Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

Emily Martinez12 said:what do you mean by that? clearly I don't have a clue either 🤷

one more question for everyone—how long did it actually take you to finish all your research before deciding on surgery? and I mean if you weren't heading to one of those high-end private clinics where everything is wrapped up in a few days, but rather following the standard route through a public hospital...

So, look, regarding what Carol Reed64 wrote: they can either shorten the septum or augment it with cartilage (though that second part doesn't sound particularly reassuring to me, for some reason). From what I’ve gathered after combing through this forum and doing my own digging, it seems like shaping the nasal bridge is the most difficult part. It isn't necessarily an issue if they end up slightly smaller, but if the bridge itself is the main struggle, then doctors aren't exactly making many big promises. Or so I think...

Elizabeth Nelson63 said:...So I'm wondering if it's the same deal with nose surgery—isn't the pain after unbearable? I guess it's different for everyone. How long do you have to wear that splint on your nose? And is it even worth getting it done during the summer?...

Look, I actually went to see Dr. Glušac. Honestly? I didn't feel a single thing after the procedure. You'll have the packing in for one day, the splint for four, and then the tape for another four.
And why on earth wouldn't you get it done in the summer?! Go for it, girl.

Samuel Peterson5 said:I figured I’d finally weigh in after spending way too much time obsessively scrolling through this thread.
So, I finally worked up the nerve and scheduled my procedure for Wednesday, June 29th.
But man, the anxiety is hitting me hard, and now my period decided to show up out of nowhere—it’s been late since the 23rd, 😢.
Is there any chance this could mess with the surgery, even if it'll be my third day?
I honestly can't wait until tomorrow morning to call the nurses at the hospital and get some actual answers.

A girl mentioned here recently that she actually had her surgery while using a tampon... she just gave them a heads-up, and they were totally fine with it. Apparently, it’s not a big deal.

Karen Ross84 said:Can anyone give me a heads-up on how long the wait times actually are for nose surgery through insurance at the hospitals?

Man, there’s no way to give you a straight answer. It’s totally different depending on which hospital you’re looking at. 😁
Based on my experience back when I was dealing with a place in San Diego about five or six years ago, I had to wait maybe two months just for the initial exam, and then a few more months for the actual surgery. If you're trying to get seen in a massive hub like Chicago, you're probably looking at a much longer haul... at least according to what the girls have been posting on here.

Elizabeth Wells10 said:Regarding Davor Džepina... I've honestly only seen a photo of this guy's nose—well, a guy's nose—and I thought it looked great, but all I ever hear are glowing reviews. If I recall correctly, Kate Taylor59 went to him too, and I really admire how he handles his patients.
The anesthesia part seems to be a win for him as well.

Now, Tončić’s work on noses? Absolutely stunning. But, I have to admit, the whole anesthesia thing gives me the jitters. And honestly, the way they handle the tips will probably be the deciding factor for me, since that’s my biggest insecurity. I had no idea there were so many different techniques involved, or that it could be such a major hurdle.

Davor Dzepina is an absolute LEGEND!!!!🙏🙏🙏 My cousin and I both had our procedures done by him this past Tuesday and Wednesday.

I just went back to see him today to get my packing removed 🙂 and man, I am breathing like a dragon right now!

Samuel Peterson5 said:Well, I suppose it’s my turn to weigh in after spending an exhausting amount of time reading through all these threads.
I finally worked up the nerve to go through with it and scheduled my procedure for Wednesday, June 29th.
Because of the intense anxiety I've been feeling lately, my period actually just started today—it was late by about 😢 days.
I guess I'm wondering if this could potentially impact the surgery, even though it will be my third day?
I honestly can't wait until tomorrow morning to call the nurses at the hospital and see what they say.

I know the second day is usually tricky because the flow is heavier, and since nosebleeds are already a concern, it might not be ideal. I'm not entirely sure if being on the third day makes things any better, but I suspect it might not change much.

Emily Martinez12 said:what do you mean by that? honestly, I don't have a clue either🤷

just one more question for everyone here—how long did it actually take you guys to finish all the prep work and tests for surgery? and I mean, if you didn't go to some fancy private clinic where everything is wrapped up in a few days, but instead went through the standard hospital system..

So, you head to your primary care doctor to get a referral for the hospital (since in most local clinics, one of the three required tests is always unavailable—I think it was a blood count or something, but I'm not entirely sure, and frankly, it doesn't matter right now), then you show up at the hospital usually by 8:30 AM at the latest—anyone arriving after that gets sent home because their results won't be processed in time—and then, within two days, you have your results in hand.😉

Sunfloower, have you happened to come across anyone else who’s undergone a similar procedure? To be honest, this idea of a cartilage graft sounds a bit suspicious to me; I can't help but worry that there might be some kind of irregular tissue growth at that junction or something along those lines... though I must admit, Zambelli's suggestion felt quite plausible at the time! Would you be open to sharing a photo of your nasal structure? If you do, I'll send mine over as well, so we can compare them and see if we're dealing with the exact same issue. Perhaps then we could try to figure out the best way forward together.

Thanks for the reply, I'm gonna call first thing tomorrow morning to check on things.
I'm heading to Dr. Tončić's office, so fingers crossed...

Carol Reed64 said:Sunfloower, have you happened to see anyone else undergo a similar procedure? To be honest, this whole idea of cartilage grafting sounds a bit suspicious to me. I can't help but wonder if there might be some kind of abnormal tissue growth at that junction or something... even though Zambelli made it sound quite plausible! Would you be willing to send over a photo of your nasal bridge? If you do, I'll send mine too, so we can compare and see if we’re dealing with the exact same issue. Maybe then we can actually figure out the best way forward together?

I haven't come across anyone who specifically went in just to operate on their nasal bridge. Personally, I think I need a full rhinoplasty—you know, a complete reshaping—but my main issue is that my tip is extremely prominent and points downward. Whenever I laugh or talk, the nostrils flare significantly, and I can clearly see that I lack the cartilage structure most people have (I read somewhere that in cases like mine, they might have to excise the muscle underneath the nose??). From a profile view, it looks pointed, but I can definitely see room for improvement. Still, that stubborn tip is what really bothers me.

Haha, I don't have my phone on me right now to snap a quick pic of just my nose, but if you want, I can send you some actual photos later. If you're interested, shoot me a private message. 🙂

And frankly, this cartilage grafting idea doesn't appeal to me one bit. Of course, I will weigh all my options carefully, but my gut feeling right now is that it sounds questionable. What happens if the graft doesn't take or if complications arise? It just sounds far too risky to me.

Elizabeth Wells10 said:I haven't seen anyone mention getting just their nostrils operated on specifically. I mean, I think I actually need a full rhinoplasty—like, a total nose reshape—but my tip is what really stands out. It points downward, and whenever I laugh or even just talk, my nostrils flare so much; I can clearly see I lack the cartilage others have (I read somewhere that in those cases, they might have to trim the muscle under the nose??). From a profile view, it looks pointy, though I think it could be fixed up nicely. But honestly, it's that stupid tip that's bothering me.

Haha, I don't have my phone on me right now to snap a quick pic of just my nose, but if you want, I can send over some actual photos. If you're interested, just shoot me a DM. 🙂

And that whole cartilage grafting thing? I’m not feeling it at all. I mean, obviously, I'll weigh all the options carefully, but off the bat, that doesn't sound great to me. What if it doesn't take or if there are complications... it sounds incredibly risky to me.

I had the exact same issue—not enough cartilage, a prominent tip that pointed down, looked too pointy and all that—and they did a great job shortening it. They filled it out using cartilage taken from when they removed my dorsal hump (even though you usually take it from behind the ear... but since they already had the extra material there, they used it), and it looks perfectly fine now.
So, I don't think you should be so skeptical about the grafting process. 👍

rustygardener172 said:I actually went to see Glušac myself. Honestly, I didn't feel a single bit of pain after the surgery. They keep the tampons in for one day, the mold for four, and the tape stays on for another four.
There’s really no reason to wait—you can totally go through with the procedure during the summer if you want.

Based on what people have been posting, it looks like you’ve already seen him and had a great experience. 🙂That's wonderful news! 🙂Since I'm based in Chicago, I was wondering about their scheduling—do they typically handle the consultation and the actual surgery on the same day, or is there usually a significant wait time between the two?

Carol Diaz31 said:I had that exact same issue where my cartilage was lacking, making the tip look too prominent and pointing downward in a sort of spike shape. He fixed it perfectly by trimming it and using the extra cartilage he removed from the hump to fill out the area—even though you usually take that from behind the ear, since there was already excess material right there, it worked out beautifully and now it looks great.
So, there really is no reason for you to be skeptical about this type of reconstruction. 👍

Oh, Carol Diaz31! Honestly, it's because of you that I'm even considering Tončić. I know we have (or rather, we had 😁) incredibly similar noses, and the way he reshaped yours is absolutely flawless.
I had no idea you were dealing with cartilage issues! So, since you had leftover tissue from the hump removal, he was able to repurpose it. I don't have any excess on the bridge, and honestly, taking tissue from behind the ear sounds absolutely horrific to me—I wouldn't even consider it... 😢

But if he could just use the remnants from the bridge, then fine. I had convinced myself that this whole process was incredibly complicated... but clearly, your new nose is living proof that it's possible.
That’s just one more point in Tončić’s favor... lol
I'm going to schedule consultations with both him and Davor Džepina, and then I'll just see which one feels like the better fit for me.

Elizabeth Wells10 said:Oh, Carol Diaz31! Honestly, because of you and what happened with Tončić, I’m actually considering him now. I know we have—well, we had 😁—very similar nose shapes, and I think the way he worked on yours turned out absolutely perfect.
I had no idea you dealt with cartilage issues! I mean, since you had some leftover tissue from your previous hump, he was able to utilize that. I don't have a hump, and that whole thing about taking cartilage from behind the ear sounds just... awful. I don't think I could ever go through with that... 😢

But if he can just work with the existing tissue, then fine by me. I honestly thought this whole process was incredibly complicated... but I guess your new nose is living proof that it doesn't have to be...
So, I suppose that's another point in Tončić's favor... lol
I'm planning to go in for consultations with both him and Davor Džepina, and then I'll just see which one feels like a better fit for me...

Maybe they have other methods available? You should probably just ask them directly. But in any case, I really think it’s better to get it done properly so the tip stays exactly where they set it, rather than having it drop again down the road. And honestly, using your own transplanted cartilage seems much better than whatever synthetic stuff they might try to shove in there. Besides, it's a relatively small amount of tissue anyway. 😁

I'm not sure if you've seen this, but there's a bit more info on the subject here: http://www.toncic.net/en/kirurski-za...-nose-tip/

Honestly, you guys, I am just feeling so incredibly happy right now 😍😍😍😍

I finally took off the shapewear, and my silhouette looks absolutely stunning 😍 though I suppose I still need to touch up the edges and the hairline... I swear, I can't stop staring at myself in the mirror 😁

I’m just going to vent!!😠
My tip has dropped SO much. I actually have a third surgery already on the books for a different little issue—scheduled sometime this winter—but I am seriously stressing over this stupid tip. And the width of my base? I honestly have no idea what to do, so I’m just here to complain a bit.😢

steelangler88 said:I am just going to lose it!!😠
My tip has dropped SO much. I already have a third surgery scheduled for some other minor issue sometime this winter, but this stupid tip is driving me absolutely crazy. And then there's the size of my lower nose—I honestly don't know what to do, I'm just venting here.😢

steelangler88, how did you even deal with the tip issue in the first place? I mean, you already had surgery and now it's drooping again... and I'm also worried about the size of my lower nose and the tip itself, sigh... Who are you seeing now? la Diosi had Tončić create such a beautiful tip using cartilage grafting, so it clearly can be done... please don't despair... 😉

Carol Diaz31 said:There might be other approaches—you should definitely ask them—but honestly, I think it’s better to just get it done so the peak stays exactly where they set it, rather than having it sag again down the road. Plus, isn't it better to let them reshape the cartilage naturally instead of relying on some synthetic filler? And besides, you aren't even talking about much here. 😁

I'm not sure if you've come across this yet, but there's more info on the subject here: http://www.toncic.net/hr/kirurski-za...-nosnog-vrska/

I have no idea how I managed to miss that! 🙄
Thank you so much! 🙂 I feel a lot better now. My very first thought was that they were going to lop off half my ear (I know, I know, sounds insane), but truth be told, I am a total wimp when it comes to doctors and surgery.
Of course, if I'm already heading under the knife, I want to make absolutely certain this is the last time I ever have to deal with it. Thanks again!

My take? Don't trust these forums. Everyone's experience is different, so what you read here isn't universal truth. Trust your doctor instead. Manage your expectations, ask them the questions that matter, and stop relying on online boards that are mostly just a collection of misinformation.

steelangler88 said:I am just going to lose it!!😠
The tip has dropped so significantly. I actually have a third procedure scheduled for some other minor issue sometime this winter, but I am honestly quite preoccupied with this frustrating tip. And then there is the width of my lower nose—it's just not right. I suppose I don't really know what the solution is; I'm probably just venting here.😢

I feel so bad for 😢

For some time now, my new nose has felt strangely familiar, and it finally clicked for me this morning. 😁
I went back to look at a photo that Princess had sent me, and there it was. 😍