Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

Emily Reed51 said:At the end of the day, you've gotta have realistic expectations. I’m seeing it all the time—it’s not actually the doctors who let people down; it’s the impossible standards people walk in with.

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Exactly! Just leave those ultra-tiny, restrictive carriers on the shelf if you aren't looking to spend your entire day struggling to catch a breath

Hey there,
I’ve been scrolling through your posts for a while now, but honestly, there are just too many of them to catch up on everything. So, I figured I’d just ask here and hope someone with a little extra time feels like helping me out. Thanks in advance. 🙂
I’m trying to figure out how the payment works for surgery—specifically at Mayo Clinic versus a local hospital like Mount Sinai. If it’s strictly cosmetic, do I just wire it to an account or what?
Also, has anyone actually been to Mayo or Mount Sinai for a procedure lately? And I have to ask—why does it seem like everyone is flocking to private surgeons instead? Is the waitlist at the public hospitals that brutal?
thanks

Jamie Kern8 said:hey there
I've been lurking through your posts for a little while now. Honestly, there are just so many that I can't seem to catch up on everything... so I figured I'd just ask, and thanks in advance to anyone who actually has the time or patience to reply. 🙂
I'm trying to figure out how the payment works for surgery—like, if you go to Mayo Clinic or Johns Hopkins, for instance. If it's strictly cosmetic, do you just wire it to some account or what?
Also, has anyone been to either of those hospitals recently for an outpatient procedure? And I have to ask—why does it feel like everyone is flocking to private surgeons instead? Is the waitlist at the public hospitals just endless?
thanks

All I know is that at the hospital, they often don't do things quite right. You'll be stuck there with a bandage for five days, whereas if you go private, they take it off immediately and skip all those tedious little formalities.

Jamie Kern8 said:hey there
I’ve been lurking and reading through your posts for a while now... but honestly, there are just way too many to keep up with everything... so I figured I’d just jump in and ask, and if anyone has the time or feels like answering, thanks so much in advance. 🙂
I was wondering how you actually pay for the surgery, like, at a place like Mayo Clinic or maybe a private clinic in NYC? If it’s strictly cosmetic, do you just wire it to some account or what?
Also, has anyone here actually been to Mayo or one of those big city hospitals for an OP recently? And I gotta ask—why does it seem like everyone is heading to private surgeons instead? Is the waitlist at the public hospitals just insane or something?
thx

Some people are so miserable with their noses they want to go under the knife twice, so they do the primary rhinoplasty at a public hospital and then go private for the secondary fix 😂
A little sarcasm never hurts 😉
Don't even bother, better to just save up your cash and go private from the start
Most of them are basically just ENT specialists, so if you just need things to work functionally, sure, fine... but trying to get aesthetic results from them is like asking a construction worker to draw up blueprints instead of hiring an architect

Thanks for the input....
I’m honestly a little surprised to hear that public hospitals are performing that poorly—at least, according to what you guys are saying..
(I should probably play devil's advocate here, since this is my field🙂 )...but it sounds like that's the reality.
I always assumed ENT specialists at big university hospitals were the gold standard; a few doctors have mentioned that to me... whereas most of these private clinics aren't actually run by ENT specialists, and frankly, I wouldn't dream of seeing someone who isn't an expert in their specific niche..🙄
Ugh.... now I'm even more torn. Theoretically, I could just head to a major hospital and ask anyone for a second opinion, but I'm pretty cheap when it comes to paying those ridiculous consultation fees..
😁
Hmm....😕

Megan Moore76 said:Look, there are unhappy people everywhere, even with the specialists you actually like. 😉 It’s just how it goes—different strokes for different folks, and doctors are only human after all. 😉

Actually, if I see a massive wave of dissatisfied patients, that’s when I’d stop and take notice. I’ve been following this thread since page one. There’s one doctor here I wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole because of all the complaints, and another I'd skip simply because I don't care for his surgical style. For anyone else, I’d give them a fair shot at a consultation.

My two cents? Read this whole thread from the very beginning. Don't take everything at face value, obviously, but do pay attention to the patterns people are pointing out.

@Taylor, your inbox is absolutely exploding. 😉

Jamie Kern8 said:Thanks everyone for the input....
To be honest, I was a little caught off guard hearing how poorly the public hospitals operate—at least according to what you all are saying..
(I feel like I should stick up for them just a bit, since medicine is my field too🙂 ), but it sounds like that really is the reality.
I’d always heard that ENT specialists at major university hospitals were the ones to trust; a few doctors have actually told me that personally... it seems like most of those private clinics aren't even staffed by true ENT specialists, and frankly, I wouldn't want to see anyone who isn't a specialist in this area..🙄
Ugh.... now I'm even more torn because, theoretically, I could just head down to a hospital and ask any doctor for their opinion.. but I'm pretty frugal, so paying for a consultation fee feels like throwing money away if it's not worth it.
😁
Hmm...😕

The reason they don't perform as well is that there are plenty of people in the system looking for kickbacks—I don't want to generalize, but it's a widespread issue, and if you don't "reward" them, they tend to do a half-hearted job. I actually had to go back for a revision myself because of this, and I didn't want to gamble with my health, so I ended up seeing an ENT at a private practice instead.
In a private setting, everything is much more straightforward because they actually have an incentive to get it right the first time so they don't have to deal with a formal complaint.
I'm honestly just glad I haven't tried the hospital route yet. 😢

The truth is, there are plenty of brilliant doctors working in the public hospital systems, but since they are so highly sought after, many of them run their own private practices on the side. So, you're left playing a guessing game as to whether you'll get better care at the hospital or at their personal clinic.

Jamie Kern8 said:Thanks for all the feedback....
To be honest, I’m a bit shocked. It’s surprising to hear that public hospitals actually perform that poorly—or at least, that's how you all seem to describe it..
(I feel like I should defend them a little, since it is my profession, after all🙂)...but it sounds like that might really be the case.
Besides, I had always heard that ENT specialists at university were highly skilled; a few doctors have mentioned that to me... whereas most of these private practitioners aren't even true ENT specialists, and frankly, I wouldn't want to see anyone who isn't an actual specialist..🙄
Ugh.... now I'm even more torn about what to do. Theoretically, I could just go to a hospital and ask for a second opinion from whoever is available.. but I'm pretty cheap, so paying for a consultation fee feels like a total waste of money.
😁
Hmm....😕

There’s definitely some truth to that. Dealing with those consultation fees is tricky, though I suppose I get it—you can't charge a fortune just to sit around and talk all day.
I know that some surgeons (for instance, Bastajić) will waive that fee if you eventually decide to go through with the surgery, while others won't touch that.

I think it is possible to find a doctor who will truly put effort into your nose even within a hospital setting, but you honestly have to have the drive, the right information, and the time to hunt for them. With private clinics, you usually know exactly who is doing what and how they operate, so you can judge for yourself whom to trust, but when it comes to the hospital staff, there just isn't enough information out there.
And I don't even know if you're allowed to have a real conversation with a doctor to see if they're a good fit, or to gauge if they actually care about your case... in my opinion, that's the biggest difference of all.

I had an appointment with Dr. Miller if anyone is looking for feedback... and I wasn't impressed. That goes for me and the four other nurses in the room with me. 😉

Sophia Hill22 said:they don't always do a great job because some of them are basically bribable—I don't want to generalize, but it’s pretty widespread... if you don't "reward" them, they just do a half-assed job. That’s actually why I had to go back for a revision, and I didn't want to gamble with it, so I went to a private specialist instead.
everything is transparent there because they actually try to get it right the first time so they don't have to deal with a complaint later
thank god I didn't even try the hospital route 😢

the truth is, there are plenty of amazing doctors working in hospitals, but man, they usually end up working privately too because they're in such high demand... so now you gotta guess, do they give you better care at the hospital or in their own private clinic?

Exactly. It's the golden rule: PAY UP SO YOU CAN COMPLAIN LATER 😁

Carol Diaz31 said:There’s definitely truth to that... paying for those consultations can be tricky, but honestly, I get it. You can't just pay a massive fee if people are going to spend all day chatting without getting anything done.
I know some surgeons (like Bastajić, for instance) will deduct that consultation fee from the total cost of the surgery if you actually go through with it, while others won't budge at all.

In my opinion, you can find a doctor who will put in the effort both during the consult and once you're in the hospital, but you really have to have the drive, do the research, and find the time to make that happen. When dealing with private practices, you usually have a much clearer idea of their reputation and how they operate, so you can judge for yourself. But with doctors working in public hospitals? There just isn't enough information out there.
And frankly, I don't even know if you can sit down and have a real conversation with them to see if you click, or to gauge how much they actually care about your case... to me, that's the biggest deciding factor.

I've been keeping a close eye on this forum lately, and since I still haven't pulled the trigger on a surgeon, I have a question. How is your mom doing now that some time has passed? Is she happy with the results? I know she went to Bastaić, and you went to Tončić. Both of them are on my shortlist, and I'm having a hard time deciding which way to go...

David Ross8 said:I’ve been keeping an eye on this forum lately, and since I still haven't made up my mind about which surgeon to go with, I have a question. How is your mom doing now? Is she happy with her results after all this time? I know she went to Bastaić, while you went to Tončić. They’re both definitely on my shortlist, so I’m just stuck trying to decide who to pick...

Our noses aren't even similar, so I guess it's hard to say if you can even compare them—like, a nose shape that works for me probably wouldn't look right on her, and maybe he wouldn't approach her case the same way anyway.🤷

Personally, I actually like my nose as it is, so I wouldn't want it looking like hers does now; but then again, it's the same thing with me—maybe Bastajić wouldn't give me that specific look either.

At the end of the day, I suppose the most important thing is that we're both satisfied with how things turned out. Maybe you should try scheduling consultations with both of them, or just spend some more time looking through photos and other details that might help you make a call.👍

loneridge3 said:@Megan Moore76/">@@Megan Moore76, your inbox is absolutely blowing up. 😉

Oops, think it's fixed now 🙂

Anyway, where are we supposed to see Dr. Smith's work if he doesn't even have a website?🤷 I'm dying to see his technique—what's his actual style when it comes to nose jobs?

Megan Moore76 said:Oops, think it's fixed now 🙂

Anyway, where are we even supposed to see Dr. Smith's work if he doesn't even have a website? 🤷 I'm dying to know what his actual vibe is—like, what’s his specific style when it comes to noses?

Nowhere, honestly, unless you happen to run into his former patients. I've actually seen two people who went through him... and I swear, you would never guess they had surgery. Just totally normal, straight noses. Nothing too tiny, nothing overly upturned. So, if you're looking for that super petite or "button" nose look, I don't think he's really your guy. 😁

rustygardener172 said:You won't find any evidence of it unless you're looking directly at people who've actually gone under the knife. I've seen two of his noses in person, and honestly? I wouldn't have guessed for a second that they were surgically enhanced. They just looked like perfectly normal, straight noses—not too small, not too hooked. So, if you're hunting for that tiny, upturned look, I don't think this guy is your best bet. 😁

Based on how you described him, I’d pick him in a heartbeat without even meeting him! Honestly, I'm all about that straight, natural nose profile. And just like you said, nothing too small and nothing overdone—just right. Now I just have to survive the next two weeks until we actually talk!

rustygardener172 said:Nowhere, really—except maybe on people who’ve already had work done. I’ve seen two of his noses... and honestly, I would never have guessed they were surgical. Just normal, straight noses. Not too small, not too upturned. So, if you're hunting for that tiny, dainty, button-nose look, I don't think he's your guy. 😁

And what about Miller... are his noses smaller? I know they have that cute upturned shape, which I love... but I’m looking for something a bit more compact... not microscopic, but still... I have small eyes and a massive nose, so I need something that actually fits my face. 👎

Honestly, only rustygardener172 made one that was actually spicy—but then again, her stuff has always been like that. Most of the ones I’ve seen weren't even close. 🤷

Kate Taylor59 said:And what about Miller... are his noses smaller? I know they’re a bit fleshy, which I actually dig... but I really want a smaller nose myself... nothing tiny, just balanced... because I have small eyes and this massive nose 👎

Mine is pretty small and a little fleshy... not tiny, not overly thick either. Honestly, I don't know how the others look. I've seen photos of noses from a few people on here, and they all looked great in their own way. They weren't clones, either. Some were straight, some were fleshy, some were small, some were just "not big." 🙂
I totally forgot to mention... the noses for the Smiths tend to have a slight downward slope. (Just a heads up, though... that's just based on the ones I've personally seen, so don't take it as gospel for everyone)

I think at the end of the day, the most important thing is knowing exactly what look you're going for. Pick a surgeon who clicks with you and then sit them down and explain—really, *really* clearly—exactly what you want. 😁

rustygardener172 said:I totally forgot to mention one more thing... from what I've seen, the Smiths tend to have slightly drooping noses. (Just a heads-up though—that's just based on the specific people I've encountered personally, so it might not be a universal rule)

In my opinion, the absolute most important step is deciding exactly what kind of nose you actually want. Once you have that vision, find a surgeon who really aligns with your aesthetic and then take the time to sit down and explain your goals to them very, very clearly. 😁

My profile is pretty straight now—it’s only slightly lifted compared to how it used to be because I was honestly terrified of ending up with that "piggy" look. 😁 From everyone I've met from the Smith family (and I've seen three others besides my own), they all seem to have quite flat profiles.