Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

Sarah Cox66 said:I am just so thrilled to hear everything went smoothly and that you're happy with the results!🙂 Did they perform your septoplasty using an open or closed technique? And did you undergo an osteotomy too?

I had a septoplasty where they actually broke and reset the bone—that's probably what the osteotomy is, right? It was done via the closed method. It’s only been 20 days, and honestly, it already looks fantastic! The tip of my nose is still a bit swollen and there's some healing going on inside, but I know that will all clear up soon enough.

It’s back. This damn inflammation—it’s been three weeks straight now. My nose feels bone-dry, almost like I’m breathing in dust constantly, and my breathing is just... restricted. Plus, this post-nasal drip is relentless. It’s been a full year since my surgery, too. What do you guys think? Is this just standard seasonal allergies, or could it be some lingering side effect from the procedure? Should I be looking into anti-inflammatory sprays? I’m planning to see my doctor at the end of six months, but honestly, I feel like I'm going to lose my mind before then.😢

dustyheron102 said:I had my surgery with Tony Soprano earlier this month—both for aesthetics and functionality—and honestly, I couldn't be happier with the results. I was dealing with a significant hump and a pretty severe deviated septum, but he did an incredible job; he actually got me into surgery just a day after my initial consultation. The procedure itself wasn't painful at all since we used local anesthesia. Afterward, the pain was negligible, more of a stinging sensation if anything. The toughest part was definitely the discomfort from the nasal packing, the burning, and the watery eyes—it led to a few sleepless nights. But even this early in the process, I can already tell it was totally worth it. I’m counting down the two months until I’m fully recovered and my nose looks perfect. Huge thanks to Tony Soprano and his team; they are incredibly professional and, above all, genuinely kind.

Is it possible to see a photo of the nose?

I have a deviated septum—nothing life-threatening, but it’s definitely noticeable. My face feels a bit asymmetrical overall, too. I’m interested in getting my nose corrected, but there are two hurdles: I’m turning almost 18 in about a month, and I currently have braces. Is it even possible to go under the knife while wearing metal hardware? Then there’s the timing issue—from what I’ve gathered, the recovery process is quite a marathon. Regardless, I plan on doing it—hopefully within the next year or two.

Hey, quick question for anyone who's been through this... I had nose surgery 11 days ago and it looks terrible. My profile looks like a total slide, so I’m wondering if it's just massive swelling at the tip that'll eventually go down, or if this is just how it's going to look forever. 😢

Hey everyone, just thought I’d check in for a bit... It’s been four months since my septoplasty, and I finally have a decent idea of how my nose is actually going to look. Honestly? I’m not happy. It looks way too short. I can't believe it won't drop down more; right now, it feels tiny and kind of upturned, which definitely wasn't what I discussed with my surgeon. I don't get why this happens. They ask you exactly what you want, then they just don't follow through. I really regret not seeing Tony Soprano instead......
Has anyone else dealt with something like this? I'm honestly terrified that it isn't even going to shrink any further.......

dustyheron102 said:So, I finally did it... I went under the knife this month with Dr. Tony Soprano for both cosmetic and functional work on my nose, and honestly? I am beyond thrilled with the results. I’ve been dealing with this massive hump and a really severe deviated septum for ages, and he just knocked it out of the park. He actually got me scheduled and operated the very next day after my consultation, which was such a relief... The surgery itself was surprisingly painless since they used local anesthesia. Once it was over, the pain was pretty much negligible—mostly just some stinging sensations. If I’m being totally honest, though, the worst part wasn't even the pain, it was just how uncomfortable those nasal tampons were... plus the burning sensation and my eyes watering constantly. Definitely led to a few sleepless nights, but even with all that, I can already say it was worth every single second. I’m just counting down the days until two months have passed and I'm fully recovered so I can see the final, perfect version of my nose... Huge, huge thanks to Dr. Tony Soprano and his entire team. They are incredibly professional, and more than anything, just genuinely kind people...

Awesome! Any chance you could drop a pic?...

Keith White6 said:Hey, hi everyone... just wanted to reach out and see if anyone else has gone through something similar. It’s been 11 days since I had my nose job, and honestly? It looks terrible right now. My profile looks like a total slide... just sloping straight down. I’m seriously freaking out a bit. Is it possible that the swelling around the tip is still that intense? Like, can it actually settle down and change shape, or am I looking at my permanent new look already...? 😢

Look, you seriously can't judge how your nose is going to look after only eleven days... it's just impossible. It takes at least four months before things start settling into a shape that looks even remotely normal. Right now, after such a tiny amount of time, the tip is just incredibly swollen—it honestly looks like a little ball sitting there. But listen, it’ll settle down and drop over time, I promise. Don't worry, it's going to be okay... really. Who was your surgeon?

Amy Richardson86 said:Hey everyone, just wanted to jump in here and share an update... It’s been four months since my septoplasty, and I think I finally have a real idea of how my nose is actually going to look. And honestly? I’m not happy with it at all. It looks way too short, and I can’t believe it’s still going to settle even lower... It feels tiny now, almost upturned, which definitely wasn't what we talked about with the surgeon. I just don't get why this happens. They sit there and ask exactly what you want, they nod along, and then they just don't follow through... I'm seriously kicking myself for not going to Tony Soprano instead...
Has anyone else gone through something like this? Honestly... I’m just sitting here spiraling, terrified that things aren't going to go back down... that the reduction isn't actually happening...

Man, I really am sorry...🤷If he cut it way too short, then honestly, he’s totally screwed—especially since you made it clear that wasn't what you wanted. I really don't get why people act like that... seriously. My God, look, he can have his own opinion, sure, he can make a suggestion, but at the end of the day, you're the one footing the bill. You should be able to do exactly what you want, provided the request actually makes sense in the first place. I just don't understand people like that... they're just baffling...🤷And please, tell me... who actually performed the surgery on you?

restlesssurfer11 said:Awesome! Any chance you have a photo?

Look, you can't have any idea how your nose will actually look after just 11 days. It takes at least four months to get close to a normal shape. Right now, the tip is incredibly swollen and looks like a ball. It’ll drop over time, so don't worry, it'll be fine. Who was your surgeon?

I'm really sorry to hear that.🤷If they shortened it too much, you're honestly screwed, especially since that wasn't even what you wanted. I don't get why they do stuff like that either. For God's sake, the doctor can have an opinion or make a suggestion, but you're the one paying the bill. You should get exactly what you asked for, provided the request isn't crazy. I just don't understand those types of people.🤷So, please, who did the surgery?

Dr. Miller performed my surgery.
The worst part is that he gave me a nose that just doesn't suit my face. It's not even an improved version of my old one, which is what I specifically asked for. He completely changed my facial features. I don't even know if I can expect any actual improvement in the next few months...

Hey everyone—I’ve been lurking on this forum for a while now, and I’m seeing a pretty even split between the glowing reviews and the horror stories. I have my surgery scheduled for July 23rd, and honestly, I'm starting to get a little nervous. I really don't want to end up with a nose that looks worse than what I have now 😢 please tell me there are actually more happy patients out there than the ones who are angry or heartbroken...

Zachary Palmer56 said:Hey everyone. I've been lurking on this forum for a while now, seeing all the mixed reviews. My surgery is set for July 23rd and honestly, I'm getting pretty nervous. I really don't want to end up with a nose that looks worse than what I have now 😢 please tell me there are more happy patients out there than people who are miserable or regretful...

I made my decision pretty quickly and optimistically. Big mistake.
I was just looking back at my photos from two months post-op. Back then, the nose actually looked great—it still felt like my own face, just better. But lately, my whole face looks completely off, and I'm just not happy with it...
-Be more careful. Be extremely specific about what you want when talking to your surgeon.
Good luck.

For anyone who’s gone through the private route... how long did you actually have to wait for your surgery? I’m trying to get a feel for what the waiting lists look like these days—I’m really hoping to get this all sorted out before summer hits...

Zachary Palmer56 said:Hey everyone, I’ve been lurking on this forum for a long time and I see a massive mix of horror stories and success stories. I’ve got my surgery scheduled for July 23rd and, honestly, you guys are scaring me a little. I really don't want to end up with a nose that looks worse than what I have now 😢 please tell me there are actually more happy patients out there than the ones who are pissed off, miserable, or just plain depressed...?

The thing is, the happy people usually don't bother coming back here to post... while the unhappy ones can't let it go, so they end up being much more vocal. That's why it feels like there are more of them.
Look, I don't mean to offend anyone—and obviously, there are exceptions to everything—but it all basically boils down to this:
The Happy Group... Type 1: These are the folks who started with a nightmare of a nose—usually huge or with a massive hump. The surgeon just shaved the hump and shortened it a bit, and boom, they're thrilled. Lower expectations lead to higher satisfaction.

The Happy Group... Type 2: These are people who had breathing issues and decided to touch up the look while they were at it, even though they didn't have a huge hump. Their breathing is fixed, so they're stoked because that was their main goal... though they might still wonder if the aesthetics could have been just a tiny bit better. (I fall into this category myself 😁 ) ...but that starts leaning into the third group, which is basically

The Unhappy Group... Type 3: These are the ones who wanted surgery purely for the looks, but they also happen to have a deviated septum (which, let's be real, about 80% of Americans have... so you get the idea)... so they use "breathing problems" as the legitimate excuse for the procedure. These people are almost always dissatisfied because their nose will never be "perfect" enough for them. They just don't grasp the fact that a perfect nose doesn't exist—it never will. After every single surgery, they’ll find some new flaw and want to fix that too. It's a never-ending cycle. If they could just accept themselves and realize that imperfections can be beautiful, they wouldn't have gone under the knife in the first place.

The Unhappy Group... Type 4: These are the rare cases where it doesn't matter what the nose looked like or why they did it... these are the people who have a legitimate reason to be upset because, unfortunately, they were the victim of a doctor's mistake.

Types 2 and 3 are the most common. Type 4 is incredibly rare... I'm crossing my fingers for you that you don't end up in that camp.
Use your head! Most dissatisfaction stems from unrealistic expectations and pure ignorance. If you do your homework before the surgery and stop expecting a "perfect" nose—because seriously, one DOES NOT EXIST—you're already halfway to being satisfied.
Good luck!

rustygardener172 said:Usually, the happy ones don't bother coming back here... whereas the unhappy ones just can't let it go, which is why there seem to be more of them. Or rather, they write more often.
I’ll say this right upfront—I don't mean to offend anyone, and I know there are exceptions, but it mostly boils down to this:
The satisfied group... Type 1: those who had a truly terrible nose, maybe quite large or hooked... so their hump was removed and the nose was shortened... for them, it's enough. Lower expectations lead to higher satisfaction.

The satisfied group... Type 2: people who had breathing issues and decided to touch up the look while they were at it, but didn't have a massive hump to begin with. Their breathing is fixed, so they're happy because that was the main goal... though they might still wonder if the appearance could have been just a little better. (I suppose I fall into this category 😁 ) ...which starts to bleed into the third group, namely

The dissatisfied group... Type 3: those who wanted surgery primarily for aesthetics, but also happen to have a deviated septum (nearly 80% of people do... so... you get the idea)... so they use "poor breathing" as the primary reason for the procedure. These folks are almost always dissatisfied because their nose will never be "perfect" enough. They simply don't grasp the fact that a perfect nose doesn't exist, and never will. After every surgery, they'll find a new flaw to complain about and want to change that too. It never ends... Because if they could just accept themselves and see beauty in imperfections, they would never have gone under the knife in the first place.

The dissatisfied group... Type 4: these are the ones where it doesn't even matter what their nose looked like or why they went in... they have genuine reasons to be unhappy because, much to their misfortune, it was a surgeon's error...

Types 2 and 3 are the most common. Type 4 is incredibly rare... I'm crossing my fingers that you don't end up in that one.
Use your head! Most dissatisfaction stems from unrealistic expectations and a lack of information. If you research thoroughly before the operation and stop expecting a "perfect" nose—because it TRULY does not exist—you're already halfway to being satisfied.
Good luck!

That is so, soooooooo well written!!!!!!!! My surgery is tomorrow, assuming it doesn't get pushed back because of my period..... I am a nervous wreck.... I just want it all to be over!!

rustygardener172, you nailed it—I definitely fall into that third category. 🙈 I'm not asking for much, honestly—just being able to breathe a little easier and maybe having a slightly shorter nose. 😁 This waiting game is going to drive me insane. As long as there aren't any lumps or major disasters, I guess everything else will just work itself out...

Just wanted to shout out the crew who finally pulled the trigger on those new veneers..
(Seriously though, someone please drop some before and after pics so we can see the glow-up—hopefully it’s a massive improvement)
and for everyone else currently sitting on the fence about doing this 😉

Quick question for Sam Kim12... I've heard nothing but good things about that clinic too, but which specialist did you actually go to?

😘

..Listen, if anyone actually wants to see what twenty days of progress looks like, just drop me an email here!☕

rustygardener172 said:The happy ones usually don't bother coming back here... whereas the dissatisfied ones can't let it go—which is why there are more of them, or rather, they write more often.
Let me be blunt—I don't mean to offend anyone, and I'll grant exceptions where they exist—but everything boils down to this:
The satisfied group... Type 1—those who had a truly terrible nose, usually huge and hooked... once the hump was gone and the nose shortened, they were done. Lower expectations lead to higher satisfaction.

The satisfied group... Type 2—those who had breathing issues and decided to touch up the appearance while they were at it, but didn't have a massive hook to begin with. Their breathing is fixed, so they’re thrilled because that was their primary goal... though a small part of them wonders if the look could have been just a tad better. (That puts me in this category 😁 ) ...which starts to bleed into the third group, namely

The dissatisfied group... Type 3—these are the people who wanted surgery for aesthetic reasons but also happen to have a deviated septum (which about 80% of Americans have... so, you get the idea)... so they use "poor breathing" as the legitimate excuse for the procedure. These people are almost always unhappy because their nose will never be "pretty enough." They simply fail to grasp that a perfect nose does not exist—and never will. After every surgery, they find a new flaw to complain about and want to change that too. It’s a never-ending cycle... Because if they could accept themselves, and if they understood that imperfections can be beautiful, they would never have walked into a surgeon's office in the first place.

The dissatisfied group... Type 4—these are the ones where it doesn't matter what their nose looked like or why they went under the knife... they have genuine reasons to be miserable because, much to their profound misfortune, they are the result of a surgeon's error...

Types 2 and 3 are the most common. Type 4 is incredibly rare... I'm crossing my fingers that you don't fall into that one.
Use your head! Most dissatisfaction stems from unrealistic expectations and sheer ignorance. If you do your homework before surgery and stop expecting a "perfect" nose—because it TRULY does not exist—you're already halfway to being satisfied.
Good luck!

I partially agree 😬

I went in strictly for a functional procedure at the hospital; they also removed a bump caused by the calcification of a broken nose (the doctor offered, and I agreed to have it taken out, though it ended up being necessary for the reconstruction anyway)—but even if it hadn't been, it wouldn't have been an issue since I'd lived in symbiosis with that bump for 15 years🤣: and I am perfectly happy with my nose😍—meaning I wouldn't change a single thing, and now I have that old, purely natural nose (which I barely remember 🤣) like I had before I crashed into the ramp😂. It isn't perfect, but it's mine.😍

EDIT: and I can finally breathe.🙂

Sophia Harris96 said:just wanted to give a quick shout-out again to everyone rocking their new noses...
(come on, someone please post some before and after shots so we can actually see the progress—hopefully for the better)
and to those of you who are still stuck in the "thinking about it" phase 😉

quick question for Sam Kim12... I've heard great things about the results from Dubrava too, but which doctor did you actually go to?

😘

with Dr. O'Regan

An excellent physician😉—he isn't much for small talk, he’s meticulous, and he truly knows his craft👍

dustyheron102 Asks:
If anyone actually wants to see what this looks like after twenty days, just drop me an email and I'll send over the progress photo.☕

Hey there. If you've got any photos, could you send them over? Specifically, I’d love to see a before-and-after shot regarding the surgery if you have one. Thanks. (igorjur7@gmail.com)