Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

redranger82 said:Hello,

I have a quick question regarding my nose and a persistent issue I've been dealing with.

For several years now, I’ve been "struggling" with my breathing... it feels like I can only breathe through one nostril at a time, while the other is completely blocked, and then they just swap places.

About two months ago, I saw my doctor, and he mentioned that it isn't actually a deviated septum, but rather some issue within the mucous membrane that might require some kind of cauterization? 😕 I suppose he meant burning off the lining of the nose?

He put me on a month-long treatment plan consisting of Nasonex spray and saline solution (I used Ocean spray), but nothing really changed. So, he extended the treatment for another two months; I'm already one month into this second round, and naturally, there hasn't been any improvement...

The doctor did mention that whatever needs to be cauterized might come back, so it’s not a guaranteed fix.

I was wondering if anyone else here has dealt with something similar, or if anyone happens to know more about this specific procedure.

Thanks! 😁

Could those perhaps be polyps? You know, those growths from chronically inflamed nasal tissue... when you say he wants to remove something... I assume that's what he means...🙂

Sarah Cox66 said:Could those be nasal polyps? You know, those growths from chronic inflammation in the nasal lining... If you're saying they're planning on removing them, then I guess that's just what it is.🙂

I have an operation scheduled at the Mayo Clinic—it’s all set, including the cosmetic correction.🙂So, let's talk about the "freebies"—deviated septums, whatever. It got me thinking: have any of you actually gone out of your way to give a gift to your surgeon after an operation? You know, just as a little gesture of thanks?

Tyler Reed7 said:I have a surgery scheduled at the Mayo Clinic—it’s already set up, including some cosmetic adjustments🙂 for free to fix my deviated septum and everything. I was just wondering, if any of you underwent similar procedures, did you give the doctor a gift? Just as a way to show your appreciation?

Honestly, I’d give him a hand right now if I could.🙂

Tyler Reed7 said:I have a surgery scheduled at the Mayo Clinic—it includes a free cosmetic touch-up🙂 along with fixing my deviated septum and everything. I was just wondering, if you all had similar surgeries, did you feel the need to give the doctor a gift... you know, just as a token of appreciation?

My surgery isn't until this fall... as for giving a gift, that’s really up to you personally... though many people we know tend to do it, even if I personally think it’s unnecessary... By the way, when your procedure is scheduled, do you know which technique they'll be using??🙂

Gregory Anderson7 said:Maybe you could try looking up Dr. Munitić over at Mercury. I actually went to see him about four years ago on a recommendation because of a deviated septum, and I think it's true that you can arrange to pay for the cosmetic side alongside the medical portion. It doesn't end up costing quite as much as you'd expect, and honestly, I've been breathing perfectly for four years now and feel great about how I look in photos...

I suppose I would also suggest reaching out to Dr. Munitić, who is currently practicing at the Mercury aesthetic surgery clinic. I had my own procedure done there just about a month ago, and I have to say, I am incredibly happy with both the results and the overall cost, especially since they seem to be running a really great summer special on rhinoplasty right now. My recovery felt quite fast, and I've already been out walking around town feeling confident for two weeks now.

Nicholas Castillo19 said:I’d also suggest seeing Dr. Muntić over at the MM Plastic Surgery Clinic. I had my procedure there about a month ago, and honestly, I couldn't be happier with how everything turned out—especially considering the price. They’re running this great summer special on rhinoplasty right now. My recovery was surprisingly quick; I’ve already been out walking around town for two weeks feeling pretty good about myself.

What’s the actual damage with this summer special? Looking at their website, the prices seem standard, if not a little higher than most other places...

redcrane59 said:Well, I see most of you had decent experiences, but mine was an absolute disaster...

I had a massive deviation and a hump. The doctor at Mayo Clinic told me he’d fix both at once, and I thought, great... He basically dismantled my entire nasal structure...
But as soon as they took the splints off, it was a mess. There's this huge saddle deformity, and the deviation is still there. I still can't breathe properly through my right nostril or anything...
I don't even want to think about being caught in a photo looking straight on, because it looks like someone took a scraper to the middle of my nose...

Now I have to scrape together $2k for a revision with a decent surgeon. I've got a recommendation and everything, I just need the cash :-)

You really messed up going to that hospital. Everyone I know has bad stories about them, and the doctors there aren't exactly top-tier.🤷

Tyler Reed7 said:So I've got this surgery lined up at Mayo Clinic—and they’re throwing in some cosmetic touch-ups 🙂 for free, fixing a deviated septum and all that. Now I'm wondering—for those of you who've had similar stuff done—did you tip the doctor or anything? Just as a thank you thing...

You think it's just bribery and kickbacks...

Yeah, but usually it happens after the fact...

I have a surgery scheduled with Dr. Zambelli on July 19th... since it slipped my mind to ask him during our last talk, does anyone happen to know if it’s possible to fix it so the nose doesn't dip down when smiling (if you know what I mean 😉 )

Elizabeth Fox57 said:I’ve got surgery scheduled with Dr. Zambelli on July 19th... since it totally slipped my mind to ask him, does anyone know if it's actually possible to fix it so your nose doesn't, you know, sag down when you smile (if you catch my drift 😉 )?

Yeah, definitely.

Elizabeth Fox57 said:I have a surgery scheduled with Dr. Zambelli on July 19th... since I forgot to ask him, does anyone know if it's possible to fix it so your nose doesn't drop when you smile (if you know what I mean 😉 )

It's possible; they might need to release the muscle that actually pulls the nose downward.
I've heard that for some doctors, it's just part of the standard routine (like Dr. Smith)
Anyway, definitely ask him... good luck 😉

So, I’ve got an operation scheduled at Mayo Clinic (which includes a free cosmetic touch-up, septoplasty, etc.). I was just wondering, if you guys had similar surgeries, did you give the doctor anything? Like, maybe as a thank-you gift or something?

Look, you definitely don't have to, but if you feel like it, you could bring something—maybe some local bourbon, a decent bottle of wine, that kind of thing. You could bring it during the check-up, or wait until you're discharged and head back for a follow-up. But again, only if you actually want to.

Is it possible to fix it so the nose doesn't sort of sag when I smile?

I mean, it's possible, but I guess you shouldn't overdo it. It's probably never a great idea to cut muscle unnecessarily, so if they can achieve that look without touching the muscle, they should try that instead. Plus, when they fix a hump, the tip usually lifts a bit anyway, which makes the nose look less droopy (not quite as much as if they actually cut the muscle, though). But honestly, it's up to how you want it to look.

Is there actually a difference between getting surgery in the summer versus the winter? I heard somewhere that summer is the best time for nose jobs. Is there any truth to that?

Quick question for the group—if anyone can help me out here. I’ve been scrolling through this entire thread, but I still can't find a straight answer: does anyone know roughly how long the waitlist is for surgery at St. Jude?

slydriver56 said:I have a quick question, if anyone wouldn't mind helping me out—I've gone through this entire thread, but I can't seem to find any mention of how long the typical wait time is for surgery at Holy Spirit...

In my experience, I was waiting for about a month, though you have to consider that the holiday season with Christmas and New Year's was right in the middle of it all...

silverfox912 said:What’s actually the difference between getting surgery in the summer versus the winter? I heard somewhere that summer is better for nose jobs. Is there any truth to that?

People claim winter is the way to go because of the swelling... the cold helps everything settle down faster. Plus, you don't have to worry about the heat causing infections. When you've just had work done on your nose, you absolutely cannot be out there baking in the sun for a while. So, winter sounds smarter... But... on the flip side, they suggest staying in more humid environments to help the mucous membranes recover, which helps you breathe better. And honestly, fewer people schedule surgeries during the summer, so you won't be stuck on some massive waiting list. So, summer might actually be better...
😁
Look, what I'm trying to tell you is that every option has its own set of headaches and perks. Honestly? The "best" time to get your nose done is whenever you can actually swing it—basically, whenever you can clear two or three weeks off your schedule and just deal with it. 😁

Has anyone actually had a good experience with our local doctors when it comes to refining or defining the nasal tip? Honestly, my impression is that they’re pretty decent at just smoothing out a bump—which is basically the easiest part of the surgery—but looking at the photos on their websites, I don't see them doing anything much more specific than that...

Since I was feeling a bit skeptical about what we have here, I ended up doing some digging on international forums like MakeMeHeal and RealSelf, and I actually stumbled upon two surgeons in America whose work totally blew me away—just figured I'd share in case anyone else is looking! 🙂

Dr. Vladimir Grigoryants

http://www.vgplasticsurgery.com/Nose...%20Gallery.htm

and Dr. Ashkan Ghavami

http://www.ghavamiplasticsurgery.com...and_after.html

Nothing beats the US😁

Hannah Turner46 said:Has anyone actually had a decent experience with our doctors when it comes to reducing or specifically reshaping the nasal hump? Honestly, my gut feeling is that they’re all great at just smoothing out the bump—which is basically the easiest part of the surgery—but whenever I look at the before-and-after photos on their websites, I don't see anything particularly impressive or detailed. It feels like they just sand down the surface and call it a day. Anyone dealt with this?

I started having serious doubts about whether these guys actually knew what they were doing, so I decided to go down a bit of a rabbit hole on some US beauty forums like MakeMeHeal and RealSelf. Honestly, after scrolling through all that, I actually stumbled upon two doctors here in the States whose work looks incredible. Their results are on a whole different level—might be worth a look if anyone else is feeling skeptical like I was. 🙂

Dr. Vladimir Grigoryants

So, I was just scrolling through this nose surgery gallery on the VG Plasticsurgery site, and man, it really makes you think. You look at these before-and-after shots and it’s wild how much a surgeon can actually change someone's entire vibe just by tweaking a few millimeters of cartilage. It’s heavy stuff when you realize how much people are willing to go under the knife just to feel more comfortable in their own skin. I remember back in college, my buddy used to joke about getting a "fixer-upper" nose, but seeing these clinical photos really brings home the reality of it. It isn't just some light cosmetic tweak; it's a whole process. Some of these transformations are pretty dramatic—like, you almost don't recognize the person in the second photo. But then again, that's clearly what they were paying for, right? It’s a strange rabbit hole to fall down. One minute you're looking at one person's profile, and the next, you're deep into the technicalities of nasal symmetry. It definitely gives you a different perspective on the industry here in the States. It's all there in black and white—literally. Just a lot to process if you aren't expecting it.

I’m Dr. Ashkan Ghavami.

Check out this link if you want to see what we're actually talking about: http://www.ghavamiplasticsurgery.com...and_after.html Honestly, if you haven't clicked through to see the before-and-after shots on Ashkan Ghavami’s site yet, you're missing the whole point of this discussion. I was scrolling through them the other night—probably way too late, because there I was at 2 AM staring at surgical transformations instead of sleeping—and it really puts things into perspective. It's one thing to talk big about results in a forum, but seeing the actual work done by a pro like Ashkan Ghavami is a different beast entirely. It’s easy to get cynical when everyone’s shouting opinions, but the photos don't lie. Take a look and decide for yourself.

There’s just no way to reach Amer. 😁

Neither one of them is actually an American... at least not by name. 🙂
Honestly, looking at these photos of Vladimir, I’m actually getting a little choked up. There is just something about that nose—it’s genuinely beautiful. It’s one of those things you don't realize until you really stare at the pictures, but man, it's striking. 😁 Man, some of them are just absolute perfection. I’m sitting here kicking myself, honestly—I really wish I hadn't gone with the profile look instead of just keeping things flat. Such a massive missed opportunity.
Honestly, looking at this second version of Ashkan, his nose is just a total disaster. I don't care if we're talking about the "before" or the "after"—it’s been hunched and awkward the whole time. Some things just can't be fixed, I guess.

Yeah, they aren't exactly American :P I think I phrased that a little weirdly, but you can still totally see the difference in surgical quality since that kind of work is way more mainstream over there 🙂 I actually loved how natural they look, though you can definitely tell their nostrils were shaped really nicely 🙂 and yeah, that first doctor gave me a total "wow" reaction too 🙂

Hi there;

I’m looking for some personal recommendations for a nose job—nothing extreme, just something subtle. I’d like to slim down the tip and maybe shorten it slightly. Honestly, I’m a little nervous about ending up looking like Pišek or someone else who went way too far with it... anyway... what’s the word on Bagatin?

Who would you all suggest? I figured I'd start by asking here since I don't actually know anyone in my own circle who has gone through it.