously guys, help me out. We're talking about the tip here and a corrective plastic procedure. 😢
I’m done with hospitals. They’re all just glorified barracks. It’s terrible!
P.S. While you're at it, throw a psychiatrist recommendation my way too!

Professor Kalogjera handled cases like this before. The whole goal is to slightly reduce the cartilaginous structure of the nasal valve without messing with how you actually breathe.
But from what I understand—he performs his surgeries in a hospital setting, and his weekly check-ups happen in a super crowded outpatient clinic.

Might as well jump into the conversation myself.

I had my rhinoplasty with Dr. Glumičić about seven days ago.
Everything went smoothly. As of right now, I’m actually pretty happy with how my profile looks.
But looking at it from the front? It feels... off. Almost like I'm waiting for everyone on the street to point and whisper about how fake it looks. 😁 I realize the swelling still needs to go down and everything needs time to settle into place...
Anyway, just wanted to share the difference and show you what it looks like from the front. It hasn't quite found its shape yet. (My nose used to be incredibly thin, but now it looks like a little potato 😁 )

Betty Edwards22 said:That’s exactly the kind of approach Professor Kalogjera takes. The whole idea is to somewhat reduce the cartilaginous structure of the nasal valve without actually compromising its function.
But, from what I understand—he performs surgeries at the hospital just like he does weekly checkups in an overcrowded clinic.

Is he a plastic surgeon? Honestly, right now, I feel like I need a plastic surgeon more than an ENT. Does anyone have any before-and-after photos of his work? I really can't afford to walk into some random idiot's office just because someone told me they were good.

Is there anyone in the US who specializes in both plastic and reconstructive surgery AND otorhinolaryngology? I'm looking for someone specifically to refine my nasal tip, but I need to be absolutely certain they won't mess up my breathing or overall nasal function in the process.

John Myers7 said:I figured I'd jump in here too.

I had my rhinoplasty with Dr. Glumičić about 7 days ago.
Everything went smoothly. So far, I'm actually pretty happy with how the profile looks.
But honestly, I’m feeling super self-conscious. It’s like I’m expecting everyone on the street to just stare at me and shout, "Wow, look how fake that looks!" 😁 I mean, I know the swelling still needs to go down and things need time to settle...
Anyway, just wanted to show you guys the difference—here's the profile and a front view from just now. It doesn't quite have its final shape yet. (My nose used to be incredibly thin, but right now it feels like a potato 😁 )

Man, that Glumičić... My first thought was that I'd never go to him, but then I see results like this cute little nose. 😁 To be honest, I worry if he's actually skilled enough at what he does, since there have been so many complaints about him. You always want to make sure an aesthetically successful surgery isn't hiding the fact that something went wrong with the actual function! 😁 Don't get me wrong, obviously I'm happy to see cases turn out well 😛 Personally, I love the profile. Post some photos from the front too! 😉

PS. I really hope everything turns out okay and the swelling goes down soon! 👍

Glumičić is actually a maxillofacial surgeon with an American subspecialty in aesthetic surgery, which means he isn't technically a plastic surgeon and is restricted to facial procedures; I've heard rumors that he works on the body as well, though I can't say for certain. Personally, he did a wonderful job on my nose—he slimmed everything down just enough that nobody even suspects I had work done. I can see the difference myself; the bridge is narrower, that little bump is gone, and the tip is more refined. Still, if I’m being honest, I'm not entirely satisfied. If I had any sense at all, wouldn't I have just told him, "cut away as much as you possibly can"?

John Myers7, it has only been seven days; you really have to wait for the surrounding tissue swelling to subside before making any judgments.

neonhawk78 said:Is he a plastic surgeon? Honestly, right now I feel like I need a plastic surgeon more than an ENT. Does anyone have photos of his work? I really can't afford to just walk into some random guy's office just because someone told me he was "good."

Prof. Kalogjera is a top-tier ENT rhinoplasty specialist and a total legend in the American ENT community.
You asked, so I'm answering—I'm not sure what else you're looking for...

Anyone here actually gone under the knife with Dr. Cikojević at KBC Firule? What's the deal with him—has anyone actually had surgery done by him?

neonhawk78 said:Is there a doctor in the US who specializes in both plastic reconstructive surgery and ENT? I need someone to fix my nasal tip without messing up how my nose actually functions.

You definitely have options—Dr. Davor Džepina and Dr. Vagić are great names to look into.

The thing is, plastic and reconstructive surgery as a subspecialty doesn't always prioritize the nose specifically. The actual structure of the nose falls under the realm of rhinoplasty specialists, which is really what dictates the external look. But hey, if that's what you're looking for... In the US, the way specialties and subspecialties are categorized can sometimes feel like a matter of semantics. For instance, some might argue certain plastic surgeons shouldn't be touching facial structures at all, while maxillofacial surgeons might not get much ENT training during their residency. It just depends on who you consult!

Betty Edwards22 said:There are—specifically Dr. Davor Džepina and Doc Vagić plastično-reko-rekonstivan.

Plastic surgery, when treated as its own subspecialty, doesn't necessarily center on the nose. I suppose the nasal skeleton is really the domain of a rhinoplasty specialist, which is what truly dictates the outer appearance. But hey, if you want to look at it your way... In the US, some specializations and subspecialties are more about semantics than anything else. For instance, plastic surgeons technically shouldn't even be touching heads, yet maxillofacial surgeons often don't get any meaningful ORL training during their residency.

That’s fine, but since you're a specialist who also handles noses, who would you actually recommend for a tip reduction and narrowing? My nasal tip is just incredibly wide and bulky, honestly.

analogseal18 said:Glumičić is actually a maxillofacial surgeon with an American subspecialty in aesthetic surgery, which means he isn't a true plastic surgeon and is technically only supposed to work on the face. I've heard rumors that he does body work too, but I honestly can't say for sure. Personally, he did a great job on my nose—he slimmed it down just enough that nobody even realizes I had surgery. I can see the difference myself; the bridge is narrower, that little bump is gone, and the tip looks much more refined. Still, if I’m being totally honest, I'm not 100% thrilled. If I had used my brain better, I would have told him, "Hey, cut away as much as you possibly can."

John Myers7, it's only been seven days! You really need to give that swelling around the tissue some time to go down first.

On his own website, he mentions specializing in head and neck surgery, but there's a bit of a gray area there because that's not quite the same thing as maxillofacial. It might just be a matter of how he phrases things. He also mentions attending various courses, but those are more like professional training sessions rather than official, board-certified subspecialties.
He also notes that his practice is registered for general surgery, even though he doesn't hold that specific specialization.
Ultimately, he makes it very clear that his primary focus is on aesthetics, not on functional repairs.

neonhawk78 said:Actually, since you're an expert in this field—especially when it comes to noses—who would you recommend for a tip reduction and narrowing surgery? My nasal tip feels really wide and bulky, honestly.

Forgive my bluntness here, but does it even matter?
There’s no such thing as a "perfect" surgeon; there’s only the one you can communicate with most effectively to get the results you want.

Betty Edwards22 said:Look, forgive my phrasing here, but are you even listening to me?
There is no such thing as a perfect surgeon; there is only the one who communicates best with you.

Fine, I get it—you don't want to play favorites with certain colleagues or discriminate against others. But if that's the case, just tell me: which surgeon is actually the most competent based on their specific experience and specialization for the issue I described? I don't care if they work in private practice or at a major hospital like Mayo Clinic. I just need narrowing and tip reduction of the nasal tip, that's it.

placidwolf7 said:Has anyone here actually had nose surgery performed by Dr. Cikojević at Miami General? I'm wondering what kind of surgeon he is—has anyone gone to him for a procedure?

Local from Miami 👎