Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

Hey, so... here’s how it looked before
http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._6729537_n.jpg

And then there's the after...

http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._1450079_n.jpg

I figured I'd just post them here instead of sending a private message to everyone, right? 😁

driftingpuma26, you have such a great nose! sorry, I've read so many posts lately I can't even remember who you were hanging out with... do you have a front-facing photo? your profile is awesome!

MM, this is absolutely fantastic!! Huge congrats on the new stroller, it really is lovely 🙂

I have to ask, what made you decide to go with Tončić specifically? Forgive me if you’ve already touched on that...

driftingpuma26 said:hey... here's before
http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._6729537_n.jpg

and after..

http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._1450079_n.jpg

didn't want to spam everyone with a PM 😁

oh my godddddddd😲
this looks incredible!!! Seriously, you had such a huge nose—tell me, do you feel like a whole new person now, or just a better version of yourself??!! That’s actually what scares me most—the idea that I might end up looking unrecognizable. Even though we can only see part of your face here, I wouldn't even be able to match this person to the one in the top photo... Your nose is perfect

👍

Absolutely perfect! This is what a successful rhinoplasty looks like 👍
It’s just an objective fact that it's actually easier to fix a nose with this kind of structure than it is to handle one where you're just looking for tiny, subtle tweaks...

So, I went to see Tončić... during my initial consultation, I met his younger counterpart, who did the exam and walked me through the whole surgical plan. Honestly, I was sold right then and there—they are just so incredibly approachable. Plus, the clinic itself looks world-class! It really caught my eye because if someone invests that much into their facility, they clearly know what they’re doing...
The actual surgery was performed by the elder Tončić, and let me tell you, the man is phenomenal. He completely calmed my nerves before we started; we just chatted, he cracked a few jokes to get me to relax, and everything felt so easy. Even the nursing staff is wonderful—they actually give you a direct number for the nurses so you can reach out anytime from midnight to noon if you need anything after the procedure. As for the recovery? I wasn't in any pain at all, and I didn't deal with any bruising whatsoever. I am just beyond happy with how everything turned out!
I'll try to post a front-facing photo later this afternoon... 😁

Oh, and before anyone asks—no, I haven't become a different person... I just have way more confidence now!! And I am sooo much happier!! I know the swelling around my nose needs a little more time to subside, but even now... it already looks perfect!

driftingpuma26 said:I went to see Tončić... I had my initial consultation with the younger Tončić—he did the exam, walked me through the whole surgery process, etc. It really won me over right away because they’re just so approachable. Plus, the clinic looks top-tier, like something out of a high-end magazine! And honestly, if someone invests that much into their facility, they have to be good at what they do.
The older Tončić was actually the one who performed the surgery, and man, he is phenomenal. He completely calmed my nerves beforehand—we chatted, he cracked jokes to get me to relax, the whole nine yards. The nurses were wonderful too; they even gave me a direct number so I could reach them 24/7 after the procedure. Post-op, I wasn't in any pain, and there was zero bruising. I am just totally thrilled!
I'll post a front-facing photo this afternoon... 😁

And yeah, I haven't become a different person... I just have way more confidence now!! And I'm sooo much happier!! I know the swelling still needs to go down a bit, but even now... it's already perfect!

Did he actually touch the tip—like, narrow the nose?......???
Or did you just move the bump and shorten it...
Seriously though, it looks stunning on you.😉

driftingpuma26 said:yo.. look at this before
http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._6729537_n.jpg

and after..

http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._1450079_n.jpg

not trying to spam everyone's inbox 😁

this is insane 👍, you're a totally different person now. seriously impressive work by the doc, he killed it 👍

The tip of my nose had started drifting toward the right side—you’ll be able to see what I mean in the photo I’m planning to post later this afternoon... but they actually managed to straighten it out completely.

Hey everyone!
I’ve been lurking here for a while now... honestly, I’ve read pretty much every single post in this thread. Some of you have been a lifesaver, but I’ll admit, some of the info has just made my head spin even more. 😁 It shouldn't be a mystery why I'm finally jumping into the fray... I'm planning on getting nose surgery myself, obviously. 👍 Look, the actual surgery doesn't scare me one bit, and the recovery process is even less of an issue... My massive headache is just finding a specialist who actually knows what they're doing so I don't end up hating my reflection. I had one procedure back in the day through my insurance... I can't recall the exact year, but I vividly remember lying in that hospital bed watching the USA-England soccer match—you know, the one where we basically got lucky thanks to a fluke goal? The guys on here probably remember that mess. 😁 My nose isn't huge or particularly bumpy; it's just crooked. I had surgery once before to fix a deviated septum because I could barely breathe. Sure, the breathing part worked out fine after the operation, but they didn't touch the aesthetics... in fact, it’s been the opposite. As the years go by, it's getting progressively more crooked... if it keeps going like this, my nose tip is going to merge with my earlobe. 🤣 And the breathing situation is just getting worse and worse. I've been doing some deep dives online... the specific thing I need is called rhinoseptoplasty. On Dr. Ostojić's website, it says that's the "most demanding type of rhinoplasty" because it handles everything—both the look and the function.
To cut to the chase... my question is this: since I'm living in San Diego... before I even bother scheduling a first consultation... do any of you know which of these doctors actually bother to reply to emails? I was thinking about sending over a few photos and using their response to decide who's worth an actual appointment. After scrolling through all your posts, I've "narrowed down" my list to Bastajić, Ostojić, and Tončić... though I haven't completely crossed Glumičić and Glušac off yet. So, you see why I put "narrowed" in quotes... it’s not exactly a short list. 😕 🤷
Thanks in advance for any help you can give.

rustygardener172 said:Hi everyone!
I’ve been lurking here for a while now, catching up on all the threads. To be honest, some of this has been helpful, while other parts have just made my indecision worse. 😁 It shouldn't be a mystery why I'm posting... I am planning to undergo nose surgery myself. 👍 I'm not at all intimidated by the procedure, nor am I worried about the recovery process. My singular struggle is identifying a specialist capable of delivering a result that actually meets my expectations. I had one surgery once through public insurance—I can't recall the exact year, but I vividly remember watching the USA-England soccer match from a hospital bed; we lost that one thanks to a bad referee call, which I assume the men on this forum will remember quite well... 😁 My nose isn't particularly large or hooked, but it is crooked. Back then, I had a septoplasty because I couldn't breathe properly. While the breathing improved after the operation, they didn't fix the shape; in fact, over the years, the deviation has only worsened. At this rate, my tip might eventually merge with my philtrum 🤣 and my breathing will continue to deteriorate. I’ve been doing my research online, and the specific procedure I need is called rhinoseptoplasty. On Dr. Ostojić's website, it's described as the "most demanding type of rhinoplasty" because it addresses both aesthetic and functional issues simultaneously.
To get to the point: since I'm based in San Diego... before I even commit to an initial consultation... does anyone know which of the doctors mentioned actually respond to emails? I was thinking of sending a few photos to gauge their response before deciding who to see in person. Based on everything I've read here, I've narrowed my list down to Bastajić, Ostojić, and Tončić... though Glumičić and Glušac haven't been completely ruled out yet. You can see why I put "narrowed" in quotation marks... because the selection isn't exactly small. 😕 🤷
Thanks in advance for any insight you can provide.

Yes, finding a reliable surgeon is always a challenge. I understand the predicament. 🤣

From my own experience, Ostojić is quite prompt with email replies. As for the others you listed, I haven't reached out to them, so I can't speak to their responsiveness. 😁

Have you looked closely at the results produced by the doctors in your "shortlist"?

rustygardener172 said:Hey everyone.
I’ve been lurking here for a while now. Read every single post in this thread. Honestly? Some helped me out, but some just made things worse. 😁 It’s pretty obvious why I’m posting here... I’m planning on getting nose surgery myself, obviously. 👍 I'm not scared of surgery, and I'm definitely not worried about recovery. My only real issue is finding a specialist who actually knows what they're doing so I end up happy with the results. I’ve had one procedure before through my insurance—can't remember exactly which year—but I know I was stuck in a hospital bed watching the England-USA game. We lost that one thanks to a bad call by the ref, which I'm sure the guys on here remember. 😁 My nose isn't big or hooked, it’s just crooked. I went under the knife at the hospital to fix a deviated septum because I could barely breathe. Sure, the surgery fixed my breathing, but they didn't touch the shape of my nose. In fact, it’s actually getting worse. As the years go by, the bend gets more extreme. Pretty soon, my nose tip is going to merge right into my ear. 🤣 I can barely breathe anymore. Did some digging online, and turns out the surgery I need is called rhinoseptoplasty. According to Dr. Smith’s website, it’s basically the heavy hitter of nose jobs because it handles everything—the looks and the breathing functionality at once.
To cut to the chase... here’s my question: since I’m out in San Diego, I want to know before I even bother booking an initial appointment—do any of the doctors mentioned actually reply to emails? I was thinking about sending over a few photos first to see who responds, then I'll decide who to see. After reading through all your posts, I’ve "narrowed" my list down to Baker, Smith, and Thompson... though Miller and Garcia haven't totally dropped off my radar yet. And yeah, that's why I put "narrowed" in quotes... because it's still a pretty big group. 😕 🤷
Thanks in advance for any input.

I'm with Paul Sullivan88 on this one. I know from experience that Dr. Smith actually replies to emails.😉

Paul Sullivan88, you better be rooting for me. I’ve officially started the countdown.😛

Kate Thompson45 said:Yeah, finding a decent doctor is always such a massive headache. I totally get it. 🤣

I know from personal experience that Dr. Smith is actually pretty quick when it comes to replying to emails. I haven't reached out to the other ones you mentioned, so I have zero clue how fast they are! 😁

Have you had a chance to check out any of the nose results from the doctors on your "shortlist"?

Thanks so much for the heads-up!! I actually saw the nose of a girl who’s also on this forum—brightotter21. We happened to cross paths and hung out for a few days, and if she hadn't mentioned she'd had surgery, I honestly never would have suspected a thing. She went to Baker... and man, I gotta say, her nose is perfect... it fits her face shape so naturally, it's like she was born with it. Because of her, Baker actually made it onto my shortlist. Before meeting her, I hadn't even heard his name. Plus, nobody on this forum has said a single bad thing about him. But then again... her procedure wasn't quite the same as mine... I'd really love to see some results from someone who dealt with the exact same issue I did... you know, a normal size, perfectly straight from the profile, but slightly upturned at the tip 😁 I've been scrolling through all these different doctors' websites... and like someone else already pointed out: Miller has been doing this for almost a decade now (though he could probably use a little refresh 🙂), and everyone else just posts side profiles... except for Dr. Smith, who's the only one showing front views... which is what I care about most... but even he doesn't have any examples of a crooked nose 😠
Honestly, I'm losing my mind here... I feel like the more I overthink this, the harder it gets to actually pick someone 😢

driftingpuma26 said:I went to see Dr. Thompson... the younger Thompson did my initial exam, walked me through the whole surgical plan, etc. It really sold me right away because they’re so down-to-earth—plus, the clinic looks world-class!! If someone invests that much into their facility, you know they know what they're doing.
The older Thompson actually performed the surgery, and honestly, the guy is phenomenal. He totally calmed my nerves beforehand—we just chatted, he was cracking jokes to get me to relax, etc. The nurses are awesome too; they even give you a direct number so you can reach them 24/7 after the procedure. I didn't have any pain post-op, and there was zero bruising. I am beyond happy!
I'll post a front view photo this afternoon... 😁

And yeah, I'm not a different person... I just have way more confidence now!! And I am sooo much happier!! The swelling still needs to go down a bit, but man... it’s already perfect!

I usually just lurk here, but this blew me away—Dr. Thompson gave you a beautiful nose 🙏 I've been staring at my own nose for years waiting to save up enough cash, so if I can still swing it, I might finally go for it (I have a tiny bump visible in profile)... I've been researching online and would probably head to Dr. Thompson, could you tell me how much the surgery cost you?

It is absolute chaos over at Mercy Hospital—everything is completely slammed, and they’ve actually sent us home to wait a few days
They told us to head back in on Monday, and then maybe, just *maybe*, we'll finally get scheduled for surgery. It's total madness!

Ashley Hayes11 said:I usually just lurk and read everything, but this really caught my eye—your nose looks absolutely stunning after what Dr. Thompson did. 🙏I’ve been staring at my own nose for years now, just waiting until I can finally save up enough cash. If I'm still feeling up for it down the road, I'd love to go through with a procedure myself (there's this tiny bump that's super noticeable from the side)... I've been doing some digging online and I'll probably end up seeing Dr. Thompson. Could you tell me how much the surgery actually cost you?

It's about 10,000, plus 250 for the initial consultation...
The surgery itself typically ranges from 10,000 to 14,000. It all really depends on how complex the case is.

Hey driftingpuma26, you look absolutely stunning 🙏

Ashley Young34 said:I’m with Paul Sullivan88 on this one; I know from experience that Dr. Smith actually gets back to people via email.😉

Paul Sullivan88, quit holding your breath for me—I've already started the countdown.😛

Darling, of course I'm rooting for you! Only one more week to go... it'll be over before you know it, believe me.
It’s going to be fantastic, I just know it! 😉

Kate Thompson45 said:Dragaaaaa, of course I'm pulling for you! Just one more week... it'll be over before you know it, trust me.
It’s gonna be awesome, I'm sure of it. 😉

Thanks a lot. 🙂It’ll be over quick. This time next Monday, I’ll be on the operating table. 😲Honestly, I'm starting to feel the panic setting in. 😁

Just take it slow and stay relaxed! 🙂