Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

Rachel Barnes5 said:In modern medicine, nothing happens without a computer simulation. Of course, the actual nose won't turn out a millimeter identical to what the digital model shows, but those simulations exist to bridge the gap between the surgeon and the patient, helping everyone get on the same page regarding aesthetic preferences.
The most important thing is understanding the patient's desires through careful, detailed conversation.

What does it actually mean when someone promises a patient they can make their nose smaller or more graceful? Communication is everything, but how can you truly communicate about facial structure if you don't have a visual guide to explain what "slightly lowering the tip" actually looks like? When we are talking about the face, every single millimeter counts.

Rachel, I completely hear where you're coming from; honestly, I wish that technology were available too. I’m just passing along what I read in that article—it was maybe two or three pages long, featuring interviews with several of our local doctors. And keep in mind, this was from years ago. Perhaps they feel they aren't specialized enough in that tech, so they protect themselves by not promising results they might not be able to deliver. To me, that feels like a much more honest approach than having someone draw a perfect version of me on a screen, only for me to wake up from surgery feeling totally different, even if it's just by a millimeter.
While I'm sitting here waiting for my molds to be removed, I find myself thinking, okay, maybe I won't look exactly like Severina or Pišek, but even if I don't, I hang out with plenty of guys and not one of them has ever told me I was unattractive. So, I should be fine, right? 😍
At the end of the day, any improvement over what I had before is progress.
I think I picked up this obsession with those famous women from somewhere. Before my surgery, I gathered a few acquaintances—not celebrities, just regular people—and none of them have a nose like mine. That’s probably why I made my decision without any panic at first. It's just that a sudden wave of anxiety hit me the other day.
I went into surgery with a massive grin on my face—well, I practically had two smiles at once!—only to be absolutely terrified for three days AFTER the procedure. It's enough to drive you crazy.
I guess I'm just a slow learner. 😍

Sophia Booth35 said:I was absolutely terrified once I finally made the call to go through with the surgery. But then I realized I had to stop doom-scrolling through forums, stop interrogating everyone I knew, and just tune out all the "armchair experts." I kept thinking back to how firmly my surgeon gripped my hand and said, "I’m going to do everything in my power to create a nose that perfectly complements your face," and that gave me the courage to go under the knife.
just go with the flow...
fingers crossed there won't be any need for a revision.
Anyway, I'll check back in on Monday.
Thanks for the "recipe." I'm going to go indulge myself—if there are leftovers, I might even whip up a batch of cookies. 😍

Ugh, tell me about it. I was a nervous wreck constantly, especially leading up to the procedure, and honestly, I'm still shaking a little. I get my cast removed tomorrow...
Don't worry, it's easy—just follow the recipe. 🙂 ahhaahah..

''I’m going to do everything in my power to create a nose that perfectly complements your face'' — I love that he said that to you. He didn't say anything like that to me... well, actually, not at all. 🙂 Instead, it was just a endless list of "well, this option might work, but that one might not," or "this part will probably stay more or less the same as it is now," or "you'll need an extra incision because your skin is incredibly thin, though from the profile it looks fine, but we have to be careful not to pierce the skin too deeply, blah blah blah..." It went on forever. I left feeling totally overwhelmed and thought to myself, "Which doctor am I even seeing? There's no hope for me; I'm paying all this money for basically zero change." But despite all that, I went through with it. We'll see what happens tomorrow. 🙏🤷

Sophia Booth35 said:Think about how it would actually play out: the surgeon designs this perfect "computerized" nose, you’re absolutely thrilled with the preview, then they put you under, start working, and suddenly realize the actual anatomy just won't allow for what you dreamed up. You wake up with a totally different look, spiral into a deep depression, and end up suing the doctor for deception.
I remember reading an article about this once.
Until the surgeon actually makes the first incision, there's no telling what they'll encounter.
As for my own aesthetic goals, I’ve always wanted a nose like Beyoncé’s—something long and straight. But looking at my face, which is quite round and soft without much definition in the cheekbones or jawline, that style just wouldn't sit right. He could have pushed for it if I had insisted, but then the doctor wouldn't be responsible for me looking like a caricature afterward.
I decided to put my trust in my surgeon; I believe he’s a true artist. I understand that what looks beautiful to him might not match my vision perfectly, but honestly, if it doesn't turn out right, I’d be heading straight back to him for a revision.
If we all approached these things with such negativity from the very beginning, nobody would ever go under the knife.

I’m with you on this one. Rhinoplasty is essentially like working with sculpture; you’re dealing with living material, and you never truly know the outcome until the work is laid out before you. Sure, if he creates something on the computer that matches his own vision—just enough for you to see and agree—you might still find you don't actually vibe with it. But like Sophia Booth35 mentioned, who's to say whether that specific look is even physically possible?

Maria Hall92 said:thanks.. uh, I really hope I won't need any grafts either! 😁 . does anyone know who he ended up needing them from, and did it go okay? Has anyone else dealt with complications?

Regarding that whole "cartilage grafting" thing, my issue was that I had absolutely no cartilage left at the tip. After they shortened the bridge, the surgeon said he’d take all the cartilage salvaged from removing the hump and use it as support to hold the tip in place. If that doesn't hold—and we won't know if the tip drops for another year—he mentioned we could try lifting the tip by using a graft taken from behind the ear. I guess I'm just hoping it won't come to that; it's only been four months, so we'll see.

Rachel Fisher97 said:I honestly don't get why a junior doctor handles the consultation when they aren't even the one performing the surgery... I mean, logically, shouldn't you be discussing all your concerns with the actual surgeon who's going to be operating on you? 🤷
I decided to go with Tončić too, but I am definitely insisting on seeing the senior surgeon for consultations. To me, this feels pretty unprofessional..
Anyway, I wish you the best of luck, and please, let us know how the surgery goes and what your new nose looks like!😍

In my case, both of them were there for the consultations and on the day of the surgery. I actually requested Rajko to perform the procedure, but like rustygardener172 says... I don't know, I tend to drift off when I fall asleep 😁 but I think they both operated on me because they were both in scrubs, and there wasn't anyone else in the clinic besides me.... even though nurses usually handle most of that stuff. Dinko was the one who removed my tampons, and Rajko took off the mold, so it was quite the team effort! 😁

Carol Diaz31 said:Regarding that cartilage "grafting" thing—my issue was that I had absolutely no cartilage left at the tip. After they shortened it, the surgeon used the cartilage he harvested from removing the hump to reinforce the tip so it stays in place. He mentioned that if that isn't enough and the tip drops—which we won't know for another year—we could potentially lift the tip by using cartilage taken from behind the ear. I'm hoping it doesn't come to that; it’s only been 4 months, so we'll just have to see.

Both of them were present during my consultations and on the day of the surgery. I actually requested Rajko to perform the procedure, but like rustygardener172 said... I don't really know what happens once I'm asleep 😁 though I suspect they both worked on me. They both suited up in scrubs, and there wasn't anyone else in the clinic besides me. Usually, nurses handle those things, but Dinko removed my tampons and Rajko took off the mold, so it was definitely a team effort! 😁

That's fine. The main thing is that the little guy isn't alone.🤣🤣

Rachel Fisher97 said:That’s fine. The main thing is that the little guy isn't left to handle things all by himself. 🤣🤣

From what I’ve gathered through my own experience, my younger doctor was actually the one who performed my surgery... honestly, I think people might be overthinking this a bit. They wouldn't just let someone jump into a procedure like that without some serious credentials, right? You have to have the expertise. In my case, he handled the initial consultation, and then he was right there with me on the day of the operation too. Before they even moved me toward the operating table, both of them spent what felt like an eternity going over everything with me. Believe me, he wouldn't be standing in that room if he didn't know exactly what he was doing.

Maria Hall92 said:From what I’ve gathered through the grapevine, my surgeon was actually one of the younger guys on staff... Honestly, I think you all might be blowing things way out of proportion. I mean, come on, they wouldn't just let him fly solo in the OR if they didn't trust his hands, right? There has to be some level of vetted experience there before they give someone that kind of responsibility. I had my pre-op consultations with him, and then when the big day actually rolled around, he was right there again. Before I even got moved onto the table, both him and the senior attending were hovering over me, going through everything for what felt like an absolute eternity. They weren't exactly rushing out the door; they were being incredibly thorough. Trust me, there’s no way in hell he’d be standing there if he actually had a clue what he was doing. He's just winging it, plain and simple.

Oh, please... they’ll hire some random stranger before they even think about giving his own son a shot. Yeah, right! As if that's ever gonna happen.

rustygardener172 said:As if... they’d probably hire someone else before they'd ever consider their own son... NOT.

And that's just facts. I don't mean to offend anyone, but I have zero interest in being "taught a lesson" by someone else. People always fall back on that old trope about being older or more experienced, but honestly? I'm mostly interested to see if this younger generation can actually build some genuine trust. In my view, that's really the deciding factor in all of this.

rustygardener172 said:Oh, please... they'll hire someone else way before they ever give the job to their own son... NOT!

Look, it isn’t necessarily that they would hire him just because he’s the son—especially since he lacks experience. If anything, hiring someone unprepared could totally tank their client base and ruin their reputation by creating unnecessary headaches. But honestly, I feel like we’re veering into a whole different debate here, and I don't want to get sucked into an endless argument about it. At the end of the day, I'm not here to play devil's advocate or tear anyone down. When I went in for my consultations, everything felt perfectly fine to me. I had full confidence in his judgment; I knew the senior partner wouldn't just hand over the keys to someone who hasn't put in the work or mastered the craft. I chose them specifically because I haven't heard a single horror story about their services—only glowing reviews from people I trust.

Like I’ve already mentioned, Dr. Dzepina basically told me to stop obsessing over the photos. He said it’s all so subjective—that I can't exactly compare myself to someone who has a completely different face shape or a nose that looks nothing like mine.
I mean, obviously, everyone is going to see things differently. It’s just common sense. All in all, his take was that the results could look really sharp if we narrow the base of the nose and add a little incision right underneath to lift the lip. He claims my lip looks "droopy" because of the nose structure, though personally, I don't even notice it... but hey, he's the doctor.

Look, I know I'm totally veering off track here... but let's be real, we all know how things work in America. Most people get hired because they "know someone" rather than actually being the best person for the job. So, honestly, this whole situation with Tony isn't even that shocking. It’s a family business—it makes sense that the son would step into his old man's shoes. But just because his dad is a top-tier surgeon doesn't mean he automatically has those skills. He’s going to have to put in the hours and gain some actual experience to prove himself. Even his father knows that; they've been operating together for years, and he won't just let the kid fly solo on nose surgeries yet. He's keeping him on a short leash, so to speak.
I'm genuinely crossing my fingers that he follows in his father's footsteps—not just by taking the title, but by actually delivering that same level of excellence.

rustygardener172 said:I suppose we’ve drifted a bit from the main topic here... but honestly, I think we all know that in America, most people land their jobs through some kind of connection rather than actually being the best candidate for the position. So, looking at the whole situation with Tony, it isn't necessarily a bad thing in that context. It’s a family business, after all; it’s only logical that the son would eventually take over for his father. However, just because his father is a top-tier surgeon doesn't mean he automatically possesses those same skills. He’ll have to prove himself through time and actual experience. Even his father seems to realize that, since they’ve been operating together for years now. It’s almost like he won't let the kid perform any nose surgeries entirely on his own... at least not yet.
To be perfectly honest, I’m just sitting here holding my breath, hoping he actually follows in his father's footsteps—and I don't just mean following him into the same career path, but actually matching that level of excellence and quality.

Look, I don't see how people can call this nepotism. It’s just common sense, really. If a person spends their entire life training for a specific field—specializing in the exact same discipline as their father—and they have a family-owned medical clinic right there waiting for them, then obviously they're going to work there. It's logical. I guess some people want to make it out to be some big scandal, but if you've spent decades preparing for a specific role within a family practice, why wouldn't you step in? It makes perfect sense to me. 🤷
Secondly, I honestly don't get what this supposed "lack of experience" talk is even about. Just because Ray has thirty-five years under his belt doesn't mean that ten years of experience is somehow negligible. It really isn't. And let’s not forget, he’s spent that entire duration working right alongside a guy who’s been in the game for three and a half decades himself. As for Dan, sure, he’s younger, but he isn't exactly some green kid. He isn't nearly as inexperienced as some people here are making him out to be—as if they think he’s just some novice using someone else as a training dummy.

Carol Diaz31 said:Look, this isn't some case of nepotism or hiring through connections. It’s perfectly logical: if someone spends their entire life training for a specific field, following in their father's footsteps, and they happen to have a family medical practice, why wouldn't they work there? 🤷
Plus, I’m not sure what people mean by "lack of experience" here. Just because Ray has thirty-five years under his belt doesn't make ten years of training insignificant! On top of that, he spent that whole decade working side-by-side with a veteran in the field. Dan might be younger, but he's certainly not the wide-eyed novice some people are painting him to be, as if he's just some rookie using patients as practice.

Exactly, you hit the nail on the head, Carol Diaz31...

@rustygardener172/">@@rustygardener172, how can you say he won't perform surgery alone? I was actually his patient just now, and he performed the procedure himself. He had nurses with him, of course, but he was only there for the initial exam before heading off to handle his business as fast as he could.

How long should I wait after surgery before getting a facial cleaning—assuming everything except the nose is okay to touch? 😁

Donna Watson80 said:How long after surgery am I actually allowed to get a facial cleaning done (assuming I stay away from my nose)?😁

I’m wondering the exact same thing, but specifically, when can I finally touch my nose? That's the only part that really needs attention since those pores are driving me crazy!
And am I allowed to use tweezers to pluck the stray hairs right at the bridge of my nose yet?
Also, when will I be able to go out and kiss some guy with a big nose like a complete idiot again?
And seriously, when can I just blow my damn nose? Like, a full-on, deep-from-the-brain blow?
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
I'm about to take this cast off, and I am freaking out!

Did you ladies take the mold out yet?? Good luck today everyone!! Let me know how it goes :*

For anyone who’s ever been under general anesthesia... did you deal with a sore throat after they intubated you?

Hey everyone, I just took off the bandages and honestly, I can only say one thing: P U R E B L I S S !!! 🙂 It’s like a dream come true—Tony did an absolutely incredible job on my nose!!! And I have to mention, Dan was my surgeon, such a brilliant young doctor, and he handled everything so perfectly that the results actually exceeded my wildest expectations... Rachel Fisher97, you should totally go for it, you have my full endorsement 😉)) .. oh my gosh, I am just so incredibly happy 😁 😍😍😍

Sophia Booth35 said:I’m honestly curious too, but when am I actually allowed to touch my nose? All I can do right now is clean those ridiculous pores!
And am I permitted to use tweezers to pluck the stray hairs right at the bridge of my nose?
And when will I finally be allowed to kiss some guy with a nose like mine without feeling like an absolute idiot?
And when can I just blow my damn nose? You know, like, a real, deep-from-the-brain kind of blow?
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
I’m going to go take this mold off now, I'm totally freaking out!

Seriously though, are you kidding me? Are you actually kidding me right now??! 😁

Look, I know you two were both there at their clinic, so obviously you’re going to jump to their defense... but honestly, I don't get why you're playing bodyguard when nobody even attacked them! I wasn't being malicious. And for the record, I never said he landed the job through some shady connection—I just mentioned it’s a family-run business.
Tony's place was actually my first choice, and I still think they're top-tier, but I just couldn't deal with that vibe of uncertainty during my consultation. That’s the only reason I walked away, not because I doubt their expertise.
Anyway, let's just drop this topic because it's pretty clear we're talking past each other 😁

Maria Hall92, I'm glad you're loving that initial look!!!! But if I can give a little unsolicited advice to you and everyone else here who just had surgery... maybe hold off on the celebration for at least a month. You won't see the real results until all that swelling finally goes down. I bet most of the veterans in this group would agree with me.
Good luck to everyone!! 😍