Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

Kate Taylor59 · 2011-06-15T21:20:41+00:00

Does anyone else here deal with thick skin on their nose? It's me again... apparently I'm the only one dealing with this. LOL

Jacob Kelly32 Newcomer

5 messages
joined Jan 2013

#961 · Dec 20, 2011

steelsurfer17 said:Well, I finally went under the knife for my septoplasty.

The pain isn't actually the worst part—you’ve got plenty of meds for that. It’s manageable. Honestly, pulling those gauze pads out of your nose is more annoying than it is painful. There are these brief, incredible moments where you can actually take a full breath and finally feel what it's like to breathe through a functional nose...

But then, just a week later, the cartilage starts shifting back to its old shape. My doctor just shrugged his shoulders like it was nothing, and suddenly I’m right back at square one. Only now, I actually know how much this sucks.

There is absolutely no way I'm going back in for a second surgery...

I really wanted to be another success story, something to motivate others dealing with nasal issues.🙂

I didn't have any gauze or bleeding issues.🤷
I had the packing removed when I was discharged from the hospital (after three days), and I'll be wearing the silicone splints and tubes for another seven days... ten days total.
I realize every deviated septum is different, but maybe there are different surgical techniques used? Maybe it's worth looking into a different surgeon who might approach it differently?

Rachel Martinez94 Member

32 messages
joined Sep 2011

#962 · Dec 21, 2011

here I am 🙂

No matter how much I chew on this, I’m not backing down from the surgery. Even though those "experts" told me it isn't worth touching, I’m going to hit up Glumičić for a second opinion after I graduate. If he says the same thing, then I’ll just decide who I actually trust more and go there. I know my nose is technically fine, but I honestly feel better about myself with a smaller, slightly more upturned nose. (Don't even ask me how I reached this conclusion, it's a ridiculous story 😉)

Tončić told me that my nose can definitely be fixed—those little things that bother me—but warned me the results won't be instant, so I shouldn't get discouraged right after the procedure.
Clearly, they’ve just written me off as some teenager dealing with insecurity or a whim, like I lack confidence. But that's not it. I just want to fix something that bugs me, purely for myself. Nobody pushed this desire on me.
Man, 🙂 it’s just hard to be taken seriously when you're 18. 😁

Honestly, this rejection sucked so much that I’m worried my acne is flaring up because of the stress. I just hope time flies by so I can finally deal with both the breakouts and my nose once and for all. 🙂

Jamie Fowler26 Member

11 messages
joined Feb 2013

#963 · Dec 22, 2011

I had surgery about a month ago to correct a deviated septum. It felt like nothing happened at all 🙂 Yet, for a full month now, I’ve been clearing out dried debris—basically a mix of mucus and blood 🤣

Dr. Boduen assured me the procedure was a success, noting everything looks perfectly straight even deep inside. However, I still find one side getting congested whenever I lie down 🙂

steelangler88 Member

12 messages
joined Jul 2013

#964 · Dec 22, 2011

Ashley Gomez said:steelangler88,
I totally get what you mean about those indentations on the sides—I’ve started seeing them lately too. My skin feels thin, almost like there's this narrow strip of bone right down the middle, and then everything just drops off on either side. It feels like something is missing in between 🤷 maybe it's swollen bone or something... it's happening on both sides and spans nearly an inch
The tip actually looks wider now than it did two months ago. 🙂 It's been six months since my surgery, and honestly, I'm starting to wonder if there's any hope left for me. 😢

Oh, and one more thing. I didn't realize anyone else had mentioned this, and I'm thinking it's impossible... that it'll just stay this way. After my first surgery, things stayed permanent, so I know this is likely how it's going to be. But it drives me absolutely crazy—I can't wrap my head around why they didn't just "close" it up immediately. The doctor promised he'd fix it, but the thought of going under for a third surgery? I just don't have the willpower or the patience for it. Plus, I don't even have the time; I'm working and won't have any vacation time for another six months, and until then, I have zero desire to spend my life bouncing between hospitals. And then I'd have to show up to work looking bruised and discolored for another three months, trying to explain to everyone what happened and why. 🙄
Screw him, though. I was a defective product from the start, and clearly, that's just my fate. 😁

Grace Williams36 Newcomer

2 messages
joined Dec 2011

#965 · Dec 26, 2011

Emily Vaughn46 said:What actually bothers me is that whenever I "pout" my lips, the tip of my nose drops down. It looks terrible from a profile view... and now I'm wondering if surgery can even fix that. 🤷
Here's a photo so you can see what I mean..
Maybe I'm just overthinking it, but 🙂 who knows haha

Emily, you have a really nice nose. Honestly, seeing how many people want surgery makes me depressed, especially when, in your case, there is absolutely NO reason to do it! 🙂

Also, the other day I was watching some awards show for top athletes, and Blanka was there as the female athlete of the year. The woman had two little bumps on the tip of her nose—was that supposed to happen, or is that a side effect? 😁 I'm considering surgery, not just for looks but for health reasons too, but seeing cases like that makes me worry I'll just end up making things worse.

Amy Bailey4 Newcomer

2 messages
joined Dec 2011

#966 · Dec 27, 2011

Hey everyone
So, I had a question about getting nose surgery for medical reasons...
If someone is going under the knife because they've been struggling to breathe for a long time, does that procedure usually include smoothing out the nasal bone (like those bumps)? Basically, I'm wondering if they straighten the bone out if there are protrusions involved?

redcrane59 Newcomer

1 message
joined Jul 2012

#967 · Dec 27, 2011

So, here we go again... I'm officially getting ready for nose surgery... for the second time...

The first time around, I had this prominent hump and it was pretty large, plus a major deviation to one side. I decided to head over to the Mayo Clinic, where the doctor promised he’d fix everything up. I even specifically asked if he could smooth out that hump, and he was like, "Sure thing, sounds good." Well, fast forward to now, and he basically left me with a brutal saddle nose right in the middle. My nose still drifts to the side, too. It might not look incredibly obvious when you're looking at me in person, but once you snap a photo from the front? Man... it looks like someone took a chisel to my face. Honestly, part of me just wants to march back down to that clinic and start a protest...

Anyway, now I'm back on the hunt for a new surgeon :-D Looking at my options now... it really can't get any worse than this! :-)

Jamie Fowler26 Member

11 messages
joined Feb 2013

#968 · Dec 27, 2011

Jamie Fowler26 said:I had surgery a month ago for a deviated septum. Honestly, it feels like nothing happened at all.🙂 For a full month now, I’ve been clearing out dried debris from my nose—basically just a mix of mucus and blood.🤣

Doktr told me the procedure was a success, that everything is perfectly straight and visible all the way through to the tip. However, I still experience congestion on one side whenever I lie down.🙂

It’s absurd.
I pulled out a piece of dried mucus and realized there's actually a hole between the septum; when I block one nostril, air flows right through to the other.🙂 🙂

Amy Bailey4 Newcomer

2 messages
joined Dec 2011

#969 · Dec 27, 2011

Since nobody seems to be replying to my thread about nose surgery, I'm starting a new one. I really hope you guys can help me out here because I need answers fast!

So, I have a question regarding nose surgery for medical reasons...
If someone is getting surgery because they've been struggling with breathing issues for a long time, does that procedure usually include shaving down the nasal bone (the bump)? Like, do they actually straighten out the bone if there's a protrusion?

Jamie Fowler26 Member

11 messages
joined Feb 2013

#970 · Dec 27, 2011

And what’s the official diagnosis? If we're talking about a deviated septum, then yes.

melloworca6 Regular

551 messages
joined May 2010

#971 · Dec 27, 2011

Amy Bailey4 said:Since nobody is answering my thread about nose surgery, I'm starting a new one. I hope you guys answer this time because it's urgent!

So, I have a question regarding nose surgery for medical reasons...
If someone is getting surgery because they've been having breathing issues for a long time, does that procedure also include shaving down the nasal bone (the bump)? Like, does the bone get leveled out if there's a protrusion?

It won't happen.

Your thread was merged with an existing one. First off, it hasn't even been 24 hours since you posted; you can't expect everyone to jump through hoops to reply instantly. There were times I waited days just to get an answer to something I needed to know, and sometimes I didn't get an answer at all.
Where would we end up, and what would this forum even look like if everyone started their own separate threads just because they felt "urgent"? Most people posting in the health section here say it's urgent.

Taylor Miller10 Member

11 messages
joined Feb 2010

#972 · Dec 27, 2011

Jamie Fowler26 said:People have absolutely lost their minds.🙂 I pulled out a piece of dried morel mushroom, and now there’s a literal hole in my septum. When I plug one nostril, air just flows straight through the other.🙂

Stop pulling at those wrinkles! You can just dissolve them away with some saline solution.

That’s complete nonsense. Honestly, I think you’re just talking out of your ass.
It’s been exactly a month since my surgery, and honestly, this sensation is just as bizarre as it was on day one. It feels like there's some strange current running through the air around me, and to make matters worse, the pain is actually more intense now than it was immediately following the procedure.
That’s great news, Doctor. It looks like it's finally healing up.

By the way, I am completely dissatisfied...
They've gone behind our backs and pulled a fast one on us.
I have my follow-up appointment at the Mayo Clinic tomorrow, so they’re finally going to have to listen to me!

Taylor Miller10 Member

11 messages
joined Feb 2010

#973 · Dec 27, 2011

Amy Bailey4 said:Hey everyone,
I have a question regarding nose surgery performed for medical reasons...
If someone undergoes surgery because they've been struggling with breathing issues for a long time, does that procedure also include shaving down the nasal bone (the bumps)? In other words, do they straighten the bone if there are protrusions?

It’s included, but you have to make it VERY clear that you want it done.
They’ll perform the procedure, but then they’ll just write down in your records that they straightened it because you had a fracture.

Taylor Miller10 Member

11 messages
joined Feb 2010

#974 · Dec 27, 2011

redcrane59 said:It’s people like this—I'm actually prepping for nose surgery again... for the second time...

I had a hump and a pretty large nose, plus a massive deviation to one side, so I went to the Mayo Clinic. The doctor promised he'd fix everything. I specifically asked if he could get rid of the hump, and he said, "Sure, no problem." Well, he ended up giving me a brutal saddle nose right in the middle. My nose is still crooked. It doesn't look terrible from certain angles, but when you take a photo from the front... pffft... it looks like someone hit me with a scraper. Honestly, I feel like going back to the Mayo Clinic just to start a protest line...

So, here I am, hunting for a new surgeon :-D looking at options... it can't get any worse than this :-)

Welcome to the club! 😢
They made those empty promises to me, too...
And then lied after the surgery, claiming they narrowed the nose and straightened the bone.
I have my follow-up tomorrow—it's been a month since the surgery, and I'm going to give him hell!

Yeah, he smoothed out some of the side bone protrusions for me, but now the hump is bigger than it ever was and my nose is completely slanted!!!!
It wasn't even slanted before; it was straight.

On top of giving me a crooked nose, they gave me way too much anesthesia. I ended up on injections, developed anemia, and now I have to take iron supplements because of abnormally high blood pressure and impossible bleeding during the procedure.

My doctor explained that they definitely overdosed me on the anesthesia, and he was absolutely livid with them!
When I confronted them, they just played dumb!

And yeah... the surgery was at the local hospital.

ADVICE: Do NOT go there under any circumstances!!!!

Jamie Fowler26 Member

11 messages
joined Feb 2013

#975 · Dec 28, 2011

Taylor Miller10 said:Try dissolving those crusties with some saline solution instead of picking at them.

As for the air issue, I think you’re exaggerating.
It’s been a month since my surgery and the sensation is just as bizarre... it feels like the airflow is turbulent, and honestly, it hurts more now than right after the procedure.
Dr. Boduen mentioned that this is just part of the healing process.

On another note, I am completely dissatisfied...
My nose was reconstructed crookedly.
I have a follow-up appointment at the Mayo Clinic tomorrow, so I’ll make sure they hear my concerns.

I’m not exaggerating; the reality is that I have a blockage. When I plug one nostril, the air rushes through the other... It’s frustrating because one side feels blocked even though I can breathe normally; it’s only when I plug the top near the bone that the blockage becomes an actual breathing problem.

I used Nazal for a week and Aqua Maris for a month, but neither spray seems capable of dissolving something that has dried out this much.
I’ve tried spraying one side and then blowing it out through the other.

Andrew Murphy11 Newcomer

2 messages
joined Aug 2015

#976 · Dec 28, 2011

I think I’ve finally figured out what’s actually going on with my glasses 🙂 Wearing them for even just half an hour seems to totally distort my nose shape, and then it takes about two days for everything to settle back to normal 🤷
After that short window, the bones on the sides get swollen, the bridge looks weirdly pointed, and the tip gets puffy—it’s honestly quite bizarre... My sunglasses never gave me any trouble, but clearly, these prescription frames have some kind of tension points that just don't work for my face. Just thought I’d give you all a little heads-up...

rustygardener172 Regular

455 messages
joined Feb 2010

#977 · Dec 29, 2011

Amy Bailey4 said:Since nobody is actually replying to my thread about nose surgery, I’m starting a new one. I really hope you guys can help me out here because I need answers ASAP!

So, I have a question regarding nose surgery for medical reasons...
If someone is getting surgery because they've been struggling to breathe for a long time, does that procedure also include shaving down the nasal bone (the bumps)? Like, will they actually straighten the bone if there are protrusions?

Maybe the reason you didn't get an answer is that people are just totally fed up with answering the exact same questions over and over. This specific question pops up literally every few pages. I had my own nose surgery about a year and a half ago, and even now, I still swing by the forum to reply to posts or emails, but when it comes to a question like yours... I just straight-up ignore it. If you were truly serious about finding an answer, you would've put in the effort to scroll through at least two pages of existing threads!

Jamie Fowler26?!?!? I don't get it... What kind of hole? Can you actually see it, or is it just something you feel?
As for the rinsing... your best bet is saline solution. Just grab some from the pharmacy along with a syringe. Fill it up, spray it into one nostril (keep the other side blocked by pressing your finger against the opening), hold it for a second, and then blow... do the exact same thing with the other side.
Taylor Miller10 OMG!! Not even the private messages are safe, but man, what hospitals are doing nowadays... it's terrifying. Just hang in there... maybe everything will settle down eventually. I'm guessing you're still super swollen. When did you have the surgery?

Olivia Cook2 Newcomer

3 messages
joined Dec 2011

#978 · Dec 29, 2011

Rachel Lopez5 said:Hi everyone,

I've been scrolling through all the pages in this thread, but I can't find much about 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 him or the Mayo Clinic, please let me know... I could really use some reassurance.

Thanks so much!!

Hey Rachel Lopez5,

I had my surgery at the Mayo Clinic earlier this year with Prof. Kalogjera, and honestly, he was amazing. Really great doctor.

As for Dr. Grgić, all I've heard from other patients is wonderful stuff.
The overall care at the Mayo Clinic was excellent too. I don't spend much time in hospitals, but the ENT staff there were incredibly attentive and kind.

Anyway, that's just my take on it.
Hang in there. It won't be nearly as scary as you're imagining right now... 🙂

Jamie Fowler26 Member

11 messages
joined Feb 2013

#979 · Dec 30, 2011

A septal perforation is essentially a hole in the nasal septum, resulting from trauma, a hematoma, surgical intervention, or cocaine abuse via nasal insufflation. Over time, the opening can enlarge, leading to a collapse of the nasal bridge—often referred to as a saddle nose deformity. Treatment requires surgery, and the prognosis largely depends on the size of the perforation.

I can't actually see it, but I can feel the air rushing through when I block one nostril; even if I press my finger against the hole, I still feel that airflow. I tried spraying saline near the opening yesterday, and it just shot right out the other side.🙂 I have a follow-up appointment on the 5th, so I should have more definitive answers then.

rustygardener172 Regular

455 messages
joined Feb 2010

#980 · Dec 30, 2011

Jamie Fowler26 said:...I'm telling you, I tried squirting saline up one nostril yesterday and it just shot right out the other side.🙂 I've got my fifth checkup coming up, so I'll know for sure then.

Look, even that doesn't necessarily mean you have a hole in your septum. Have you ever actually used a Neti Pot? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8sDI...e_gdata_player
With those, water goes in one nostril and comes out the other, and nobody's claiming they have a perforated septum... Just trying to keep your head on straight here. 😁
Good luck at the appointment!!

Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

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