Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

steelangler88, I honestly think my nose looks perfectly fine. Maybe if you took some photos from a bit further away that showed my whole face instead of just a close-up, you’d see what I mean, because it really does look good to me.

As for the lymphatic drainage, all of my friends have gone through it. They told me the same thing, too. It’s basically like going to physical therapy after having surgery on your leg.
It’s this super gentle massage designed to move the lymph through those tiny channels—I don't know, it's a whole science, isn't it? If someone doesn't actually know what they're doing, they can seriously mess you up.
But it really helps reduce swelling, helps the nose settle into its new shape faster, and all that. Plus, if anyone is feeling congested and struggling to breathe properly, the drainage can help clear things up.
The clinic actually referred me to a beauty specialist over on Martićev, so I gave them a call and asked about the $83 treatment.
Then my friends passed along the number for a lady who has been specializing in this for twenty years. It's the $50 treatment.
I'm supposed to do ten sessions in total.
And tomorrow is my third one.

Megan Moore76 said:Ladies, your noses look incredible! 🙂 I wanted to ask, do you need to stop taking meds like hormones (Diane and stuff) before the surgery?

I literally waited until a second before the procedure to ask the anesthesiologist, "Hey, is it a big deal if I'm on birth control?" 😁 It wasn't actually a dealbreaker for him, but he told me I really should have mentioned it sooner. Apparently, they might give you something to prevent blood clotting beforehand. I didn't get it because I waited too long, but luckily everything turned out fine.
Bottom line: make sure you tell your doctor! It costs absolutely nothing to be upfront about it.

steelangler88, your nose looks amazing. You're seriously just stressing yourself out for no reason. You know perfectly well that with an open rhinoplasty, the recovery takes at least twice as long as a closed one. Plus, your procedure was different. Tissue needs time to settle and de-swell... the tip still looks pretty swollen to me based on the photos. Your nasal angle is sitting right at 90 degrees... which is basically perfection. I have no idea why you think it looks droopy!

Do yourselves a favor and stop over-researching everything—you'll be way happier!! 😁

...still waiting on some replies here...
...so I guess I'll ask again.
Okay, so look—I’ve got this "magnificent" nose that I inherited from my dad. It’s not even flawed, really—like, there's nothing wrong with it at all—but that’s kind of the issue: it’s just way too much! It’s wide, it’s long, it’s everything... no bumps or anything (honestly, if only I had those), it’s just BIG.

I've been planning to get it done since I was a kid, and I know for a fact it would mean a lot to me—not that it would make me more successful, richer, or whatever... but just for my own sake, I'd feel so much better about myself.

Back in the day, prices were hovering around $1,600 (and I totally get that everyone is different and surgery varies as much as noses do)—so I'm wondering if things have changed much lately.

Some people say prices have shot up, while others swear they're actually more affordable now...

Based on everyone's personal journeys, who would you say is the absolute best rhinoplasty surgeon out there? 🤷

Jessica Parker20, look, you’re looking at roughly $2,200 for the surgery... give or take. It really just depends on which surgeon you go with and the complexity of what they're actually doing.

Patrick Walker, honestly, even God doesn't have the answer to that one. 😁
I actually went to see Dr. Glušac over in Miami, and man, I am beyond thrilled with the results. My nose looks incredible and my breathing is finally perfect. Highly recommend!

Ashley Gomez, rustygardener172 thanks for the heads up. Honestly—I have no clue why I thought I should just quit hormonal birth control before 🤷

rustygardener172 said:steelangler88, you’re doing great. Honestly, you're just scaring yourself for no reason. You know perfectly well that when they go in through an open rhinoplasty, the recovery takes at least twice as long as a closed one. Plus, your procedure was different—tissue needs actual time to heal and settle. From what I can see in the photos, your tip still looks pretty swollen. And that nasal angle? It's sitting right at 90 degrees... which is basically ideal. I have no clue why you think it looks droopy!

Yeah, the angle is about 90 degrees—but the second I start laughing, my whole face just drops and my nose feels like it’s sagging straight down.😠 So, things have started shifting over the last three or four days—it looks like the swelling is finally starting to go down. But honestly? It feels like there’s just no structural support left. It's weird; it feels almost rubbery, like it's just twisting around. Anyway, my whole face just sags whenever I laugh (exactly how it felt before my first surgery... and let's not forget that first one was already dealt with!). The puffiness in the lower area just makes the whole thing look even worse. To be honest, the fact that this "recovery" phase is only just beginning actually scares me—if this is what it looks like now, God knows how it's going to look once everything fully settles down.

He told me the same thing—that it was at a 90-degree angle—but honestly, it looks lower than what steelangler88 described. 🤔

mostly, I just end up looking totally goofy whenever I try to smile

Are you sure about that? If they had to fix it with a second surgery, he definitely cut into that muscle above the lip... if that happened, you wouldn't even be able to move it at all. 🤷

stormyharbor2 said:He told me the angle was 90 degrees too, but it looks lower than what steelangler88 had. 🤔

Are you sure about that? If you needed a second surgery just to fix that specific issue, he definitely cut that muscle above the lip—in which case, you shouldn't be seeing any movement at all. 🤷

No, I actually had that handled during my FIRST surgery. See, my original nose used to drop significantly whenever I smiled, so my first surgeon resected that muscle and everything was fine. This time around, I went back to address other issues left over from the first one, but it seems like the doctor did SOMETHING because now the tip has dropped even further (it was lower than after the first op, where it sat at about 100 degrees and the tip stayed steady while I talked or laughed), and now after this second surgery, the tip has slumped and the whole thing feels... "overly elastic"? I don't even know how to describe it. Basically, it’s right back to how it was before the very first operation, as if everything was reset to zero, and I have absolutely no clue why. Honestly, I'm losing my mind—I'm just spinning in circles here. I'll grill him about it during my follow-up in a few months. I was already told I'd need another procedure anyway, so I'm just hoping that this next one (yes, my THIRD!!) finally fixes everything once and for all. That'll be the last time, no matter what happens.🙏

steelangler88 said:Actually, my initial surgery was quite successful. My original nose used to droop significantly whenever I smiled, so my first surgeon resected that specific muscle, and it worked wonders. But this second round? That’s where things went sideways. I went in to address some lingering issues from the first procedure, but it feels like the doctor did something that caused the tip to drop even further—lower than it ever was after the first surgery. Back then, the angle was around 100 degrees, which looked perfect, and the tip stayed stable even when I talked or laughed. Now, after this second operation, the tip has sagged, and everything just feels... overly elastic? I don't even know how to describe it. Essentially, it feels like I've been reset back to how I looked before the very first surgery, and I have absolutely no idea why. I’m planning to grill him about everything during my follow-up appointment in a few months, but honestly, I'm losing my mind; I feel like I'm just running in circles. They already told me upfront that I'll need another surgery, so I'm holding onto the hope that this third one will finally fix everything once and for all. This has to be the last time, regardless of the outcome.🙏

Which doctor did you see that caused things to get so complicated? I haven't heard of anyone experiencing that kind of tip drooping unless they were attempting some really drastic structural changes... 😕 Anyway, wishing you the best of luck!

Look, I’ve been a difficult case from day one—my situation was pretty messy to begin with (congenital issues, missing cartilage in certain spots, a deviated septum, soft tissue tumors, and all that good stuff). In my opinion, the surgery itself was handled well, though there’s likely a lot of work ahead to get everything properly aligned—especially considering the first surgery was only half-baked. Besides, you really can't tell how things will settle until some time has passed. I haven't noticed any massive changes yet, but as for what happened to the tip... I'm not sure; they probably had to adjust something because of that cartilage issue.🤷It's a bit of a bummer. I'm feeling a little anxious now, but I'm trying to believe everything will turn out fine.

Hey everyone,
I was wondering if I could grab some advice on picking a plastic surgeon—what’s been your experience with them, what kind of prices are we looking at, and how's the recovery process?
Basically, my nose is just way too big for my face, so I need a full overhaul—bridge, tip, narrowing, all of it.
I'm aiming to get it done this summer, so I'd really appreciate any insight you guys have.
Thanks in advance! 🙂

Kate Mitchell67 said:Hey everyone, what's up?
Hey, I was wondering if I could grab some advice on something? So, I’ve been seeing a lot of talk lately about picking a plastic surgeon, and honestly? It’s a total minefield. If you're starting to look into this, buckle up, because there is a massive difference between finding someone who looks good on Instagram and finding someone who actually knows how to handle a scalpel without turning you into a cautionary tale. I want to hear your unfiltered truth. What was your experience like? Did you find "the one," or did you end up regretting every cent spent? Let's break it down, because there are so many moving parts here: **The Selection Process:** How did you even vet them? Did you just go by word-of-mouth, or were you digging through deep internet rabbit holes looking for reviews? I personally can't stand those overly polished, fake-sounding testimonials. I need the grit. I need to know if they actually listen to what you want or if they just try to upsell you on every procedure under the sun. **The Price Tag:** Let’s be real—this stuff isn't cheap. Are we talking "saving up for a year" kind of money, or "I just put it on my American Express and hope for the best" kind of money? And please, tell me if the quote you got felt reasonable or if it felt like a complete highway robbery. **The Recovery:** This is the part everyone glosses over in the brochures. They show you the "after" photo where everyone looks glowing and perfect, but nobody talks about the swelling, the bruising, or that weird, uncomfortable phase where you feel like you’ve been hit by a truck. How long did it *actually* take you to feel like a human being again? Was the downtime manageable, or were you stuck on the couch for weeks praying for the swelling to go down? If you've gone through this, please, spill the tea. Whether it was a total success or a complete disaster, I want to hear the details. Your experiences could save someone else from a massive headache (or a very expensive mistake).
Honestly, I’ve got this nose that is quite literally way too big for my face. It’s just completely out of proportion. I really need to get it scaled down—I'm talking about the bridge, the tip cartilage, and narrowing the whole thing out. It’s driving me crazy.
I’m looking to get my surgery scheduled sometime this summer, so honestly, I am all ears. If you have any insight, advice, or even just some cautionary tales to share, please, don't hold back—every single comment is incredibly helpful right now.
Thanks in advance, everyone! 🙂

Look, don't take this the wrong way, but that's exactly what everyone is talking about on this forum right now. If you're actually interested in getting the full picture, you should just dive into the threads and start reading—honestly, we’ve all been there, obsessively scrolling through old posts just to make sense of things. Or, if you really want to go down the rabbit hole, would you rather have everyone jump back in and recount their own experiences just for your sake? I mean, it's your call, but the info is already out there if you look for it.
Look, nobody can pick out a surgeon for you, and honestly, they can't step in and go under the knife on your behalf, either. This isn't something you can outsource to a friend or delegate to someone else. It’s a "job" you’re going to have to face and get through entirely on your own.
Look, if you’ve got a specific question, go ahead and shoot—I'm all ears. But honestly? Regarding that post of yours, I don't have anything else to add beyond what I just laid out. There's really nothing left to say. ☕

I just had my appointment with Dr. Glušac over in Makarska, and honestly? I am beyond thrilled with how everything went. Seriously, if you're looking for someone who actually knows their stuff, this is it. 👍 Look, I'm more than happy to talk you through the details regarding my surgery... honestly, just hit me up via PM if you want to dive into it.

rustygardener172 said:Jessica Parker20 the cost for the surgery should be around $2,000... give or take depending on which surgeon you go with and what exactly they're doing.

Thanks so much—I was actually expecting something around that range, especially since I'm planning to visit the Glumičić - Džepina clinic... I've also got some issues with my abdominal wall after pregnancy, so I figured I might as well get that fixed at the same time...

rustygardener172 said:Don't take it personally, but this exact topic is all over this forum. If you're actually interested, just start reading like the rest of us did. Or would you really prefer if everyone re-wrote their entire life story just for you?!
Nobody can pick your surgeon for you, just like nobody can go under the knife on your behalf. It's a "job" you have to handle yourself.
If you have an actual, specific question, go ahead and ask. But for this particular post, I don't have anything else to add beyond what I just said. ☕

I saw Dr. Glušac in Makarska and I'm super happy with the results. 👍 If you want to ask me anything about my procedure, hit me up via PM.

Thanks for the "help."

Kate Mitchell67 said:Thanks for your "insightful" little response.

Don't mention it. And hey, next time you decide to drop one of your "questions," maybe try looking around first. You asked us for our experiences, but newsflash: we've already shared them. All you have to do is actually read what's already on the board. 😛

rustygardener172 said:Don't take this personally, but people are literally writing about this exact thing all over this forum right now. If you're actually interested, just dive in and start reading like the rest of us did once. Or would you rather have everyone rewrite their entire life story just for you?!
Nobody can pick a surgeon for you—just like nobody can go under the knife for you. This is "work" you have to handle yourself.
If you have an actual, specific question, go ahead and ask. But based on what you posted, I don't have anything else to tell you besides what I just said. ☕

I saw Dr. Glušac in Makarska and I'm really happy with the results. 👍 If you have questions about my procedure, I'm happy to help... shoot me a PM.

I second all of that. Someone seriously needs to put together an FAQ because it seems like some people just can't be bothered to read—meanwhile, before my surgery, I talked to a ton of people and read through this entire thread from top to bottom. 🤷

Sophia Booth35 said:Mine was off by a few millimeters, so they just centered it... you aren't exactly breaking any bones, nothing to worry about :P

"A little," you say? I wonder how long the recovery actually takes, and more importantly, what kind of damage it did to your bank account... and did it actually hurt?

steelangler88 said:I suppose I’ve been a difficult case from the very start because my situation was just so complicated—congenital issues, missing cartilage in certain areas, a deviated septum, a soft tissue tumor, and all that. In my opinion, the surgery itself was performed well enough, but I suspect it’s going to take quite a bit of work to actually get everything looking right, especially considering the first operation was pretty mediocre. Besides, you really can't tell how things will settle until some time has passed. I haven't seen any drastic changes yet, and as for what happened to the tip... I honestly don't know. Maybe they had to adjust it because of that cartilage issue.🤷 It’s a bit unsettling, I guess, but I'm trying to believe everything will turn out okay.

I dealt with the exact same thing—not having enough cartilage and dealing with that drooping nose effect. Right now, it looks fine from the profile when I smile, but looking straight on, it still seems to be drooping. What’s weird is that I feel like my entire face is being pulled down along with it; my cheeks and lips seem to be dragged downward and outward whenever I laugh. Because of that, I’m starting to doubt if there’s even any way to fix it.🤷

I mean... after that whole ordeal, I'm worried. I'm not just nitpicking for the sake of it.😂

Does anyone know a good soul who could teach me how to shade eyes in photos? Please!

rustygardener172, you’ve enlightened me... I actually went out and bought half a liter of saline solution today for $3.25 🙏

And just one question for the more experienced folks here... How long did it take for your face to finally look normal again? I’m still pretty swollen, specifically around my eyes and on the left side above the nose, and on the right side below the nose 🙄 my nose looks like I've been smearing grease all over it...