Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

Hannah Newman42 said:They didn't even give me any gauze, let alone tell me if I'm allowed to wrap anything up.😕

Do you ever have one of those moments where you've got a sterile gauze pad stuck right under your nose—like, actually taped over the bridge?
So, basically, you’d need a cast over the bridge of your nose—like a mold or something—and then underneath, you'd have this little strip of gauze covering your upper lip, held in place with some medical tape.
So, here’s the drill: you peel off the old bandage, take a look at the swab—maybe check for some scabs too—and then grab a cotton swab dipped in a bit of olive oil. Gently work that around the nostrils where things have started to crust up, and once that's done, just slap a fresh sterile patch right over the old adhesive.🙂
So, this basically means I’ve gone through about 20 tampons over the last three days—just waiting for the moment I finally get them out.
Afterward, I just went ahead and cleaned out my nostrils using a Q-tip dipped in some olive oil.

Hey George Robinson58, how's your nose doing? Did you end up getting it fixed?

Well, looking through these threads, I see quite a few horror stories... and honestly, I’m right there with you all, feeling the urge to get my nose fixed. My own nose looks a lot like Rihanna's—just one of those wider, more prominent features that’s always bothered me. 😢 http://img165.imageshack.us/i/rihanna30060ad031eh2.jpg/

northernpanther12 said:Wait, why aren't they in the hospital???

Honestly, that sounds pretty normal to me... I had some kind of constant drainage going on for about 3 or 4 days straight myself.

wanderingmason86 said:If allergies are the main culprit here, then you actually dodged a bullet. 😉
A ton of people deal with stuff just like this, and usually, they can manage it with nasal sprays. Your doctor will probably want to see allergy test results before prescribing some kind of spray therapy.

Do yourself a favor and check if you can breathe roughly the same through both nostrils—you know, after using those drops. If things feel asymmetrical, that usually points toward something that can only be fixed once and for all with surgery.

Anyway, you'll just have to wait and see what the doc says. Maybe the sprays will actually do the trick for you (nothing works for me, but hey, I'm just a 🙂).

I went in for allergy testing and turns out I'm allergic to basically everything under the sun^^ They put me on Claritin and Nasoflex, but it’s doing absolutely nothing for me... my nose is always stuffed up (actually, "congested" is more like it—when I try to blow my nose, nothing comes out... it feels like there's constant pressure inside)... the doctor mentioned I have a deviated septum, though it seems pretty mild to me... now I have to go see an ENT....

Hey everyone... I've been lurking around this thread for quite a while now and finally thought I'd just lay out what's actually bothering me, hoping to get some perspective because honestly, the more I read, the more confused I feel... 🤷

So, here's the deal: I have a deviated septum... I actually went to see an ENT specialist a few months back... though I’ve known about it forever since you can physically see my nose is shifted to one side. But I didn't really dwell on it... I just kind of adapted to it. Someone else mentioned thinking this is totally normal and happens to everyone, but for me, it's a constant thing where my nose runs during any activity, or I wake up with everything completely blocked... plus, I have a bit of a sunken chest, and combined with the nose issue, I can't seem to take a full breath, so I constantly get this sensation like I'm suffocating. I'm pretty active—hitting the gym and going for runs... and it's a real drag when I'm doing that because I can't breathe properly through my nose since there isn't enough airflow. I've heard all sorts of horror stories about the surgery, so my initial reaction was just "no thanks"... even though the crookedness bothers me a little aesthetically... but I'm not really the type to obsess over looks, so I figured I could live with it. However, a close friend brought it up because her deviation is even worse, and she's decided to go through with the procedure. Another buddy of mine had a great experience too... so after sitting with it for a bit, I've decided I should probably go for it before I regret not acting sooner... I'm still young enough 😂 and I have enough breathing room while I'm finishing up at college...

So, the plan is a septoplasty along with a dorsal hump correction, but nothing aggressive like shrinking the nose or anything like that.

I feel like I know the drill regarding the procedure and recovery... maybe two weeks total, and I realize it's different for everyone... some people have it easier, others harder. What's really weighing on me, though, is the rule about not wearing glasses... 😲 and again, I've heard so many conflicting things... whether it takes six months... or longer than that...

Can anyone who's actually gone through this share some details? Your own experiences... if it's truly worth it, or what else I should be bracing for... it would be especially helpful if you're someone who wears glasses 😉 because I used contacts for a while and they really messed up my eyes... caused some inflammation... and now I'm nervous about switching back during the recovery period... I'm stuck, because my prescription is pretty high...

Help people 🙏

Nicole Nguyen34 said:Hey George Robinson58—how’s the nose holding up? Did you finally go in to get it fixed?

Hey,

I've got my follow-up at the end of the first month—we'll see what Dr. Carić has to say then.
I can feel this weird little ridge right at the base of my nose—under my finger—but honestly, I have no clue if that’s actually linked to that issue I was having around the cartilage.
We'll see how things play out—but he did tell me straight up that you can't even think about doing this new surgery until at least four months have passed.
Don't worry—you can see I'm already on top of it... I'll keep you all posted.🙂
Look, I don't particularly care if I end up needing another surgery—I mean, it’s not like I’m thrilled about the idea—but whatever happens, happens. At the end of the day, I just want to get through it all and finally have a nose that actually looks decent and works properly.👍

Hang in there, you’ll get through this—and honestly, it’ll be worth it in the end 🙂
Keeping my fingers crossed for you 😉

I had my surgery back on December 10th of last year... my nose looks great, the swelling is gone, and I can breathe perfectly fine... all my stitches have fallen out already, except for the ones right at the tip (right at the bridge of the nose)... those little bits have started to sting a bit (kind of like when you have a scab)... I tried to pick them off myself, but they just won't budge! And it hurts quite a bit when I touch them!

Is it normal for those stitches to still be there after this much time?🤷

Either cut them out yourself, or let someone else handle it—or honestly, just go see your own surgeon and have them tell you what to do. It’s not weird; those cysts are pretty thick, so they don't absorb easily. Plus, the reason it feels like it's pulling is because the area is healing up.

Sophia Cook3 said:I had my surgery back on December 10th last year... my nose looks great, the swelling has gone down, and I have no trouble breathing. Most of the stitches have fallen out already, except for the ones right at the tip (right at the bridge)... those little areas have started stinging, almost like when you have a scab. I tried to remove them myself, but I can't get them off! And it’s painful whenever I touch them.

Is it normal for those stitches to stick around this long? 🤷

How was your recovery process?
Did you take any specific precautions? For instance, did you make sure to avoid cold air or smoky rooms, or were you back to your usual routine and moving around quite soon after getting home?

To everyone else here, what was your recovery like?

I actually bounced back incredibly fast... after just two days, I was already dying to get out of the house 😛 but my family wouldn't let me, mostly because I looked like some weird mashup of Kung Fu Panda and an Avatar character, haha! Honestly, I wasn't in any pain at all. Eight days after the surgery, I even went out for a full day of shopping (using about three layers of concealer under my eyes—seriously, give Artdeco's Camouflage a try 👍)... then, over Christmas and New Year's, I started hitting the town quite a bit, which meant smoky rooms and drinks were pretty much unavoidable! And I survived it all without any issues whatsoever!
My nose looks great, no bumps or anything... I did go for five sessions of manual lymphatic drainage. The only thing is my upper lip still feels a little strange and stiff sometimes.
Today marks one month and eight days since the procedure! To be honest, I feel like I never even had it done! But, obviously, I do have a much prettier nose now!

Please, I need some advice here.

I’m looking into getting a septoplasty for a deviated septum. It’s nothing crazy—I can breathe fine most of the time—but my left nostril is always a struggle. Basically, I took a heavy hit to the nose during a boxing match, and that little piece of cartilage on the left side got shifted and cracked. Apparently, they need to clear out that tiny bit so I can actually breathe through the left side normally.

Following a recommendation, I went to Johns Hopkins Hospital to see Dr. Martin Jurlin.
The guy spent maybe three minutes checking me out before telling me the whole thing has to be done under general anesthesia.

Then he drops this absolute bombshell. He basically told me he isn't responsible if the procedure doesn't go well. I was like, WTF?! 😲

When I tried to ask him what he meant by that or how the surgery would actually work, he just ignored me. He acted like he couldn't even hear me.

So now what? Do I go to a private specialist, like maybe Dr. Ostojić, and pay $2667 for the surgery, or do I risk it with a surgeon who acts like he couldn't care less?

Has anyone else dealt with this doctor at Johns Hopkins Hospital?

That was my experience too—the doctor at the Mercy Hospital unit took one look at me and said, "Alright, we’re going to operate." He didn't even hesitate; he just rolled with general anesthesia and wrote down a date right then and there... then basically whisked me off to surgery since the patient was already under.
As for what they said about things not looking right if it doesn't work out—I honestly have no clue what they meant by that. Maybe they were implying that if they end up removing that specific piece of cartilage, my nose might end up looking a bit messed up? 😂

Joseph Hughes7 said:Please, I need some advice here.

I’ve got to go in for a septoplasty to fix a deviated septum. It’s nothing crazy—I can breathe just fine—but my left nostril feels totally obstructed. Back when I was training boxing, I took a massive hit to the nose during one of my matches, and now there's this tiny little piece of cartilage on the left side that's shifted and fractured. The docs say they need to remove that little fragment so I can actually breathe properly through the left side.

Based on a recommendation, I went over to Johns Hopkins Hospital to see Dr. Martin Jurlina.
The guy barely spent three minutes looking at me before telling me the whole thing has to be done under general anesthesia.

But then, he dropped this absolute bombshell. He told me straight up that he CANNOT guarantee success if the procedure doesn't go exactly as planned. I was like, "WTF?!" 😲

When I tried to press him on what he meant by that or how the surgery would actually look, he just completely brushed me off, acting like he couldn't even hear me. Total dodge.

So, what’s the move? Do I head to a private specialist, like maybe Dr. Ostojić, and shell out $2667 for the surgery? Or do I take the gamble with a surgeon who acts like he couldn't care less about the outcome?

Has anyone here had any experience dealing with this doctor at Johns Hopkins Hospital?

I’ve heard something similar myself, though it came from a private specialist—that they can't promise things will be better after the fact. Honestly, some doctors act like there’s "nothing to be done," which is often just a lazy way of saying they don't want to deal with the headache.

At this point, how you interpret that is entirely up to you. If you’re an optimist, you might think the doctor is just being brutally honest and transparent about the risks, while everyone else is just being too cautious. But if you lean the other way, you’ll probably feel like there are better physicians out there who *can* offer more confidence, leading you down a never-ending rabbit hole of searching for the "perfect" surgeon.

I personally went to three different specialists for consultations, and I’m still no wiser. Sometimes it feels like either everyone is running away from my specific issue, or they’re just trying to squeeze every cent out of me. Generally speaking, very few people will give you a 100% guarantee on anything.

That said, I have only heard glowing reviews regarding Dr. Martin Jurlina’s expertise (even though I haven't sat in his exam room myself). Just to be safe, I’d suggest putting together a list of questions and getting a second—or third—opinion. If everyone else gives you the same uncertain answer, then maybe heading back to Jurlin is your best bet. 🙂

Joseph Hughes7 said:Please, I really need an answer.

I have to go in for septoplasty to fix a deviated septum; it’s nothing major, I can breathe fine, but my left nostril feels a bit blocked. During one of my boxing matches, I took a heavy hit to the nose, and now a tiny piece of cartilage on the left side is shifted and cracked. They need to remove that little fragment so I can breathe properly through the left side.

Based on a recommendation, I went to Johns Hopkins Hospital to see Dr. Martin Jurlina.
The guy checked me out for about three minutes and just told me the whole thing would be done under general anesthesia.

And then he dropped this absolute bombshell: HE ISN'T RESPONSIBLE IF THE PROCEDURE DOESN'T WORK OUT. I was like, WTF! 😲

When I tried to ask him what he meant by that or how the surgery would actually look, he didn't give me any answers at all and just acted like he couldn't hear me.

So, what's the move here? Should I go to a private specialist like Dr. Ostojić and pay $2667 for the surgery, or should I risk it with a surgeon who acts like he doesn't even care?

Does anyone here have experience with this doctor from Johns Hopkins Hospital?

I honestly can't say what the doctor actually intended to convey, but I do know that with any procedure like this, you end up signing a waiver stating you're doing it at your own risk. Maybe that's just what he was trying to get at, or perhaps he simply isn't sure he can achieve the specific results you want for your nose and didn't want to give you any false hope.🤷
It could also just be that the man doesn't know how to handle people, which doesn't necessarily mean he isn't highly skilled at his job... though I've heard plenty of stories about private doctors and their bedside manner too.
Anyway, I'm scheduled for that exact same procedure in a week at the public hospital, and I'm just hoping everything goes smoothly and doesn't leave things worse than they were.😁

It’s been about nine days since my surgery, and honestly, my nose still looks massive to me. I realize it’s just swelling, obviously, but does anyone actually know how much longer this is going to take to subside? I read somewhere that someone claimed they only saw another 5% reduction left to go. I am desperately hoping for a much more dramatic decrease than that. What have your experiences been like? It’s technically smaller than it was before and looks flatter, but it isn't significantly smaller yet, nor is it perfectly straight. I already told Dr. Carić that I want it reduced, shortened, and straightened out even more. I really want it to be much smaller—just snap! Is it realistic to hope for that, or am I being delusional? Help me out here. Please, give me some comfort.

Hannah Newman42 said:It’s been about nine days since my surgery and my nose still looks huge. I get that there's swelling, but does anyone know how much more it’ll go down? I read somewhere someone said just another 5%. I’m hoping for a bigger drop. What’s your experience? It’s smaller than before and flatter, but not by much, and it's not perfectly straight. I told the doctor I want it smaller, shorter, and straighter. I want it way smaller—shrink it! Can I actually hope for that? Help me out here. Give me some comfort.

Who was your surgeon?
The swelling's gotta go down, it's still super fresh right now. 😉😉

Dr. Tončić

Hannah Newman42 said:It’s been about nine days since my surgery, and my nose still looks way too big. I get that there's swelling, but does anyone know how much more it's going to go down? I read somewhere that someone said maybe another 5%. I’m really hoping for a bigger change. What have you guys experienced? It’s smaller than before and flatter, but it’s not significantly smaller and isn't perfectly straight. I actually told my doctor that I want it smaller, shorter, and straighter. I want it much smaller—shrink it! Am I allowed to hope for that? Help! Someone please comfort me.

Alright, let me try to offer some comfort here.🙂

I haven't had the surgery myself (yet😁), but I went in for a consultation, and the doctor mentioned that patients often worry the change is too subtle right after the procedure. There are a few reasons for this. First off, the swelling hasn't fully subsided yet. Second, usually, when someone is obsessed with their nose, they tend to overanalyze it—me included, honestly, I can't help it😁—so it feels bigger than it actually is because you've been staring at it for hours on end; you just lose all objectivity. Then there's the issue where people often ask for a nose that doesn't actually suit their face shape. We might not realize it ourselves, but I trust that surgeons who specialize in rhinoplasty are competent enough to make that call🙂. They won't give you a miniature nose that leaves you dissatisfied, which would be WAY harder to fix than a nose that's slightly too large.
My doctor emphasized that she takes photos at various stages of recovery to document the progress and prove the results.

Hopefully, you'll feel more satisfied in a few weeks.🙂 Keep us posted.😉