Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

Nicole Ortiz34 said:Everyone else is closed off, so why am I the only one staying open? 🙂

I just realized there's some thread stuck right on the tip of my nose because my bandage shifted. Now it just looks like a little hole.

😕

Charles Gonzalez9 said:I just realized I was totally overthinking things—the threads were actually right at the tip of my nose because my bandage slipped, making it look like a little hole.

Nicole Ortiz34 said:I'm wondering what happens with the scar from open technique? Like, will it actually show up later or what?

Honestly, the only "visible" mark is just a tiny little line—kind of like a thin thread—right on the bridge of the nose, and you’d really only notice it if someone was looking at you from a specific angle while you're tilting your head back. For all intents and purposes, practically nobody is going to see it. So, don't sweat it 😉

Nicole Ortiz34 said:I can't even deal with this. I'm honestly wondering what they actually did to her and what kind of technique they used.

justterrored

Sandra Peterson74 said:In case it helps anyone, I saw Dr. Racic... and I was unsatisfied. That wasn't just me; all four aunts in the room with me felt the exact same way. 😉

and lana ST

wearyotter112 said:So, basically, it's been two and a half months since I had my deviated septum repaired privately in Miami. It was primarily meant to be a functional surgery, but the agreement with the doctor was that he would trim some cartilage because I had this little bump on my nose. Now, my nose looks terrible; it’s drooping and shaped like an upside-down triangle—the tip points straight down—and it's really unpleasant to look at. The doctor thinks he might have missed something and offered to redo the surgery for free, but there is absolutely no way I'm going back to him. So, I'm asking if anyone knows about their experiences with revision surgery or secondary rhinoplasty? Is it true that I'll be stuck with this drooping nose if I don't get another procedure? My doctor, unfortunately, won't give me a straight answer... and the bones on both sides haven't even fully settled yet. Help!

wearyotter112 said:Dr. Kurtovic and Dr. Racic performed my surgery together. 😢...

My doctor told me the same thing—that I’ll have to go under the knife for an open rhinoplasty because of some enlarged (read: ugly) cartilage at the tip of my nose that he just can't fix any other way.
Supposedly, the scar isn't a big deal and should fade until it's basically invisible after a while..
Honestly, I don't care how he performs the surgery or when he does it, as long as the end result turns out right!! 😉

Amy Richardson86 said:I completely agree with you. I went through the exact same thing, thinking that if I paid out of my own pocket, they’d actually put in some extra effort. Unfortunately, it was just a poorly executed job. It seems like all they care about is collecting the money; after that, they couldn't care less. 😢

I'm choosing a private specialist because I trust their expertise, not because I'm paying them a premium. Honestly, knowing there are plenty of dissatisfied patients and failed surgeries with serious complications adds an extra layer of anxiety to my existing nerves about the procedure. But what can you do? It's like deciding not to drive just because so many people have been in accidents. Okay, maybe that's a bit of a cliché, but the logic holds. I've picked the doctor who seems the most reliable right now, I have realistic expectations, and I'm moving forward with the hope that everything goes smoothly. As for how the surgery itself turns out, that's out of my hands at this point.🤷

I am truly sorry things turned out badly for you. I really hope you start feeling better soon, or that any necessary revision surgery exceeds your expectations. Warm regards. 🙂

Charles Gonzalez9 said:Hey everyone. This forum hasn't really been much help regarding nose surgery, so I figured I'd just lay out my own experience here.
On January 28th, I had my nasal pyramid and septum repaired at the Holy Spirit hospital. I was operated on by Domagoj Parazajder, who is arguably one of the top ENT surgeons in the US. They aren't taking the cast off my nose until this Wednesday, so I won't actually know what the final result looks like until then. I have nothing but praise for the ENT staff; the young nurses were very kind and were right there whenever you needed them.
On the night of January 27th, the night before the procedure, I got an injection in my stomach to prevent blood clotting. When I went to bed, I also had to take a small pill, though I'm not entirely sure what it was for.
On the morning of the 28th, I had to shower, and right before the surgery, they gave me some liquid to swallow and spit out. I walked to the operating room on my own, and once they prepped me, the doctor was joking around with me a bit. They administered the anesthesia through my arm, and after that, I woke up in my room. The surgery lasted about two and a half hours. After it was over, I didn't feel any pain—I didn't even need any painkillers, just something to help me sleep because the people around me were snoring like crazy.
On January 30th, they shortened my nasal tampons. They pulled about 30 cm of 1.5 cm wide tape out of each nostril; it didn't hurt.
On the 31st, they removed the tampons completely. That was uncomfortable and stung a little.
On February 1st, they changed the cast on my nose. The doctor had to scrape away some scabs, and man, that hurt—it felt like he was pulling my brain out through my nose.
I have to use nasal drops for a week and rinse with plenty of saline solution, and I'm allowed to sleep on my side.
Now I'm just waiting until Wednesday to see the results once the cast comes off.

Hi! What kind of scabs are you talking about? My doctor never mentioned anything like that... he only told me I'd need to rinse with saline or Aquamaris after the surgery. He definitely didn't mention anything about scraping or cleaning away scabs.

Susan Cooper23 said:The only "visible" scar is just a thin, thread-like line on the columella that you can barely notice unless you tilt your head back. Honestly, practically no one will even see it. Don't sweat it, 😉

Did they use an open technique on yours?
I’ve been told that the scar shows up quite a bit from the profile view... specifically where it breaks the line of the nose (the columella).
Personally, I don't think I'd pass up the surgery just because of a scar. I feel like I could live with that much easier than dealing with this tip! Fingers crossed. 🤷

So, is it actually possible to just lift ONLY the tip of my nose... without the price tag hitting $15,000 or $20,000? Like, maybe something more reasonable, say under $3,000 or $4,000? 🙂

Kimberly Hughes17 said:Did they use the open technique on you too?
I’ve been hearing—well, people have told me—that the scar can be pretty visible from the side... like it breaks up the line of the nose (the columella)...
Personally, I don't think I'd bail on the surgery just because of a scar. Honestly, I feel like I could deal with that much easier than dealing with this tip shape, so fingers crossed!🤷

Yeah, my revision was done using the open technique. And honestly? I have a cut on my columella that is practically invisible. The only time you really catch a glimpse is if I tilt my head back... but like I said, it's such a thin little line that it’s totally negligible. It’ll look red at first—because, you know, every scar does—but after a while, it fades right out and that’s that!🙂

Has anyone here dealt with Dr. Solter over at the Mayo Clinic? Is he any good?

wanderingnomad13 said:I’m heading to a private specialist because I actually trust his expertise, not because I'm paying him a premium. Look, I know there are plenty of unhappy patients out there and stories of botched surgeries with devastating consequences—honestly, hearing about them just adds a layer of fear and anxiety to my existing nerves about the procedure. But what choice do I have? It’s like refusing to drive a car just because you know people crash all the time. Okay, maybe that's a bit of a cliché, but the logic holds. I chose the doctor who seems most reliable right now, kept my expectations grounded, and I'm going into this surgery hoping for the best. As for how the actual operation turns out? That’s out of my hands now.🤷

I am truly sorry things turned out poorly for you. I really hope you start feeling better soon, or if you end up needing a revision, that it goes even better than you expect! Best, 🙂

Would you mind sharing which private doctor you decided on?😕 Thanks!🙂

restlesspanther42 said:Does anyone have experience with Dr. Solter at the Mayo Clinic? Is he any good?

😕
I've heard things about Dr. Bedekovic over at the Mayo Clinic. Mostly positive feedback.🙂

What kind of stuff happened to you guys, and what was it that left you feeling totally unsatisfied? Honestly, I’m low-key terrified right now!

wanderingnomad13 said:justterrored

and Lana ST

Here are some photos just so you guys get an idea of what we're working with
this is how it looks normally :/

And honestly, if I just lift the tip of my nose slightly with my finger, it actually looks totally normal


A few posts back, I was asking if it's actually possible to just have the surgeon tweak the tip a little bit—without it costing me like $1,500? 🙂

Thanks so much!

wanderingnomad13 said:Hey there! What kind of scabs are you even talking about?? My doctor didn't mention anything about that... he just told me I'd need to rinse things out with saline or some sea water spray after the surgery... he never said anything about him coming in to scrape or clean off scabs.

When it comes to scabs inside your nose, the doctor usually clears them out when they pull the tampons so you can actually breathe easier. If you want the inside of your nose to be completely clear of scabs, you're gonna have to do a lot of heavy rinsing with saline.

analogbison15 said:here are some photos just so you can get an idea of what I'm dealing with
this is how it looks otherwise :/
a few posts back, I asked if it was even possible to just have a surgeon lift the tip of my nose a tiny bit without it costing $2,000? 🙂

thanks!

man, the smartest move would be to just email these photos directly to the doctors. trust me, they'll all get back to you, and then you'll actually know where you stand.

Charles Gonzalez9 said:Regarding those scabs inside the nose, when they pull the tampon out, the doctor usually clears them away so you can breathe a bit easier. If you want the nose to be completely clear of scabbing, I guess you have to clean it thoroughly with saline solution.

thanks!

I sent you a PM. Help meeeee! 😢

Sandra Peterson74 said:I actually saw Dr. Račić if that helps anyone out... and honestly, I wasn't happy with the experience. It wasn't just me, either—all four aunts in the room with me felt the exact same way. 😉

Thanks so much for the comfort 😉

Susan Cooper23 said:The only "visible" scar is just this tiny, thread-like line on the columella that you can barely notice unless you tilt your head back. Honestly, practically nobody is going to see it. Don't sweat it at all. 😉