Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

Yeah, honestly, things change every single day—my nose, my breathing, everything... For me, it’s been 15 days since the surgery and I already feel amazing. It feels a little bit bumpy right now because it looks like the tip hasn't quite settled down yet, and there’s still quite a bit of swelling on the sides, too. But you can already clearly see that almost half of the old nose is gone, haha! I’ll definitely post some pictures once she takes them during my follow-up appointment on January 20th.
I truly believe the difference is going to be massive, haha :-D
I'm just feeling totally happy right now :-p

mellowraven14 said:Hey, I’ve been lurking here for about a month now just watching everyone talk... I’ve actually had nose surgery three times here in the States—the last one was just a month ago. And now, just when everything should be settling down, that damn cartilage at the root of my nose has suddenly swollen up again. I’m honestly baffled... how is this even possible? Especially since I had surgery specifically for this exact issue two years ago. I think George Robinson58 had something similar going on... the tip looks great, but there’s still this hump that isn't just going to disappear on its own. They say they have to shave it down again and maybe use a tiny implant—kind of like a little shim—to get the profile straight. I don't get any of this anymore and I'm honestly spiraling because I have no idea what the end result is even going to look like... George Robinson58, please, send me some photos so I can see what happened with your nose, and I’ll send you mine.

Good God... maybe that’s my issue too. I truly don't know what's happening because my doctor keeps insisting he doesn't see anything at all. But the middle of my nose, right where the hump used to be, is constantly swollen... the skin looks discolored and it just keeps growing until it looks like a hump again. What is that even supposed to be? It'll be a full year since my surgery this February...

driftingsurfer96 said:Look, everyone, let’s stop talking in circles here... and I don't want anyone to take this personally or feel attacked, but you just can't say things like that to people. You can't have someone walk into a hospital with zero deviation and absolutely no actual medical issue, and then demand an aesthetic nose job! For crying out loud!!! A crooked nose isn't a medical condition!! Just think about it for a second—what if we were wasting money on beautifying someone's nose while, on the other hand, someone with a legitimate, serious problem can't get surgery because there's simply no money left in the budget?? If you want cosmetic work, go to a private clinic; it shouldn't be Medicare's job to pay for your vanity project.

She has no leg to stand on if there's no deviation. On what grounds could she even insist? What’s going to happen—is she going to walk up to an ENT and they'll tell her there's nothing medically wrong, and she'll just snap back that they *have* to operate because she "demands" it? It doesn't work that way.

First things first, the girl needs to get an exam. If they diagnose a deviation, any doctor will perform the surgery because that IS a medical issue, and in that specific case, she’d be entitled to it. And *then* she could ask the doctors to touch up the aesthetics while they're at it. But I'm telling you, if there is no deviation whatsoever, there is nothing to insist on—let alone expecting a hospital to give her free plastic surgery.

I personally know a girl who tried the exact same thing—trying to play the doctors, faking a deviation and breathing issues just to squeeze out some cosmetic work... and they told her straight up that she had no problem and that the hospital—and certainly Medicare—wouldn't be covering it. So, in the end, she went to a private surgeon and paid out of pocket.
I mean, by that logic, some idiot could just wander into a hospital and insist on getting breast implants and expect Medicare to foot the bill.

I disagree on one point... a crooked nose is a health issue if it messes with a person's mental health.

Man, you're totally messing with my head here...
So, just to recap, the area where I had that bump actually looks pretty decent, but the tip is—let's be honest—kind of weird. I used to have this really sharp, thin tip, but now it’s less pointy and just feels thicker. And honestly? It still feels super numb to the touch. To make matters worse, I took a light hit to the nose recently and bled like a total maniac... seriously, it was ridiculous. Look, I'm not being nitpicky, and I don't think the whole thing looks bad, but I'm genuinely curious: is it actually possible for a thin tip to get thicker like this? That specific spot where the bump was—the part that got scraped up quite a bit and was basically the critical section—actually looks great. There's zero pain or swelling there. But the tip, which wasn't even a huge deal before, just feels off, especially when you look at it from the side and see how thick the end has become.

Terry Jackson23 said:Don't go attacking a poor girl like that.🙂
Kyle Bishop2, I'm right there with you—there is zero chance they’ll do this for free...
They wouldn't even operate on a raised mole on my scalp for me. It catches in my comb constantly and has bled on me several times already. My primary doctor insisted I get it handled. So, I go to dermatology, explain the whole situation, and what does some specialist tell me? That it’s nothing. That it isn't a problem if it bleeds. Then she suggests I just head over to plastic surgery instead...
I'm telling you this purely for comparison; it feels like the staff is just looking for any excuse to brush you off...

As for the money, I don't know how old you are or what your budget looks like—whether it's an allowance, a salary, or a scholarship—but I can tell you my approach.
When I was 20, I decided I wanted a nose job. Purely cosmetic.
I realized immediately that this is a massive, irreversible decision. So, I gave myself a three-year buffer. If I still wanted it after that, then I’d move forward.
In the meantime, I saved up bit by bit.
Look, saving a thousand or two bucks isn't an impossible feat.
Now I'm 23, I still want the surgery, and I actually have the cash ready.🙂
I had a consultation at a private clinic recently, and it was a pleasant experience. I walked away feeling like they would actually go the extra mile for me.

👍 Kudos to you. Honestly, I don't think I've heard a smarter strategy. You're spot on—women can be fickle. One day we love our noses, and the next, thanks to a bad mood or PMS, suddenly everything looks "off" or clumsy. If you haven't changed your mind after three years, it means you've made a mature, calculated decision. And hey—there are no credit cards for a nose! I hope you're thrilled with the results. 😉

Has anyone here gone through nasal surgery at the Mayo Clinic in San Francisco? I’m dealing with a deviated septum that’s causing quite a few breathing and sinus issues, and since I'm already heading in, I was thinking about requesting some minor cosmetic adjustments too, though I've been scheduled for the procedure surprisingly quickly—in about 20 days or so...

It’s a real shame they shut down the other thread because now I can't even quote my own posts from three years ago...

Anyway, I’ve been struggling with breathing through my nose for about six years now, and for the last three, one side has been constantly blocked...

Every time I see a doctor—and I even went to a specialist once—they all just tell me there's nothing they can do. My nose is crooked and has this little bump on it.

And don't even get me started on the constant throat issues and how much it messes with my sleep...

So here's what I want to know: do I have to go to a private specialist if I actually want to fix this, or can I insist that Medicare covers the procedure?

Also, which route actually gives you better results?

Is it true that recovery is just a matter of a few days these days?

Does anyone have a specific doctor they'd recommend?

I was just watching this soccer player on TV—apparently, he had nose surgery because if he hadn't, his heart would’ve started failing during training due to breathing issues. So why the hell are we regular mortals expected to just live with this crap? I mean, how many times have I passed out mid-summer, woken up with my mouth feeling like a desert, not to mention that constant lump in my throat or the sheer panic when I realize I don't have any tissues handy? 😢

gentlemaker46 said:Good grief... maybe it’s just all in my head, because I honestly can't tell anymore—my doctor keeps insisting there's absolutely nothing wrong. But to me, the area right in the middle of my nose where the bump used to be feels constantly swollen, and the skin looks discolored. It's actually getting bigger, making it look like the bump is back. What is even happening? In February, it’ll have been a full year since my surgery.

I’m at the three-month mark post-op right now, and as the swelling finally starts to die down, I can see the bump clearly again—I can even feel it under my fingers. This is actually my third surgery, and honestly, I'm running out of steam; I don't even have the hope left to believe things will actually improve. I haven't heard of anyone using an implant specifically to level out the bridge of the nose... so if anyone here has gone through that, please let me know what your experience was like.

One more thing—every morning, the tip is all swollen up, and I have to spend some time massaging it just to get it looking somewhat normal. It’s also sagged quite a bit, so I try to massage it to slim it down and lift it back up a little, but honestly, how much longer can I keep doing this?

mellowraven14 said:Also, my tip is swollen every morning and I have to massage it just to make it look somewhat normal. It’s sagged quite a bit, so I massage it to slim it down and lift it, but how long am I going to have to do this?

Good grief, and that's after THREE months?? 😲

That sounds intense; you actually have me a little worried now. I haven't heard anything like that before.
It's like you're molding it out of Play-Doh yourself, wtf?

Was there something particularly complicated about the surgery, or what?
Because during my consultation, they told me the absolute worst-case scenario was just having an unattractive nose.😕

mellowraven14 said:It’s been three months since my surgery, and now that the swelling is finally dying down, I can see this bump—I can actually feel it under my fingers. This is my third procedure, and honestly, I’m just out of strength. I don't even have any hope left that things will improve... I haven't heard of anyone getting an implant specifically to make their nose look flat, so if anyone has experience with that, please let me know.

Good grief, it’s the exact same story for me. Only, my doctor kept insisting there was nothing to see... but now that the swelling is receding, everything looks even worse. I started noticing it around month four. Do you have any idea when this "growth" phase actually stops? I’ll be hitting the one-year mark in two months. And please, tell me—who did your surgery? How does it work when they just go in to fix that specific part, is it the same process as the first operation? How long is the recovery? Please, I really need an answer because I am spiraling here...

The first surgeon basically shaved down my bridge, shortened my nose, and tucked an implant between the tip and the base—only for that thing to be completely absorbed by my body. Now my nose has actually collapsed, and the tip is just sticking out awkwardly.
Three months ago, he tried to fix it by cutting away some cartilage and using it to rebuild that raised area, but honestly? It’s still bumpy. There are these tiny little lumps that are visible and driving me absolutely insane. This was always my main insecurity—I just wanted to get rid of the hump and that hooked shape once and for all.
I have to massage my nose constantly, everything feels soft and unstable, and I’ve still got crusting inside. I'm starting to wonder if things will ever actually look better than this.
I’m having the procedure done at the Mayo Clinic—thankfully, they aren't charging me anything and are really trying to find a way to make this right.
He told me to come back in a few months so he can smooth out the bump and insert a new implant. He’s talking about using something like Medpor—supposedly the gold standard on the market—stretching from the bridge down to the tip, aiming for that more "classic" profile. He plans to do it under local anesthesia, so it should only take about thirty minutes. He’ll make an incision through the bridge area. I am desperately hoping this is the last time; I can't live in constant fear of what might happen next, especially since nobody can give me any guarantees. This isn't at all what I imagined or wanted for myself. I was terrified of the risks, but I’m just exhausted by the whole ordeal. I guess it goes to show that the standard "textbook" approach doesn't work for everyone—bodies react differently, and sometimes it feels like a complete lottery.
So, yeah, that's where I'm at.

It’s honestly not an exaggeration when surgeons claim that rhinoplasty is one of the most demanding plastic surgeries out there... because with this kind of work, every single millimeter is visible.

mellowraven14 said:The first time around, they removed my septum and shortened my nose—all while placing an implant between the tip and the base. Well, that implant ended up being completely absorbed by my body, which caused the whole structure to collapse, leaving the tip just jutting out awkwardly.
Three months ago, the plan was to trim the cartilage at the tip—essentially using that cartilage to reshape the entire area—but honestly, I’m feeling a bit frustrated with the results. Everything feels somewhat uneven; there are these tiny bumps that might seem minor to some, but they are incredibly visible and driving me absolutely crazy. My primary goal from the very beginning was to smooth out those irregularities and finally get rid of this hooked shape to achieve a more refined profile.
I really need to keep up with the massages—everything still feels incredibly soft and tender—plus I've got some scabbing going on internally. Honestly, though, looking at how things are progressing, I'm not exactly seeing much sign that it’s going to get significantly better anytime soon.
I’m currently undergoing surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital—thankfully, they aren't charging me a dime for this and are working incredibly hard to find a permanent solution.
He told me that I should come back in a few months—at which point he’ll shave down the bridge and install an implant. It’s supposed to look like a tile—apparently the absolute best one on the market—extending from the root all the way to the tip of my nose. He mentioned it would give me more of a Greek profile, and the whole thing will be done under local anesthesia. It shouldn't take more than thirty minutes; he’ll just make an incision through the root area. I am truly hoping this is the final step in this journey—honestly, I just can't live in constant fear of what might happen next, especially when nobody can offer a hundred percent guarantee for anything. This isn't exactly what I originally envisioned or even wanted, which was terrifying at first, but I've had quite enough agony with this process. I'm starting to realize that the classic "sitting down" approach doesn't work for everyone—every body reacts differently, and sometimes, it really does feel like a total lottery.
Well, here we go...

It sounds like you've become a bit of a guinea pig—honestly, I have to wonder, why do you think it’ll actually work this time when the first two attempts didn't quite hit the mark? If you had that bump and a hooked nose before the first surgery, but now you're dealing with a saddle shape, my logical guess is that they just took off way too much during that initial procedure. It’s one of those unfortunate situations where you get exactly what you pay for, I suppose.🤷

Hmm, I'm actually pretty curious about this nose massaging thing...
Is everyone else who had surgery required to massage their nose too?

Or is it because of that implant (the one that absorbed)?

I just don't get why you'd need to massage the tip... I thought the cartilage was supposed to heal exactly how the doctor positioned it, right? Personally, I feel like I won't even want to touch my nose after surgery out of fear that I might accidentally move something out of place.🤷

That’s exactly what I thought too, but... turns out I was wrong :-) Now, I can get him to lose weight without any issues at all...

And honestly, those "intense massages" people talk about? They're nothing but pure nonsense...

Honestly, I don't even know anymore if I actually want cosmetic surgery 😢, but I have this totally legitimate health question. I’ve got a deviated septum, which isn't causing any massive issues right now—except for one annoying thing. At night, there is zero chance of me breathing through my nose. I just can't get that deep enough breath I need to finally chill out and fall asleep. I try, really, but everything feels so congested, and then I just end up mouth-breathing without even realizing it. Is this actually a big deal? Like, am I some kind of weird outlier or are there tons of other people who sleep like this too? 😁
And yeah, it's definitely not winning any beauty pageants looking like a total idiot at night with my mouth hanging wide open 😁

Drew Morales5 said:Honestly, I don't even know if I actually want cosmetic surgery anymore 😢, but I've got a straight-up medical question. I've got a deviated septum, and while it's not causing huge issues yet—except for one thing—it's driving me nuts. At night, there is zero chance of breathing through my nose. I just can't get that deep breath I need to chill out and fall asleep. I try, but everything feels so congested, so I just end up mouth-breathing instinctively. Is that actually a big deal? I can't tell if I'm just an outlier or if there are other people who sleep like this 😁
And yeah, looking like a total idiot at night with my mouth hanging wide open isn't exactly winning any beauty pageants 😁

Man, I have the exact same issues... thinking back, it's been my whole life... one nostril is always blocked during the day, and my nose gets bone-dry every single night. None of those sprays or allergy pills really did the trick for me. My doctor put me on Flixonase and some Claritin, which helps a tiny bit, but it's basically the same old story. Now, I'm totally hooked on Operil drops 😢 because once I realized how amazing it feels to actually breathe "with full lungs" through my nose, there was no going back—if I don't use them, my nose gets completely stuffed up and I can't sleep... plus there's the head pressure, the snoring, all that junk... I'm seriously torn on whether to go through with septum surgery or not 😢

Honestly, getting that taken care of is probably your best bet...
I went through the exact same thing. At first, I just brushed it off, thinking, "Eh, this is just how it is for everyone," but man, was I wrong. I’m pretty active in sports, and when you’re really winded, you need to be able to take those deep, calming breaths to settle your system down—but I simply couldn't catch enough air to actually do it. We'll see how things go from here, though. :-) The toughest part is that I feel like I've been catching every little cold lately; I felt like I was right on the edge of catching the flu, but I managed to nip that in the bud immediately, haha.