Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

Susan Foster45 said:Hey there, everyone on this journey!
I don't post here very often, but I just scrolled through the last fifteen pages or so and thought I should probably jump in and maybe, just maybe, offer some encouragement to anyone who might be going through the same thing right now :-)
It’s been exactly five months since my surgery, and honestly, I can't even begin to describe how much everything has changed in such a short window of time... To be completely truthful, right at the beginning, I wasn't exactly thrilled with how things looked immediately after the procedure. I mean, I was certainly happy when comparing it to my old nose, which was just terrible (though looking back at old photos, I realize just how bad it actually was :-)) But generally speaking, I felt like I had a ski jump right in the middle of my face; I could feel these awful bumps and uneven spots under my finger... my tip was lifted so high it looked quite scary, there was swelling at the bridge between my eyes, and it was just awful—one eye looked like it was pulled east while the other went west...
BUT...
For everyone currently navigating the recovery process, if you're dealing with similar issues, or for those of you just getting ready and wondering what to expect, please believe me when I say that you just have to be patient, and try not to spend every single second staring into a magnifying mirror and crying... because it is truly incredible how everything eventually settles into place; my "ski jump" smoothed out beautifully, those little bumps seemed to "melt" into the length of my nose, the bridge became twice as narrow as it used to be... and now, it looks absolutely wonderful!!!!

I suppose the nose starts changing almost immediately after the operation, basically as soon as that initial swelling begins to subside... and every single week, things just kept getting better and better...
So, my friends—patience really is a virtue :-)

By the way, I have a feeling that it isn't quite finished yet, and that it might look even better down the road... they say it takes a full year for everything to truly settle into its final form...
My sunglasses still feel a bit awkward, and the tip still feels a little "wooden," but I've been blowing my nose like a total maniac for quite a while now and, most importantly, I can breathe perfectly...

Oh, and before I forget, I see that so many of you are dealing with similar anxieties... I actually had a few little accidents after my surgery—getting bumped by my boyfriend in his sleep (the man tosses and turns, I guess :-)), or accidentally hitting myself with my own hand (which was probably just from being so worried about someone else bumping me, though I ended up doing it myself).... and so on... so please, don't worry too much; nothing catastrophic is going to happen if you happen to bump yourself after surgery (though I totally understand the fear, as I was convinced something had "shifted" inside after one of my little bumps, but it turned out to be fine)

Best wishes to you all!

I am so incredibly happy for you!🙂 Could you tell us which doctor you went to? Thanks so much. Best wishes!

northernmaker84 said:I am so happy for you!🙂 Could you share who you worked with? Thanks. Best regards.

northernmaker84, I will send you a private message.🙂

I went through a referral at the Dubrava Library, so nothing was paid out of pocket. Rather than naming names here, if anyone needs specific details, feel free to reach out via DM...🙂

My apologies, I just realized I typed PM instead of DM...😍...

Hey everyone... first timer here. I underwent rhinoplasty about a month ago—both cosmetic and for a septal deviation—so I figured I’d check in and see how you all handled the recovery process. Specifically, how long did it take for that tip swelling to finally subside and for everything to settle into its permanent shape? I’m especially curious if anyone else had an incision on the columella; how was your healing journey? Right now, everything feels incredibly crooked and distorted. There are these weird little bumps along the bridge of my nose, and the same thing is happening near my nostrils, making my nose look totally asymmetrical—one side actually looks larger than the other. Has anyone else dealt with this kind of thing? And of course, if you have any questions for me, feel free to ask! 😉

rustypanther2 said:Hey everyone... this is my first time posting here... I had nose surgery about a month ago—both cosmetic and to fix a deviation—so I wanted to ask how you all handled the recovery process. How long did it take for the swelling at the tip to finally go down, and for everything to start settling into its final shape? Especially if anyone else had an incision on the columella... I’d love to hear how your healing went. Right now, everything feels a bit crooked and distorted to me. There are these little bumps on the bridge of my nose, and even on the nostril area, which makes the whole thing look asymmetrical... has anyone else dealt with something similar? And of course, please feel free to ask me anything if you have questions too... 😉

Hey... I'm curious... I see you had an open rhinoplasty since you mentioned the columella incision. I'm scheduled for the same technique, so I was wondering if it was painful and how much you had recovered after a month. Did they have to break any bones...? Please, just write whatever comes to mind... I want to know everything.🙂🙂

Sarah Cox66 said:Hey... I’ve been wondering about something. Looking at your posts, it seems like you went through the open surgery route given that incision on your collarbone. Since I’m slated to undergo the exact same procedure, I’m trying to get the real scoop. Does it actually hurt? How was your recovery process once that first month passed? And honestly, did you deal with any of that bone-deep aching or feeling like everything was just broken? Please, don't hold back—just dump everything that comes to mind. I want to know every little detail.🙂🙂

To be perfectly honest, I didn't experience any actual pain during the recovery process. It was more of an intense, localized sensation—like my nasal passages were being worked on from the inside out. They weren't just fixing a deviation; they were essentially reshaping the structure, narrowing the bridge and shortening the base. Think of it like fine-tuning the architecture of a building rather than just patching a hole. I had my procedure done at a major hospital, and the post-op protocol was pretty rigorous: I had packing in my nose for five days and had to wear a splint for eight. From what I’ve gathered, if you go through a private specialist, they tend to move a bit faster with removing those. As far as the surgery itself goes, it wasn't painful. My nose didn't even hurt much. The most noticeable thing was the swelling under my eyes, which peaked around the second and third day. After about a week, that heavy swelling subsided, leaving me with nothing but some lingering purple bruising under my eyes. Of course, everyone’s biology is different, so take that with a grain of salt. Interestingly enough, while my nose was fine, my gums ended up getting quite swollen, and that was actually the part that caused me the most discomfort. 🙂 But honestly, don't sweat it too much—there’s probably a pill for that, too. 🙂 So, I finally got the splints taken off, and man, my nose was an absolute wreck. The swelling was pretty intense—especially right at the tip and along the sides near the bone—but thankfully, things have started to settle down a bit. It still feels incredibly stiff, almost woody if that makes sense, though even that sensation is slowly fading. There’s still this weird numbness around the columella where the incision was made, and honestly, I can't even scowl properly yet, if you catch my drift. On the bright side, the surgery itself wasn't nearly as traumatic as I anticipated. I didn't deal with any post-anesthesia nausea, and I haven't even had to touch pain meds. Now, I'm just sitting here praying the swelling goes down quickly, because looking at how everything is shaping up right now, I’m not exactly thrilled with the direction this is heading. 🤷 If there’s anything else you need to know, just ask. I'm an open book. 😉

rustypanther2 said:Personally, I didn't experience any real pain... just some soreness along the columella and inside my nostrils. They basically reshaped a bump, narrowed the nose slightly, shortened the area under the nose, and fixed a deviation... I had my surgery done at a hospital, where I had packing in for five days and wore a splint for eight days, though I've noticed private clinics tend to remove them sooner. Generally speaking, the actual surgery isn't painful, and my nose itself didn't hurt much either. The swelling under my eyes was at its worst on days two and three, but after a week, I was just left with some purple spots underneath, but I suppose that varies from person to person... I'm not sure how it goes for everyone else, but my gums were quite swollen and that was actually more bothersome 🙂 but don't worry too much, there are pills for everything 🙂 once the splint came off, my nose looked terribly swollen, especially the tip and a bit around the bone area, but it has subsided quite a bit now... there's still a sort of woody sensation in my nose, but even that is slowly fading... the area where the incision is on the columella still feels a bit numb... and I can't really scrunch my nose yet, if you know what I mean... overall, the surgery wasn't scary at all for me; I didn't deal with nausea from the anesthesia and didn't even need heavy painkillers... now I'm just hoping the swelling goes down quickly because I'm not entirely thrilled with the direction things are heading based on how it looks right now 🤷 if there is anything else you want to know, just ask 😉

I'm glad to hear you weren't in any pain🙂....and I'll be having mine at a hospital as well.... I am mostly just curious about the recovery process.... from what I've read, the recovery takes a bit longer when they use this specific technique (with the columellar incision), so there's no need to worry too much.... and also, it takes a few months for everything to truly settle into place, and you really have to be careful not to bump your nose!! If I think of anything else I might want to know, I'll reach out. Thanks for sharing all this information🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂

Sam Kim12 said:I guess you can't really do cosmetic work through Medicare unless it’s some kind of corrective surgery following an accident—and even then, you need a documented medical history to prove it. As for choosing between a hospital or going private, I’d probably lean toward a hospital setting. Even if I had to pay out of pocket because insurance wouldn't cover it, I'd still rather be in a hospital.😉

I mean, sure, if you have a deviated septum. I’ve heard stories about people cutting deals with doctors who don't actually have any issues. They basically agree to report a deviation just to get the functional surgery covered by Medicare, and then they sneak in the cosmetic stuff for free while they're at it. It probably happens more often than people admit, I guess. 😁 It seems absurd to me, but I guess that’s just how things go sometimes. Anything can happen, I suppose.

Hey everyone,
I’ve got a question. Is there any actual chance my nose might drop just a little bit more over the next year? It’s been about 5.5 months since my primary rhinoplasty, and honestly, my nose looks way too short. I'm basically praying for a miracle here—just hoping it might lengthen a tiny bit more.
Hope is the only thing I've got left...
I really don't want to end up looking like a cartoon character.😢

Michelle Carter52 said:well you can if you have a deviated septum, and I've heard plenty of people cut a deal with a doctor who doesn't even have a septum issue just to write down that they do, so they get the cosmetic stuff done for free along with it 😁 even though I think that's totally absurd, but hey, anything goes

I actually know some insider info on this, so I'm gonna lay it out.
Maybe it'll help someone out. 😉

Nothing about this is absurd. Why would it be?

I know someone personally who had nose surgery, and it was at the Mayo Clinic.
It was a friend of mine who got into a minor car accident when she was a kid and hit her nose. It caused a deviated septum. Honestly, it didn't even bother her that much. OK, maybe her breathing wasn't perfect, but she’d been living with it since childhood.

What *really* ate at her was the fact that she inherited this massive, hooked nose from her family that totally trashed her look. She’s had a complex about that nose forever and constantly talked about wanting surgery.
Money was obviously not an option for her.

Later on, she found out she could actually get a nose job covered by Medicare if it's for functional reasons, and while they're at it, they can fix the aesthetics too without any extra charge.

It sounds unbelievable and sketchy, but it's legit and still works today. Anyone with a deviated septum can get it done for free.

All you have to do is go to your primary care doctor and complain about breathing issues so they'll give you a referral for more tests. Once those tests confirm the deviated septum, they offer the surgery.

Before the procedure, they ask the patient if they want to fix the aesthetics as well and exactly what they want (she had the bump removed and narrowed the nose because it was way too big).
The surgeries are usually performed by residents who are basically practicing. So, fixing the looks isn't a big deal for them.

I went to visit her in the hospital and I saw there were a few other people in the room, all having procedures done by residents. I'm not exactly sure which cases go to the residents and which ones go to the actual attending physicians.
When I walked in to see her, I noticed not everyone had the same amount of bandages and bruising. Not everyone gets the same treatment.
Some people just want the function fixed and that's it. Their recovery is way faster. Those were mostly older folks, people who need to bounce back ASAP (for work), or people who are fine with how their nose looks and don't want to deal with the heavy recovery that comes with aesthetic work.

Every single young person I saw there was getting the aesthetics done too.

It took her about a year for everything to settle down. She ended up with a straight, slimmer nose—looked totally natural. She isn't 100% happy with it now (I think she's just overthinking it, but whatever). I know she complained for ages about it feeling numb.

She was even explaining to me how anyone can pretty much do a DIY check for a deviated septum right now.

Just hold a mirror or a piece of glass under your nose and blow hard.
If the fogging is even on both nostrils—you're good, no deviation.
If one side fogs up way more than the other, or the other side barely fogs at all, you've got a deviation.

I remember a bunch of people who weren't happy with their noses but had zero cash for surgery kept grilling her about what kind of accident she had as a kid to get that deviation, joking that they'd love to have a "car accident" just to get a free nose job.😁

rustypanther2 said:Hey everyone... this is my first time posting here. I had rhinoplasty about a month ago—both for aesthetics and to fix a deviation—so I wanted to ask how your recoveries went. How long did it take for the tip swelling to go down and for everything to finally settle into place? Especially if anyone had an incision on the columella; I’d love to hear how your healing process looked. Right now, everything feels a bit crooked and distorted. There are these little bumps on the bridge of my nose, and one side of my nostril looks larger than the other, making the whole thing look asymmetrical. Has anyone else dealt with something similar? And feel free to ask me anything if you have questions. 😉

Hey, have you had a follow-up appointment yet? What did the doctor say? Also, which hospital did you have the procedure at? From what I’ve read here, things usually settle down. One girl mentioned recently that it took five months before everything finally settled and those bumps smoothed out. I guess it might be a bit early to judge after just a month, so maybe try to stay calm and be patient 🙂 though I totally get it. I think we all want to take off the cast and see a perfect, movie-star nose, not something swollen and looking bigger than it did before 😁.
Let us know what the doctor said; I suppose they know a lot more than we do. Good luck! 👋

Your skin is super sensitive to pretty much any change, so honestly—it takes a while for everything to settle down and look right. It’s frustrating, I know—the more you stare at yourself in the mirror, the more you feel like nothing is actually happening. Just try to let the recovery happen naturally; I really think that's the best way to go about it.

If you're still feeling skeptical, though, you should definitely go see a doctor—there really isn't any other way to be sure.

Amy Richardson86 said:HEY EVERYONE,
I HAVE A QUESTION. I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S ANY CHANCE MY NOSE MIGHT DROP A LITTLE MORE WITHIN A YEAR OF THE SURGERY. IT'S BEEN 5.5 MONTHS SINCE MY PRIMARY RHINOPLASTY AND MY NOSE LOOKS WAY TOO SHORT TO ME. HONESTLY, I'M PRAYING FOR A MIRACLE—THAT IT MIGHT LENGTHEN JUST A TINY BIT.
Hope is all I've got...
I don't want to look like a mouse.😢

Oops, forgot we aren't supposed to use all caps. Sorry about that.

Rachel Fisher97 said:Hey, so did you make it to your follow-up? What’s the doctor’s take? And which hospital did you actually have the surgery at? Reading through these threads, it seems like things can go sideways for people. There was one girl posting recently who said it took a full five months before everything finally settled into place and those little bumps actually smoothed out. Honestly, I think judging the results after just one month is premature. You really need to just hang in there and be patient 🙂 though, I totally get the frustration. In my head, I'm picturing some Hollywood transformation where they pop the cast off and I look flawless, rather than looking swollen and somehow even larger than before 😁
Let us know what the doc says—I mean, he actually knows what he's doing, unlike the rest of us. Good luck! 👋

Well, I haven't had the formal check-up yet. When they took the cast off, the doctor just mentioned that the swelling is still pretty significant and told me if it hasn't gone down within a month, he'll want me back in to have them addressed. I didn't press him for more details because I already had a general idea of how this recovery timeline works... but these lumps are definitely making me twitchy. I didn't even have a bump to begin with, so it feels bizarre that they're talking about removing something that wasn't even an issue before. My nose looked perfectly straight from the profile view, but now it feels like there's this slight indentation right beneath this new little protrusion 🙂 I am just dying for things to settle down. I’ve already accidentally bumped my nose a thousand times; honestly, whenever I see someone walking toward me with big gestures, I start swerving around them like I'm avoiding a collision on the highway 🙂

So, I’ve been poking around here before asking, but I figured I’d check in one more time. I'm 16 and a half right now, and dealing with a deviated septum and what they call a nasal crest—it’s honestly a nightmare. I really want to get surgery done because I can't participate in any sports at all, not to mention how much my sleep and everything else suffers. It’s becoming unbearable. My doctor mentioned that the development of my nose is basically finished, but he wants me to hold off for another two years before we actually fix it. I just can't wrap my head around waiting that long—it feels like it's literally ruining my life. Is there actually a real risk of negative consequences if I go through with it now versus waiting those two years?

Michelle Carter52 said:Well, you can—if you happen to have a deviated septum. I’ve heard quite a few stories about people cutting deals with doctors who don't actually have any structural issues; they just get a diagnosis written up so they can sneak in some cosmetic work for free 😁 which, honestly, sounds ridiculous to me, but hey, anything goes these days

Look, we are talking specifically about what Medicare covers—not what happens under the table outside of the Medicare system—so let's not conflate two completely different things 😉 And there is nothing absurd about it; why on earth would Medicare pay for purely aesthetic procedures in the first place?
The fact that someone strikes a private deal with their surgeon is a whole other matter entirely, and frankly, it isn't something every doctor is doing 😉
Getting a septum repair or having a hump shaved down doesn't even have a sexual component to it—it's simply a matter of having a good rapport with your doctor and reaching an understanding 😉

Amanda Lewis66 said:She only found out later that she could actually get the surgery covered by Medicare—since it’s for functional reasons, of course—and apparently, they can just tack on the aesthetic refinements during the same procedure without charging a single extra cent.

It sounds absolutely unbelievable—bordering on suspicious, really—but it’s the honest truth, and it remains just as relevant today as it was back then. Anyone dealing with a deviated septum can get that procedure done entirely free of charge through Medicare.

It’s actually quite straightforward—you just need to head down to your primary care physician, walk into the office, and make a bit of a fuss about your breathing difficulties. Once you complain enough about the congestion, they’ll issue you a referral for some diagnostic testing. After those tests come back, they'll pinpoint the deviated septum, and then—as if on cue—they’ll start pitching you on having surgery to fix it.

It’s always the same routine—right before the surgery, they corner you and ask if you want to "fine-tune" the aesthetics of your nose, too. They essentially want to know exactly what your ideal look is. In my case, I wasn't looking for some dramatic transformation; I just wanted them to shave down that unsightly bump and scale back the overall size, since it was frankly way too large for my face.
Look, let’s be real here—the surgeons performing these procedures are mostly residents just looking to get their hours in. It’s basically practice for them at this point. Honestly? They don't have much to lose, and they’re more than capable of nailing the aesthetics if they actually put in the effort.

Of course, Medicare covers septoplasty at no cost to you—but let’s get one thing straight: that doesn't mean anyone who walks in claiming they have a deviated septum is automatically getting scheduled for surgery. It isn't that simple. A deviation isn't an automatic green light for an operation; there has to be a legitimate clinical indication that justifies the procedure. You can't just demand it because it's "free."
It is a complete fallacy to suggest that every single doctor is just going to start offering aesthetic procedures—let’s be realistic here. First off, most of them have zero interest in performing work they aren't being compensated for; nobody wants to pick up extra labor for nothing. Second, there is no legal or financial obligation for them to provide services that Medicare refuses to reimburse to the hospital in the first place. And third—and this is the part people always seem to overlook—not every specialist is even equipped or willing to dabble in aesthetics; you can't exactly expect an ENT surgeon to suddenly pivot to cosmetic tweaks. It's just not how the system works.

It’s a total fallacy to suggest that aesthetic procedures should be handled by some trainee just because the hospital—as if they’d ever actually take accountability for their mistakes—could potentially dodge responsibility. And honestly, since when did we all become experts on who performed our cosmetic work? It’s absurd.😳...and if we’re really going to get into the weeds about this—I actually went under the knife for both the aesthetic side and the functional repair. And just to set the record straight before anyone starts speculating: no, I wasn't being operated on by some junior resident—it was a full-blown, board-certified ENT specialist.😉

Amanda Lewis66 said:I went to visit her at the hospital, and I noticed there were several other people in the room—it seemed like everyone was being seen by residents rather than attending physicians. Honestly, I’m not entirely well-versed in the medical hierarchy—specifically when they assign a resident to a case versus when you actually get a full-fledged doctor—but that was definitely the vibe in there.
When I dropped by to visit, I couldn't help but notice the glaring inconsistency—not everyone was sporting the same amount of surgical tape or bruising. It’s quite obvious: they aren't all performing the procedures the same way.
Some people just want the function fixed—straight to the point, no fluff—and they go under the knife. Their recovery time? Significantly shorter. This group was mostly older patients—people who simply couldn't afford a lengthy downtime because of their work schedules—or those who were perfectly happy with how their nose looked and had zero interest in dealing with the grueling, drawn-out recovery that comes when you try to tackle both aesthetics and functionality at once.

Every single young person I encountered out there was also busy sorting out their cosmetic procedures.

The amount of bandages used doesn't have anything to do with the surgeon's skill—it’s almost certainly not even the doctor applying them, but rather some technician or nurse in the OR.😉 Bruising is bruising—it’s directly tied to how sensitive your tissue is, and let’s be honest, no two bodies react the same way. At the same time, you have to account for the surgical approach itself; not every surgeon uses the exact same technique, so the physical impact varies wildly from one procedure to the next.

When it comes to recovery times for functional surgeries, you’re talking absolute nonsense again—honestly. Recovery is entirely subjective, and whether the procedure was purely cosmetic or strictly functional doesn't dictate the timeline. I'll happily back my stance here because I've lived through a major surgery myself—where the "aesthetic" part was just a minor tweak to remove a bump—and I bounced back significantly faster than the girl in the room next to me. Her procedure was purely functional, much simpler than mine, and far shorter in duration, yet she lagged behind me every step of the way.

Amanda Lewis66 said:I remember her explaining how anyone—even someone with zero medical training—can basically perform a quick DIY check at home to see if they have a deviated septum.

All you have to do is hold a mirror or a piece of glass under your nose and blow out hard.
If the fogging is perfectly even across both nostrils—you’re golden; no deviation.
But if one side fogs up significantly more than the other, while the second side barely shows anything—congratulations, you’ve got a deviation.

That is complete nonsense.🙂

What about people dealing with mucosal folds or nasal polyps that make breathing a nightmare, even when their septum is perfectly straight? — those folks would get the exact same "result" using that mirror trick.

Sam Kim12 - seriously, take a chill pill. What's with the meltdown?

I just wrote down exactly what my friend told me. You’re out here working overtime trying to twist things completely out of context.

Everyone is an individual dealing with their own specific mess and issues. I never made some sweeping generalization, and honestly, why would I even bother? 🤷

Don't get so worked up that you start making stuff up. When I was visiting, I actually heard about a dozen people there who had ear surgery being offered cosmetic procedures too.

P.S. Maybe watch your tone a bit, because this is getting pretty hard to read. ☕

Has anyone here actually dealt with Dr. Laitman over at Mercury Hospital before?

mayabela said:whisper,

I’m not trying to push you toward any specific surgeon; I’m just sharing my own experience with Ostojic, which was actually much better than what I’ve had with others. The reality is that EVERYONE has their fair share of critics—some good, some bad. Every surgeon has cases that didn't go quite as planned, and honestly, a lot of that comes down to individual patient factors.

Zambelli once told Kincl to me, "that guy isn't right in the head, stay far away from him." 😲 Regarding Glumicic, I heard people say, "he really shouldn't be allowed to perform all the procedures he does." 🙄

And those are just two of the biggest names out there. Think about all the other doctors with less fame or experience.

Zambelli was highly recommended to me; everyone on the "cosmetic surgery" threads over at WebMD praises him. If you look through those forums, you'll find plenty of advice and firsthand accounts. My impression of him, though, was that he seemed totally indifferent—like he just wanted to get me out of his office because the waiting room was packed. And don't even get me started on the consultation style: "I might do it this way, or maybe not, we'll see..." Hello? You’re the expert! It’s your job to tell me what my nose can actually handle!

Zgaljardic, on the other hand, can be pretty arrogant. He treats everything like a joke, and the result... well, whatever happens, happens.

It is incredibly important that you figure out exactly what you want and insist on it. Ostojic told me he respects patient wishes; sometimes the outcome ends up different from what he originally envisioned, but the priority is that the patient is happy. I got lucky because everything went smoothly, but I had to be firm about not wanting a "piggy" or upturned nose, because I knew it wouldn't suit me. I was nervous because the bridge needed lifting regardless, but I didn't want it to be overdone. I specifically told him I wanted it straight, without the internal structure being too visible, and that’s exactly how he did it.

A lift might suit your face perfectly 🤷, but he might see a finished result in his mind that we simply can't visualize blindly.

That’s why I think the best move is to seek a second opinion. It’s not just about the shape or the final look, but about the rapport with the doctor. Building that trust is vital.

If Ostojic didn't leave a good impression on you, then don't go to him. I know people write negative things about him, but it’s no different than what they write about anyone else! In truth, there isn't a ton of detailed data online; people just post "Ugh, Ostojic," without giving specifics, except for that one case involving lip fillers. What neonbear582 wrote is actually the first time I've seen someone express dissatisfaction with a nose job. Glumicic gets even more scrutiny, yet all our "star" surgeons still end up seeing him. The nose is such a sensitive area, and so much depends on the surgeon himself, especially since the nose continues to heal and reshape itself according to his work long after the surgery. You just have to hope it heals in the direction you intended.

Every single doctor—every one of them—has negative reviews. Don't rush into anything if you don't feel a connection with the surgeon, but keep in mind that risk exists regardless of who you choose.
I personally know people who weren't happy with Zambelli, and others who weren't satisfied with Zgaljardic and had to go back for corrective work. I even know people who had swelling issues after seeing Glumicic, and now they're trying to get Medicare to cover corrective procedures through hospital specialists.
There is risk involved with everyone. You're lucky to live in a major metro area like Chicago where you have so many options; go out there and talk to them.

I just had an appointment with Dr. RAK over at Mercury, and honestly, what a piece of work. I mean, I know he’s part of the top-tier team at Mercury, and everyone talks him up like he’s some kind of medical deity, but his bedside manner? A total train wreck. If you happen to be someone who feels a little lost or asks a question that isn't perfectly scripted, he treats you like you're some sort of incompetent child. He carries himself with this massive "expert specialist" ego—total macho energy—and I can't tell if he's doing it on purpose or if he actually believes his own hype. It was genuinely exhausting. His whole vibe basically succeeds at stripping away whatever tiny bit of confidence a patient might have left. To make a long story short, the experience was so draining that I feel like I need to see a psychiatrist just to recover. I'm practically in a coma right now.🙂🙂🤣

Amanda Lewis66 said:Sam Kim12, seriously, take a breath. What's with the temper tantrum?

Don't get so aggressive that you start spinning half-truths; I was actually there visiting, and I personally heard about a dozen people who had their ear surgeries being offered cosmetic enhancements on the spot.

Well, she’s got a point. Most of what you wrote was just nonsense.

For God's sake.😁

I honestly think it would be best if people stuck to describing their own actual experiences instead of spreading this kind of hearsay bullshit.