Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

Taylor Miller10 said:Here’s my situation...
The cast finally came off. I asked my surgeon how things looked—he says everything is fine, just some lingering swelling, but all good.
I asked if he actually narrowed the nasal passages—he said yes and told me to come back for a follow-up in a month.
Asked about the stitches—he says they'll dissolve on their own.
Then I actually look in the mirror (it took some searching to find it), and my nose looks like a complete disaster; it's insanely swollen and looks like it's veering to the right.
As for the stitches? I can't see any; not inside, not outside.
Now I'm sitting here wondering if my doctor lied to me or if he even touched the width of my nose at all.!!!!!!!
I've been Googling, and from what I can tell, if you get rhinoplasty to narrow the nose, there SHOULD be external stitches.

I am beyond disappointed and just honestly sad...😢😢

Does anyone know anything about this... about narrowing this damn nose!!!!?

That was the whole point for me... just to have it look a little slimmer.......

Oh, don't even look in the mirror yet..... I was a total wreck when my cast came off. It was a nightmare—my nose looked massive, totally lopsided, a dent on one side and a huge lump on the other... a total disaster. I 100% know exactly how you feel; I cried for a week straight.😲🙂
but it gets better every single day, and if you didn't have major complications, your nose is going to look great. I actually had a really rough time because there were several errors, my breathing was worse, and my surgeon was incredibly unprofessional—but even with that mess, my nose looked better with every passing day. I know it sounds impossible, but don't stress too much because the daily changes are HUGE. Very few people are thrilled the second the cast comes off... usually, the asymmetry is just extreme swelling. Just stay patient and try to stay positive. I'm crossing my fingers that everything turns out exactly how you wanted.🙂

And for those asking, I had my surgery done in Chicago.

steelangler88 said:Don't even look in the mirror right now. Seriously. I was absolutely devastated when my cast finally came off—it was a total disaster. My nose looked massive, completely disproportionate, with this weird indentation on one side and a huge bump on the other. It was a complete mess. I know exactly what you're going through; I spent an entire week just crying my eyes out over it.😲🙂
Wait, what? Is that really all you have to say? Just "but"? That’s hardly a contribution to the conversation. If you're going to challenge a point, at least have the decency to back it up with some actual substance. Don't just throw out a single word and expect everyone to jump through hoops to figure out what you meant. It's lazy, and frankly, it's a waste of everyone's time. If you want to argue, make an actual argument. Things will get better with every passing day. Even if you didn't hit the jackpot with your initial results, your nose is going to improve significantly. I consider myself incredibly lucky because my experience was actually a disaster—there were constant errors, the functionality was subpar, and my surgeon was beyond unprofessional. Yet, even with that absolute nightmare of a nose, it looked better every single day following the procedure. I know it sounds impossible, but there is no point in stressing out; you will see a massive difference from one day to the next. It’s rare to find people who are thrilled with their results immediately. Most of the time, the nose just looks heavily and asymmetrically swollen. You have to remain patient and stay optimistic. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that everything turns out exactly the way you wanted.🙂

Someone actually asked me about this earlier—I had my surgery over at Mount Sinai.

Thanks a million! I really appreciate it. 😛

I honestly can't put into words just how much your support means to me right now.
I’m basically in a coma right now... I am being absolutely terrible to myself!
And don't even get me started on how much I'm losing my mind here, simply because I have absolutely no idea what exactly was done!🙂

I just woke up... the swelling has gone down a bit...
My nose looks like an absolute disaster; it actually looks worse than it did before, and what’s even more infuriating is that the hump on my nose looks BIGGER than it was previously.
Basically, this is a total CATASTROPHE, and I am honestly sitting here wondering what on earth the surgeon actually did during the procedure????!!!!!!
He was supposed to reshape the nasal pyramid and narrow the bridge, but I don't see any results at all!!!!

For those of you who had your nasal hump flattened, did it actually look smooth immediately after surgery, or was it still bumpy?
HELP me out here.😕😕😕

Taylor Miller10 said:So I woke up... swelling is down a bit, but...
My nose looks like an absolute train wreck; honestly, it looks even worse than before, and the worst part is that the bump on my nose looks EVEN BIGGER than it was originally.
Basically, it’s a TOTAL DISASTER and I’m sitting here wondering what on earth the surgeon actually did????!!!!!!
Like, they were supposed to do a nasal pyramid reduction and narrowing, but I don't see any of that happening!!!!

For those of you who had your bridge flattened immediately after surgery—was it actually flat right away or what???

HELP😕😕 😕

Are you even listening to yourself right now?! You literally just took the splint off yesterday and you're already spiraling for zero reason! I am officially banning you from looking in the mirror for the first month! 😁 That’s the only way you’ll get even a vague idea of the results. Honestly, even a month is pushing it. If you absolutely can't help yourself, maybe take a peek after two weeks. 😉 Either way, there is nothing you can do right now except sit there and stress yourself out.
Don't go scaring people who haven't even stepped foot in the OR yet.
That "nasal pyramid" stuff is bone. If they narrowed the bridge, those bones were broken 100%. When you break bones, you get callous formation at the fracture sites (bumps that feel as hard as actual bone), and that’s exactly why it looks deformed to you right now. You HAVE to be patient, just like all of us who have been through this. It takes about 6 months to a year for that extra bone growth to settle down. Only then will you see the true result regarding the bone structure. And hey, did they touch the tip?
If you want, shoot me a DM with a before photo and I'll try to tell you how much swelling we're actually looking at.

And one more thing... were you operated on in a hospital setting? No wonder you have no clue what they actually did... I didn't know anything after my first surgery either. In these hospitals, nobody talks to you like a human being or bothers to explain things. Most of the time, we aren't much more than a carton of milk on a conveyor belt to the staff.
The exceptions are rare... really rare.

Hi everyone! 🙂 After years of overthinking it, I’ve finally decided to go through with nose surgery. It looks like Smith and Trump are the ones everyone recommends, so if anyone has been with them, could you please share some photos? I'd love to see the results before I head in for my consultation. Thanks in advance!

Taylor Miller10 said:Woke up... swelling's down a bit...
Looks like a total disaster to me—it’s actually uglier than before. And honestly, the worst part? It feels like that bump on my nose is even BIGGER than what I started with...
Basically a total DISASTER—honestly, what was that doctor even doing??!!!!!!
They did the nose job—reshaping the bridge and narrowing it—but honestly? I don't see any difference at all...

For those of you who ended up with a flat nasal bridge—was yours actually straight right after the surgery, or what...?

Need help... anyone around?😕😕😕

rustygardener172 said:Are you even listening to yourself?! You took the mold off yesterday and now you're freaking out over absolutely nothing. I'm banning you from looking in the mirror for the first month... seriously. 😁

I told her the same thing—stop staring at the mirror so much... 😁

You don't have a choice—you just have to be patient. Just like all of us who went under the knife for a nose job...

Signed.

And one more thing... did you have the surgery at a hospital? It’s not exactly surprising that you don't know what they actually did to you... I didn't even know after my first surgery either...

Same thing happening to me. Though honestly, I have no idea what's going on right now—I didn't think she'd be going back under the knife for more cosmetic work when...🤔

In hospitals, nobody actually talks to you like a human being—not even close. They don't bother explaining anything, either. Most of the time, you aren't even a person to them... just another milk carton on a conveyor belt at a processing plant.
Shout out to the exceptions... they're pretty rare...

So now I'm the one with the defective product just because I was back on the treadmill again... lol... 🤣

Anyway, I'm finally back home. Can already tell this time around was different—less swelling, less bruising, and way less pain... or at least that's how it feels. I haven't even gotten the cast off yet, but looking at it, it seems like he went for an aesthetic fix too. I did manage to chat with the doctor briefly right before the surgery, but honestly, I still have no clue what he actually did to my nose. I'm just hoping he fixed the septum; as far as the look goes, I don't really care that much. My nose used to tilt to the right—the tip was basically crooked—so I think he straightened it out, but now it looks like it’s tilting to the left... 🤔 Maybe it’s because of the bandage—who knows... honestly, I don't really care. If you're one of those people struggling to breathe, just get it fixed. And hey, if you can make it look good aesthetically, even better, but trust me—being able to actually breathe is more important... so if anyone starts whining about the looks again, I might just have to break their nose lol. Just kidding.

Taylor Miller10, hang in there... 👍😬

Oh man, Taylor Miller10, it just hit me...

I was actually SHOCKED—like, so stunned and horrified that I’m only just processing it now, clearly because I suppressed the memory deep, deep down so it would never resurface 😬—when I saw right after they took off the splint (not to mention all that other junk that was useless) that my nose was still abnormally WIDE!!! But the thing is, that was my specific issue; at the bridge, my nose was actually wider than the base (gross), so I sat down with Dr. Boduen to discuss narrowing it. After the surgery, I had a total SHOCK—the nose looked (aside from being all messy) kind of FLAT, slightly asymmetrical, and WIDE! I honestly think the issue was that the SKIN remained exactly how it was (on the wide nose) even though the bones were reshaped; the skin stayed put, making it look like the nose was still wide. I don't know how to explain it... it was like there was this "excess" skin that felt sort of flabby back then. I kept thinking, "Damn, this looks even wider than before." But it wasn't; that skin settled perfectly after a few days—I don't even know WHEN exactly—but it's gone now, and my nose IS narrower (even though immediately after the procedure, it looked wider and just overall... ugh). Is it possible that's the "issue" you're dealing with?? Because if that's the case (and it's hard to tell when you can't even see yourself and it looks awful...), then you'll be fine, it won't stay like that forever.

eheheh, I can still feel a little bit of that sensation right at the base of my nose 😁 and honestly, I scrolled through this whole forum before my surgery, and Tončić had by far the most praise and way fewer complaints than anyone else, so he’s the one who operated on me 😁 also, about you saying you can see a hump after the procedure—that shouldn't be happening because the hump is supposed to be completely gone, at least that's my take, since even after my own surgery, my nose was swollen but totally straight as a board 😁 sorry if I spooked you, just giving you my two cents
I didn't have any excess skin, everything felt tight, and I actually got a bit freaked out that it wouldn't look right while they were all over me saying "this looks amazing" and stuff. I was sitting there with two doctors and three nurses telling me how great it looked, like, what more do I need? don't send me back under the knife lol. I stayed patient and it definitely paid off 😁 now, a month and a week later, it looks awesome, and I've still got another month of tip swelling to go through 😁

sorry for the wall of text, I guess I just combined a bunch of replies into one 😁

Hey everyone,

I’ve been avoiding this thread for a while—didn't even bother checking my inbox. I came back to a ton of messages... so I'll just give you the short version here.
Basically, here's the breakdown:
1. Back in 2004, I had my first surgery at the Mayo Clinic with Dr. Boduen. It wasn't about looks or fixing a deviated septum; it was FESS (removing sinus polyps). Breathing got way better, but my nose ended up looking... different. Apparently, they have to go in pretty aggressively through the sinuses, so the shape just changed a bit.
2. Then in 2009, I went to a private clinic in San Francisco run by Dr. Kurtovica, though Dr. Racic actually performed the surgery. Since I still couldn't breathe well, they told me I had a severe deviation and needed surgery. I figured, hey, if we're doing this, let's touch up the aesthetics too. They said sure. During the procedure (they called it an osteotomy, though I didn't really grasp it then), they fixed the deviation and smoothed out a tiny bump on my profile.
It cost me $2,000. Right after, I started getting these little bruises and bumps right where they worked. Naturally, I was upset, and they basically told me, "Look, we need to do a full osteotomy." We were trying to avoid that in the first place, so they scheduled me for a follow-up procedure for free six months later.
3. In 2010, I went back. This time they did the osteotomy, significantly reducing the profile, which turned out fine—but they didn't narrow the nose at all. After that, a little lump formed in the middle of my nose. They had to go in locally to fix it—a few injections, a scalpel, a couple of stitches—to get it out.
Fast forward to 2011. My nose is okay now. The tip is a bit thicker, and I'm satisfied, but it's not like it's some massive transformation.

If I ever go under the knife again, it'll be for a pure cosmetic surgeon to narrow the tip. These ENT/maxillofacial specialists just don't want to do it, or they don't know how...
All my surgeries were done by ENTs whose main priority is function, with aesthetics being an afterthought. And honestly, despite that, they actually gave me a decent nose.
Anyway, cheers to you all.

Taylor Miller10 said:Woke up... swelling is down...
My nose looks like a total disaster; it's uglier than before, and worst of all, it looks like the bump is actually BIGGER than it was!
It's a complete wreck. I'm sitting here wondering what the doctor even did?!!!!!!
They talked about reshaping the nasal pyramid and narrowing it, but I don't see any difference at all!!!!

For those of you who had the bump straightened immediately after surgery, was it actually straight right away or not???

HELP😕😕😕

In my opinion, your nose looks its best the exact moment they take the cast off—you know, when it's been held tightly in place for a few days. Of course, it's going to be swollen, especially between the eyebrows and the tip, which gets lifted up and then drops heavily.
If it looks crooked or bumpy now, imagine how much worse it'll look once all the swelling finally goes down. It might stick out even more.

Man...

Thanks to everyone for the kind words...

The swelling has gone down a bit.
Honestly, I think my issue is just having naturally "thick" skin on my nose. 😢
But I swear, looking at it now, it actually looks more prominent than before; it’s like the sides were filed down (creating two little bumps), but they didn't touch the one on the top at all.
And it's still leaning to one side...😲 😢 😢

At least I CAN BREATHE!

I just really hope that once the swelling finally subsides, if nothing else, it doesn't look worse than it did originally.

When I go in for my follow-up, I am going to tell the doctor absolutely everything—from how dissatisfied I am with the initial consultation to the surgery itself, and all those blunt, useless answers I got.
Regardless of whether I went through my primary insurance or paid out of pocket, I have a right to be treated fairly.
I mean, I'm paying for this through my health insurance AND my supplemental coverage!!!!

It's not like I'm asking to be treated like royalty; I just want to be treated like a human being....

Ugh... I know I'm being a nuisance to God, the devil, and all of you...😕

I try to avoid mirrors, but I can't help myself..
And every single time I catch a glimpse, I see this damn swollen nose!!!! 😢 😢 😢 😢 😢
It definitely wasn't like this before...
Even when I had the cast on, it already looked crooked to me...
Is it actually going to slim down any further????
Because if it stays like this, I might as well embrace the nickname Miss Piggy..............

silverscout32 said:Hey everyone, I’m looking for some surgeon recommendations. It’s for a second nose surgery—both for aesthetics and function.
It seems like there are so many people here who know what they're talking about, but even after scrolling through everything at the end of the day, I still can't seem to settle on someone who could actually nail this the second time around and give me some peace of mind for a revision. Last time, I clearly got screwed over.
Basically, I had surgery at Rebro three years ago, and it was pretty much a disaster...
The looks were one thing, which is the usual "side effect" of these procedures, but my breathing is ten times worse than it was before! Right now, being able to breathe is my top priority, though fixing the aesthetic damage wouldn't hurt either, so I really need a true expert who can handle both. It's that classic dilemma—private clinics tend to focus on the looks, while the specialists who actually care about function (with rare exceptions) 🙂, but I think I need a miracle worker! Help me out... thanks in advance!!!

Hey, honestly, your best bet is probably just to visit all the surgeons' websites, read through their info, reach out, and book a few consultations. If you try to read every single opinion here, you'll probably lose your mind because everyone has different stories—some good, some bad—with every doctor. I usually just go with my gut, and that's what I'd suggest doing too. And obviously, make sure they're an ENT if you aren't just looking for cosmetic changes... I'd recommend Dr. Ostojić. Good luck.😍🙄😛

Hey everyone. Would anyone who’s had surgery performed by Tončić be willing to send me some photos via private message? Only if they don't mind, of course—I really don't want to be a bother. Thanks so much in advance! 😍

Hey everyone—quick question—does everything require a referral, or is that just for things like a deviated septum? Thanks!

Hey everyone dealing with this thickened skin issue—is it actually worth my time to go get that lymphatic drainage massage to work on this area six months post-op, or am I just chasing some fairy tale?🙂

I went to see Tončić yesterday for a consultation, feeling all optimistic. I honestly thought, "Finally, I'm going to get this nose fixed once and for all." But apparently, they don't think I even need surgery.

I can't see any images through this link. If you want me to take a look at something, you'll need to upload the file directly or give me a different way to view it.

Is it even necessary? 😢

Man, you aren't kidding. It's definitely needed. ;(
They were acting all nervous, basically asking if I’d be happy with the results. They kept insisting that I only need some tiny, subtle tweaks that wouldn't even be noticeable once everything settles, and they claimed the risks were just too high. But honestly? I told them straight up that I want a smaller nose regardless. Even if it doesn't perfectly match my face, let's be real—the one I have right now isn't exactly a perfect fit either.

What do you guys think—should I go out and hunt down a second opinion? 😢

Rachel Martinez94 said:I went for a consultation with Tončić yesterday feeling all optimistic, thinking: finally, I can fix this nose once and for all. But they basically told me I don't even need surgery.

...
What do you guys think, should I go hunt down a second opinion? 😢

Honestly, I think Tončić was being straight with you. He could have easily pocketed $2,000 and left you venting on forums later because you weren't happy with the results.
But then again, I've noticed Tončić uses the same script with everyone... "we can try, but there's no guarantee," "it's your call." It feels like he's just covering his own tracks so if things don't turn out perfect, he can shrug and say, "Hey, I warned you it might not work, but you insisted." It's a total way to dodge responsibility.

If you’re dead set on going through with it... personally, I think you just need to refine the tip and maybe slightly shorten it. From what I see in your photos—since I can't see your whole face—it actually looks small. Go get some other consultations. Maybe check out Glumičić. He seems solid when it comes to aesthetics.

Just really think about it first... there is no such thing as a perfect nose. Even after surgery, you'll find something else you don't like about it. There isn't a single person out there who thinks their nose is flawless; there are just people who accept their flaws and decide they look good. Is it really worth dropping that kind of cash just to tweak something that's already "fine" to you, but you wish was a little better? It’s way cheaper and more realistic to just embrace the nose you've got. Plus, if you aren't having any trouble breathing... there's honestly no point.

Hey everyone,

I’ve been scrolling through all the pages in this thread, but I haven't found much regarding nose surgery experiences at the Mayo Clinic. Since I'm scheduled for a rhinoplasty with Dr. Grgić next month, I’m starting to feel pretty anxious about the whole thing. If anyone has any firsthand experience with Dr. Grgić or what it's like being treated at the Mayo Clinic, I would love to hear from you—honestly, I just need a little peace of mind right now.

Thanks so much in advance!!

rustygardener172 said:I think Tončić was being straight with you. He could have easily taken your $2,000 and you could've spent the rest of your life venting on this forum about how unhappy you are.
But then again, I’ve noticed Tončić uses the same sales pitch on everyone... "you can try, no guarantees, it's your call." It feels like he's just covering his tracks so if the surgery fails, he can say, "Hey, I told you it might not work and you insisted on it anyway. Not my fault."

If you're dead set on the surgery... personally, I think he just needs to narrow the tip and shave off a tiny bit of length. Looking at the photos, since I can't see your whole face, it looks small. Go get a few more consultations. Maybe check out Glumičić. He seems solid when it comes to aesthetics.

Just think about it... there's no such thing as a perfect nose. Even after surgery, there will be something you don't like about it. There isn't a single person out there who thinks their nose is flawless; there are just people who accept their flaws and find them beautiful. Is it really worth dropping that much cash just to tweak something that's already "okay" but you wish was slightly better? It’s way cheaper and more realistic to just embrace what you've got. Plus, if you aren't having trouble breathing, there's really no point.

Yeah, everything you wrote is true, but honestly, I can't help it—my nose bugs me and I'm willing to take the risk... 🙂

I'm going to go see Glumičić, but only after I finish high school. (I don't want to deal with getting rejected again right now; that would totally kill any hope I have that my nose can actually be fixed 😁 I need to focus on graduation stuff first 😲🙄🤣), and I still have to save up the money if I even decide to go through with Glumičić, since I've only saved up about 10% so far. 🙂

Does anyone happen to know the exact pricing over at Glumičić's? Also, what are they charging for consultations?

Rachel Martinez94 said:I went for a consultation with Tončić yesterday, feeling so optimistic. I honestly thought, "Finally, I can fix this nose of mine." But they don't think I actually need surgery.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/16/nosicz.jpg/

They don't think so? 😢

Oh, they couldn't be more wrong. ;(
They told me they were worried about whether I'd actually be happy with the outcome, since they'd only be making minimal corrections that wouldn't even be noticeable in the end. They also mentioned the risks are just too high. So I argued that I just want a smaller nose in general, even if it might not sit perfectly on my face—since the one I have now doesn't fit perfectly either.

What do you all think? Should I go get a second opinion? 😢

Lily!

Don't do it—your nose is absolutely beautiful and perfectly proportioned.🙂

You're just overthinking it; they gave you sound advice. You'll just be putting yourself through unnecessary surgery for nothing.
Honestly, plenty of people would kill for a nose like yours! 😍