Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

Olivia Gray42 said:So many people end up seeking private care—simply because they can't get any real traction at the local hospital—and honestly, let’s be real: sometimes going private actually *does* mean better service.

Maria Jones84 said:I couldn't agree more!! Honestly, I know way more people who walked out of a public hospital feeling completely dissatisfied than anyone who’s ever stepped foot in a private clinic. 😉

Hospitals are the smarter play when you're dealing with functional issues—real structural stuff—whereas private clinics are generally better suited for aesthetics, simply because that's their bread and butter. But look, if you want the job done right, functionality is everything. You need an ENT specialist at the helm—someone who actually understands the underlying anatomy and knows the material inside and out.

I just walked out of the Dubrava KB feeling absolutely thrilled—finally, I can actually breathe again. Plus, my nose looks perfect; you can't even tell I had work done. I don't end up looking like the vast majority of people out there with those ridiculous, cookie-cutter "copy/paste" noses. Honestly, whenever I even think back to my conversations with certain plastic surgeons, I feel physically ill—and don't even get me started on all that nonsense people spout regarding how long the surgery takes.😂Honestly, they just drag everything out—you go in for surgery and suddenly you're stuck there for two or three hours minimum. Meanwhile, I had a full-blown reconstruction plus aesthetics done on my nose, and the whole thing took less than an hour and a half—and even then, people act like that’s considered a "long" procedure just because it involves the nose. Unbelievable.

By the way—if you're looking for aesthetics, feel free to head over to private clinics. But when it comes to actual functionality? Don't even think about it. Those hospitals are absolutely overflowing with re-operations—all because some "big name" specialists decided to play games instead of doing their jobs right the first time. 😢

Sam Kim12 said:Hospitals are the smarter bet for functional issues, whereas private clinics are usually better if you're just chasing aesthetics—that's literally what they specialize in. But honestly, making sure everything actually works is what matters most, so you want an ENT specialist who truly understands the anatomy.

I walked out of Dubrava KB completely satisfied because I can finally breathe, and my nose looks perfect. You can't even tell I had work done; I don't have that "copy/paste" look most people end up with. Just thinking about conversations with certain plastic surgeons makes me nauseous, not to mention all the nonsense regarding surgery duration. 😂 Apparently, according to them, every procedure takes at least two or three hours, yet my full reconstruction and aesthetic overhaul took less than an hour and a half—which they somehow still consider a "long" surgery when dealing with noses.

BTW: go to private clinics for aesthetics, but for function? Absolutely not. Hospitals are constantly swamped with revision surgeries caused by the amateur antics of those "famous" names. 😢

Which doctor did you see for the surgery?

William Robinson80 said:Which doctor did you have the surgery with?

Well, I'm answering here too—it was Dr. Ozegovic.😉

Sam Kim12 said:Hospitals are the smart move if you’ve got functional issues. Private clinics are usually better for just looks—that's literally their job—but if you actually want things to work right, you need an ENT specialist who actually knows their stuff.

I went to Dubrava KB and honestly, I couldn't be happier. I can finally breathe, and my nose looks perfect. Nobody even notices I had work done because I don't have that weird "copy-paste" look most people end up with. Just thinking about talking to some plastic surgeons makes me nauseous, plus all that crap they say about how long surgeries take. Like, according to them, every surgery lasts at least 2-3 hours, but my full reconstruction and aesthetic fix took less than an hour and a half—and even then, they claim that's considered a "long" procedure for a nose.😂, damn, apparently by their logic, everything is a marathon.

BTW: Go to private clinics for aesthetics, but for functionality? Absolutely NOT. Hospitals are packed with people needing re-dos because famous names played games with their surgeries. 😢

I've got a nose issue where it's just horribly crooked. I remember being at the doctor maybe 6-7 years ago for something else, and they mentioned it was crooked, but I didn't take it seriously since I was only 14. Now, it's becoming really obvious. One side of my profile looks okay, but the other is just ugly. Plus, I have breathing issues, though maybe I'm exaggerating. I'm seeing a doctor tomorrow to ask for another exam, so hopefully they'll give me the best advice. My question is: what happens if they confirm that because it's crooked (and has a hump), I'm having trouble breathing? Does insurance cover the surgery to make it both straight and pretty, or will they just fix the breathing part and leave the nose looking ugly? I don't get it. If they won't fix the looks, I'd rather just go to a cosmetic surgeon since the breathing isn't even my main concern.

Hannah Booth2 said:I’ve got this issue with my nose—it’s crooked, just terribly crooked. I remember being at the doctor maybe 6 or 7 years ago for something else entirely, and they mentioned my nose was deviating, but I didn't take it seriously back then—I mean, I was only 14, right? But now, it’s starting to become really noticeable. One side of my profile looks relatively okay, while the other side... well, not so much. On top of that, I have breathing issues, though maybe I'm exaggerating that part. I’m heading to the doctor tomorrow, so I’ll ask for another exam and hopefully get some clarity. My question is: what happens if they determine that because my nose is crooked (and has a hump), I’m having trouble breathing? Does that mean insurance will cover the surgery to make it look pretty, or will they just fix the breathing functionality and leave me with an ugly nose? I don't quite get how it works. If it's just about breathing, I might honestly just opt for a cosmetic surgeon instead, since the breathing isn't even my main concern.

That’s a tough one to call. If they have to perform a reconstruction—similar to what happened with me—then they’ll likely address everything. However, if a reconstruction isn't medically necessary—meaning that deviation isn't actually affecting your breathing—then any changes to the aesthetics are purely up to the doctor's discretion, even though most of them will fix the look without any issue at all.

I went to see an ENT specialist specifically because my breathing had been getting worse and worse for years. When we were discussing the surgery, I asked him if he could remove the hump, and he agreed. Well, once the surgery actually started, I found out he had to reconstruct my entire nose because he only saw the true state of things—or rather, the absolute mess 🙏of the situation—once he actually opened it up. Apparently, he couldn't tell from my old CT scan, especially since I had broken my nose again later on ☕. Anyway, the result is that my nose is now hump-free and narrower 😍
.

goldenridge5, how are you liking everything so far?

I recently had rhinoplasty in Miami... I was honestly so happy on the first day! My nose looked a bit smaller and everything seemed perfect, but then the next day, that little bump I used to have showed up again. My nose looks just as long as it did before, and now I’m feeling totally devastated. 🙂 I'm wondering if anyone else has dealt with a bump reappearing? Do you think the swelling will go down, or am I going to need a revision surgery? 🤷 I'm just so heartbroken and overwhelmed right now.

Sam Kim12 said:It’s hard to say for sure. If you actually need reconstructive work—like I did—then yeah, go for everything. But if reconstruction isn't necessary, meaning that bump doesn't mess with your breathing, then it just comes down to the doctor's discretion regarding aesthetics. Most of them handle it without any drama, though.

I went to an ENT specialist specifically because my breathing had been getting worse for years. When we were planning the surgery, I asked him if he could get rid of the bump, and he agreed. But once the surgery started, turns out he *had* to do reconstruction because only after opening me up did he see the actual state of things—or rather, the total crap show 🙏of tissue: stuff he couldn't see before since I only had an old CT scan and then later I basically broke my nose again ☕. So anyway, now my nose is bump-free and narrower 😍.

Man, lucky you! That doctor sounds like a god. DM me his name :P
So, I was at the clinic today and she gave me a referral. Going tomorrow to see what they tell me. I'm dying to know if I actually have a deviation or not. Honestly, part of me feels like I don't even have one and I'm just trying to convince myself I do just so insurance will cover it like yours did, though I highly doubt it. Either way, my breathing is getting worse. Every time the temperature or air quality shifts, it hits my throat immediately because I breathe through my nose, and my throat hurts every single month now. Not sure if it's from that or just allergies, whatever. I'll find out tomorrow :P Worst case scenario? I actually *do* have a deviation but get stuck with a doctor who refuses to touch the bump :/ My absolute dream would be to just have it gone 😍. And honestly, I realized I might be overthinking it; my nose isn't even that bad. I was looking at people on the subway and plenty look way worse, but hey, if I get the chance to fix it, I'm not passing it up.

Sam Kim12 said:I actually went to see an ENT specialist specifically because my breathing had been getting worse and worse for years, and when we were discussing the surgery, I asked if he could fix my bump too, and he agreed.

That’s how it worked for me too—I had the surgery for free, mostly due to breathing issues, and then they just did the aesthetic part along with it. 🙂

rapidbadger7 said:goldenridge5, how are you liking everything so far?

So far, I'm extremely satisfied. It’s barely been a month since the surgery, so I just hope there aren't any issues down the road... I'm glad he followed through on what we agreed upon. I had a follow-up with him two days ago, and he explained that my breathing on the left side isn't great yet because the septum is still swollen. He said everything should settle down within two months of the procedure. If I still can't breathe properly, he said he'll fix it immediately next month, but I need to be patient... he believes my breathing will return to normal...

Nicole Ortiz34 said:I recently had my nose surgery in Miami... I was actually feeling pretty great on day one because the nose looked a bit smaller, everything seemed perfect. But then the next morning, that little bump I used to have was right back there again. My nose looks just as long as it did before, and honestly, I'm feeling totally devastated. 🙂 I'm wondering if anyone else has dealt with their bump reappearing? Will the swelling go down, or am I going to need a revision surgery? 🤷 I'm just so upset and spiraling right now.

Don't lose hope. It happened to me too—right after the cast came off, the nose looked flawless, but by the second morning, that bump was back, looking swollen from every angle. Usually, things should start settling down after about two months. It hasn't fully cleared up for me yet, but every single day it gets slightly better and better.😉

My nose isn't swollen anymore, but that bump is still hanging out there... It's just so hard, and honestly, it looks even bigger and more noticeable than before. I am DYING! I know I’ll eventually have to go back for a touch-up, because apparently, I'm just one of those lucky people 😢

Olivia Gonzalez17 said:Don't lose hope! I'm in the exact same boat. Right after they took my cast off, my nose looked perfect, but then the very next morning, the bump was right back there, swollen all over... Usually, things should start settling down after two months. Mine hasn't quite cleared up yet, but I can feel it getting better and better every single day.😉

Nicole Ortiz34 said:My nose isn't swollen anymore, but that thing is still right there... It’s just so hard, and honestly, it looks even bigger and more prominent than before. I am LITERALLY dying! I know I'll have to go back for a revision surgery, because apparently, I'm just that lucky 😢

So, how long has it been since the surgery?

It’s been exactly 3 weeks now. The tip is still swollen, but everything else seems to have settled down. Honestly, I look pretty terrible right now, and the worst part is knowing I have to wait another 6 months for the revision surgery. 😢Having a worse nose after surgery is just devastating—it’s absolutely awful. When I go back to see the doctor, they’re going to hear me out! I’m seriously considering suing for emotional distress and because of how awful I look physically :/ It looks exactly the same, except now the hump is even more pronounced. A total masterpiece, really.

🙂

Nicole Ortiz34 said:It’s been exactly three weeks. The tip is swollen, but everything else has settled down. I look terrible, and the worst part is having to wait another six months for the follow-up surgery. 😢 Having a worse nose after surgery is absolutely devastating; when I finally see the doctor, they're going to hear me out! Honestly, I'm considering suing for emotional distress and the absolute wreck my appearance is right now :/ It looks exactly the same, except now the hump is even more prominent—it's a real masterpiece of disaster

🙂

Hmm... three weeks is way too early to make a final call. I hit the three-week mark this Wednesday myself. The bump is definitely there, but I’m still holding onto hope that it’s just localized swelling from where they were working on it :-D Hey, shoot me a DM so we can swap photos and compare...

Hey everyone, quick question: is rinsing the nose with chamomile tea actually recommended? A friend of mine who went through the same nasal surgery suggested that chamomile might be better than using an Aqua Maris spray?

The first night after they removed the packing, I could breathe perfectly through both nostrils, but unfortunately, that was just a one-night miracle. Now, most of the time, both sides are clogged, or they take turns being blocked. At first, it felt like dried blood, but now it seems to be mucus—I can feel it constantly draining down my throat. I honestly can't tell if I've picked up some random virus or if this is just part of the normal recovery process?

Hannah Baker23 said:hey guys, quick question: is rinsing your nose with chamomile tea actually a thing? A friend of mine who had nose surgery said it’s better than using Aqua Maris spray??

First night after getting the tampons out, I could breathe through both nostrils perfectly... but sadly, that was just for one night. Now most of the time they're either both stuffed up or taking turns clogging me up. At first it was dried blood, now maybe it's mucus? Because I feel like I'm constantly swallowing stuff down my throat... honestly, I don't even know if I picked up some virus or if this is just how it goes...

sterile saline solution is the way to go; if you're using Aqua Maris, stick to isotonic—not hypo or hyper (meaning the salt concentration should be exactly like human blood, nothing more, nothing less). Chamomile doesn't really meet those requirements. If you want it to feel a bit better, warm up whatever amount you're rinsing with to near body temperature (just lukewarm, don't make it hot)...

how long has it been since the surgery? Just factor in that about a week of recovery for the mucous membranes is totally normal—that's basically how long it takes to bounce back from a nasty cold too...

...

Nicole Ortiz34 said:My nose isn't swollen anymore, but that bump—it’s still right there... It's actually harder now, even more prominent than before. I am LOSING IT! And of course, because my luck is just legendary, I know I'll have to go back for a revision surgery eventually. 😢

Nicole Ortiz34 said:It's been exactly three weeks. The tip is swollen, but the rest seems fine. I look absolutely terrible, and the worst part is having to wait six months for the next procedure—that's the real kicker. 😢 Having a worse nose after surgery is honestly traumatic; once I see the doctor, they're going to hear about it!!! I'm seriously considering suing them for emotional distress and for this horrific physical appearance :/ Honestly, it looks exactly the same, except the hump is bigger now—a true masterpiece.

🙂

The fact that your nose is swollen is completely normal—but this idea you have that the rest of your nose isn't swollen anymore? That's just you kidding yourself. It is physically impossible for the rest of your nose to have returned to its original state that quickly 😉, it's all just an illusion right now, and in three or four months, you'll realize exactly why I'm saying this. 😁
Why a second surgery?

Nicole Ortiz34 said:It’s been exactly 3 weeks. The tip is swollen, but nothing else really. I look terrible, and the worst part is waiting 6 months for the second surgery... 😢 Having a worse nose after surgery is just devastating, everyone will see it when I visit the doctor!!! Honestly, I'm considering suing for emotional distress and how awful I look :/ It looks the same, except the bump is even bigger now, a total masterpiece...

🙂

Can you tell us which surgeon you went to in Miami?!
Thanks

The tip of my nose is swollen, so I honestly feel like it needs to be reduced since it looks exactly the same as before. OP 😢 At least I'm hoping they'll actually do it... but right now, what I've got is this bump that really stands out in profile view 🙂

Sam Kim12 said:It’s totally normal for your nose to be swollen right now. And honestly, you saying the rest of your nose isn't swollen anymore? You might just be kidding yourself—there's no way the rest of it went back to its original state that fast 😉. It’s just how it feels to you, but in 3 or 4 months, you’ll see exactly why I’m saying that 😁.
Why would you need a second surgery?