Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

Sophia Hill22 said:Just focus on what comes after... 😉

That bolded part right there—honestly, I know that feeling all too well. 🙄 Like when I mentioned I was going in for surgery.
"Is it for aesthetics or function???" And then, if I tried to say it was both, I’d get those condescending little comments like, "Oh, but your nose gives you such *character*," or "Well, I guess that's your choice," said with this heavy dose of sarcasm. To be honest, that specific tone from people is probably what gets under my skin more than anything else.

Though, I suppose there were some who were incredibly supportive and encouraging, thank God. 😁

And that whole cliché line about "losing your identity"? It’s just so incredibly overplayed to me. 🙄

Look, if my "identity" is defined by having a large nose, then fine—I am more than happy to lose it. 😂

Carol Diaz31 said:I agree—that whole cliché about "losing your identity" feels incredibly heavy-handed to me too.🙄

Look, if my "identity" is defined by having a massive nose, then honestly? I’m more than happy to lose it.😂

People who don't deal with this specific "issue" just don't get it... though, of course, they'll have plenty of opinions regardless. It's fine. I'm not even bothered.

Elizabeth Collins5 said:I wanted to share my own experience here too. I spent about ten years debating whether or not to go through with surgery. Now that it’s all behind me, I actually regret not doing it sooner—it really helped me get over this massive complex I had.
Unlike some of the noses being discussed on this forum, mine genuinely needed work (not that I'm judging anyone else's need for it, of course).
Basically, I had a really unattractive nose. I’d say my nose was practically a twin to Zlatan Ibrahimović 😂. Just imagine a huge, masculine, bony nose sitting on a woman's face... just awful!
It wasn't until my consultations that I realized I didn't just need cosmetic changes, but functional ones too. I had a deviated septum and some cartilage that had "popped" to the right side, which made my right nostril significantly smaller. I'd always just assumed that was normal 😂.
The only thing I was truly terrified of before the surgery was waking up mid-procedure, a fear I actually picked up from reading this thread, haha.
The surgery itself, while a bit more difficult than expected, went without any major issues. Aside from the needle prick in my vein
, nothing really hurt. But unlike some of you, things weren't perfectly smooth immediately after. I had a hard time with the anesthesia and vomited blood twice, though I was eating ground beef patties 😂 shortly after that. My bruising lasted longer than average—about 20 days. And now, there's still some yellowing where the bruises used to be. I dealt with low blood pressure, and that dizzy, "swaying" feeling in my head lasted for about 15 days. Around day 20, one of my stitches got inflamed, and my face (especially my forehead) felt swollen. Usually, swelling isn't an issue for me. Also, I didn't have much luck with the packing removal; that was incredibly painful. It's a very sharp, intense pain, but thankfully it's over quickly. Breathing through my mouth wasn't too bad at all. The hardest part of the whole recovery was sleeping on my back, since I'm just not used to sleeping like that.
As for the results, I’d say I’m about 80% satisfied, and I'm hoping that remaining 20% will come with time. Even though it's been over a month since the surgery, my nose is still quite swollen, and I feel like I'm healing much slower than others. I asked the doctor for three specific things: that the nose wouldn't look too small (like B. Vlašić's), that it wouldn't be overly upturned (again, like B. Vlašić), and that it wouldn't look too "saddle-shaped." I think the doctor respected those wishes.
Regarding the surgical team, I have nothing but praise for them, so 👍. Oh, and I almost forgot—I had the procedure done by Dr. Glušac in Makarska.
All in all, even considering all those little hiccups during recovery, if you ask me if I'd do it again, the answer is an absolute yes 😁.

I'll send photos via DM. If anyone wants to know anything else, feel free to ask 😉.

Hi, thanks for such a detailed breakdown from start to finish. My situation is almost identical, and Dr. Glušac is actually one of my top choices. Would it be possible to see some photos?

Elizabeth Collins5, could you please clear out some of your old posts? Your inbox is totally maxed out, so I can't even send you a PM right now. 🙂

Carol Diaz31 said:Honestly, that whole cliché about "losing your identity" feels way too dramatic for me, too. 🙄

If my "identity" is defined by having a massive nose, then honestly? I'm more than happy to lose it. 😂

hahahahahhaha, I'm right there with you. 😂

loneridge3 said:Why are you getting so worked up? 😕

ha😕?

quietwolf182 said:huh😕?

you were typing in all caps :P

Kate Taylor59 said:you were typing in all caps :P

pay closer attention to my advice😁

Hello... I have an upcoming surgery scheduled in three weeks, and I've already learned so much from reading through the discussions here...😲
I just wanted to ask about those compresses you mentioned that are available at CVS. Should those be applied immediately after the procedure, or should I wait until the mold is removed? Also, how long can they stay on the face... did they actually make a significant difference for you??
And my apologies if I seem a bit lost, as I haven't had the chance to read everything from the very beginning 🤷

Laura Wright2 said:Hey there... I have surgery coming up in three weeks, and honestly, reading through this forum has been eye-opening—I've learned so much I had no clue about before.😲
I just wanted to ask about those compresses you all mention that you can pick up at CVS. Are you supposed to apply them immediately after the procedure, or do you wait until the mold is removed? And how long are you actually supposed to leave them on your face... did they really help you guys much??
And sorry in advance if I seem like a total newbie here; I haven't exactly been scrolling through every single post since the beginning of time. 🤷

Why aren't you just asking your doctor? They’re your most reliable source of truth. 🙂
Mind if I ask which surgeon you finally decided on?

You really need to take a look at what Suzuki posted. 😲😲😲

Laura Wright2 said:Hey there... I’m scheduled for surgery in three weeks and I've been scrolling through this place reading all sorts of stuff I had no clue about..😲
I just wanted to ask about those compresses people mention you can pick up at CVS—can you start using them right after the procedure, or do you have to wait until the mold/dressing comes off???? And how long are you supposed to leave them on your face... did they actually help you guys??
And sorry if I sound like a total newbie since I haven't read everything from the very beginning 🤷

Those are the gel-filled ones. They're pretty cheap, maybe like $5 or $6. You just keep them in the fridge so they stay chilled. You definitely want to use them immediately after surgery—it's a must! They're a lifesaver for keeping the swelling and bruising down. You just hold them on for a few minutes, pop them back in the fridge, and repeat throughout the day. Honestly, the more you do it, the better. I tried to be super diligent with mine even though it felt like such a chore 😁

Kate Taylor59 said:Seriously, go check out that post from Suzuki! 😲😲 😲

It’s been a long time... honestly, it’s kind of ugly to admit, but those situations are rare as hell. All you can really do is cross your fingers and hope you don't end up in that mess. 😁

rustygardener172 said:It’s been a long time... honestly, it was pretty ugly, but those are rare outliers. I guess all you can do is cross your fingers and hope you don't end up in that situation. 😁

Ugh... I'm really not sure right now... Tončić feels like he's out of the running for me. I'd much rather go to Glusac, but good grief, his reputation is practically non-existent at this point. 🤷
And I haven't even looked into Bastaić yet... is he actually an ENT, or just some aesthetic surgeon?
I haven't seen any reviews of his work on nose jobs, so... 🤷
Zambelli is quite literally butchering those women... everything is done using open techniques, which honestly gives me the creeps.

Kate Taylor59 said:Everyone needs to take a look at Suzuki's post! 😲😲 😲

This situation is an absolute nightmare. What that doctor did was completely unprofessional—honestly, it felt more like a visit to a local butcher shop than a trip to a prestigious medical clinic. Just look at the photo of the anesthesia application on her hand; even an elementary school student could have done a cleaner, more organized job. And don't even get me started on those nasal bandages—I have no idea why they felt the need to cover her entire face. In my experience, I only had a mold on my nose and some hardening under the bandage—almost like plaster—but nothing spread across my whole face. It’s appalling; there really should be a formal complaint filed against them.

Laura Castillo7 said:This is genuinely horrifying. That doctor was completely unprofessional—honestly, it felt more like visiting a local butcher shop than a prestigious hospital. And please, just look at the photo of the anesthesia application on her hand; even an elementary school kid could have done a cleaner, tidier job. Don't even get me started on those nose bandages; I have no idea why they felt the need to plaster her entire face. When I had my procedure, I just had the nasal mold and some hardened residue under the bandage, almost like plaster, but nothing all over my face. It’s awful. They really ought to be held accountable.

Exactly. Tončić is crossed off my list.

Kate Taylor59 said:Ugh... I’m honestly feeling so conflicted right now. I feel like Tončić just isn't hitting the mark for me anymore. My heart would really love to go with Glusac, but goodness, he is way out of my league—he's practically untouchable! 🤷
And as for Bastaić... I can't quite figure him out. Is he actually board-certified in ENT, or is he more of a cosmetic specialist?
I haven't had a chance to check out his reviews regarding his surgical results yet, so 🤷
Zambelli is absolutely shredding those women... everything he does is via open technique, and honestly, that idea gives me the chills.

Bastaić is an ENT specialist and a primary physician, 👍

Why haven't I sent you my photos yet?

Anyway—I actually asked Bastaić about using cold compresses, and he told me not to bother. Then, my sister's boyfriend, who is an internist, mentioned the exact same thing—at least for the initial period following surgery—because you need good circulation to help everything heal properly. So, please, definitely check with your own doctor about the what, the how, and the why of it all.

Sophia Hill22 said:Bastaić is from Otorina and the primary physician is 👍

Why didn't you send me your photos?

By the way—I actually asked Bastaić about using cold compresses, and he told me not to bother. My sister’s boyfriend, who’s an internist, said the exact same thing—at least for a little while after surgery—because you need that circulation to help everything heal properly. So yeah, definitely check with your own doctor on what to do, how to do it, and why.

Oops...🙂 oh, right, sorry... my brain just stalled there... I honestly wish I could see a few more nose shots to help me make up my mind... overall, Glusac is a bit of a trek for me... but if Bastaić is the ENT, then 👍
did he perform your surgery using the closed method?

Kate Taylor59 - is - closed 🙂

A fellow member, miumiu, actually had her surgery done by him, so you should definitely reach out via private message to get all the details.

Sophia Hill22 said:Kate Taylor59 - is - private 🙂

The user miumiu actually had her surgery done by him, so you might want to just shoot him a DM.

thanks 🙂