Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

Donna Wells90 said:Well, what I have isn't a granuloma, then.

Your PM just won't go through; try clearing out your old messages...

Alex Moore62 said:Your PM isn't going through. Clear out your old messages...

Yeah, I am.😁

rapiddriver14 said:I went to Zambelli about three months ago and dropped 2,200 bucks on it. I will say this: the nurses there are incredibly sweet and kind, but the guy? He's a total weirdo. When he was pulling the swabs out of my nose, I actually passed out! My blood pressure just tanked from the pain and I hit the floor🤣. My nose looks fine, honestly. Most people don't even notice because the difference isn't massive, but since I'm constantly staring at myself in the mirror, I find tiny imperfections everywhere. But hey, he did the job right. The only thing bugging me is some scarring inside my nose; it makes my nose run almost every day, which is super annoying to deal with😁.
Recovery was pretty fast for me—after seven days, I felt like a new person, even though he basically broke my face during the process... I’d recommend it to any girls (or guys, if they're into that) who have the cash and are truly unhappy with their nose. But listen: if you aren't 100% sure about what you want, DO NOT DO IT.
One more thing: IT DOESN'T HURT. You just have to be careful not to bump it, because it’s incredibly sensitive for at least a day and a half.

Please, tell me more about this Zambelli guy. I'm planning on going to him too, but reading all these forum posts about how "he's this" or "he's that" has me a little spooked... If he's a solid surgeon and gave you the nose you actually wanted, maybe I'll find the guts to go through with it.

Can someone please give me the lowdown on Dr. Bagatin?
I see plenty of people on this forum talking about nose surgery, but nobody seems to be mentioning
Dr. Bagatin.
Has seriously nobody here been in his office?
I’m thinking about booking a consultation with him, so if anyone can share their personal experience or what you actually think of this doctor,
please do.

Dana Lopez8 said:Could you give me a little more insight regarding Zambelli? I’m actually planning on booking him myself, but after reading some of the chatter on this forum, I’m starting to feel a bit uneasy... If he’s truly a skilled surgeon and if he delivered the nose you were actually looking for, then maybe you can convince me to change my mind and go with him too.

I had my procedure with Zambelli about four months ago, and honestly, I couldn't be happier with the results.😁

It’s been nine months since my surgery, and I just had a follow-up with Zambelli yesterday. Honestly, I went because my nose isn't quite what it should be. It started narrowing, creating this gap on one side that he had to fill with cartilage. Well, he overfilled it a bit, so now I have to go back to get it "trimmed." There's also the issue that it isn't perfectly straight. Everyone tells me it looks fine, and even Zambelli suggested waiting until the first month mark to address it.
(Basically, you have to wait a full year for everything to settle so you can actually see the final result)
so we can fix it.
I’m really hoping I don't have to pay extra for this, especially since I already dropped 2,200 bucks out of pocket.

He mentioned he’ll do the procedure under local anesthesia, which absolutely terrifies me!!!
Look, Zambelli is the type of guy who will tell you straight up, "It’s going to hurt." Even if it’s just a little sting, I feel like I'm dying...

Overall, my nose is okay. I'm not 100% thrilled, but I'll get it sorted in the first month. Most people don't even notice the flaw, but of course, I see it.

Just a heads-up: removing the packing hurts. From my experience, I literally passed out. The pain is sudden but intense—like someone is pulling your brain out through your nose. Not trying to scare you, though; everyone's experience is different.
As for the general anesthesia, I did fine. No nausea, no dizziness, and I could even nap for a bit while watching TV.

The nurses at Zambelli's clinic are amazing. One of them actually held my hand while I was crying right after I woke up from surgery... I panicked when I came to because my mom wasn't there.🙂😍

Just one quick note: I was torn between going to Kinčl or Zambelli. I went to an appointment with Kinčl and told him the bridge of my nose felt a bit too long, but he basically told me that couldn't be shortened or whatever.
But when I asked Zambelli the exact same thing, he said it was totally doable—and most importantly, he actually did it, and it looks great.

😛

rapiddriver14 said:It’s been nine months since my surgery, and I had a follow-up with Zambelli yesterday. To be honest, I went because my nose isn't quite where it should be. There was this narrowing issue—basically a gap on one side—that he had to fill with cartilage. Well, he overcompensated a bit, so now I have to go back and have it "trimmed." On top of that, it’s not exactly perfectly straight. Even though everyone tells me it looks fine, and even Zambelli suggested coming back in month twelve
(meaning you really need a full year for everything to settle and see the final result)
to fix it.
I’m just praying I don't have to pay extra for this, considering I already dropped 2,200 dollars upfront.

He mentioned doing it under local anesthesia, which absolutely terrifies me!!!
Look, Zambelli is the type of guy who won't sugarcoat it; if it's going to hurt, he'll tell you straight up. It might just be a little stinging, but for me, even minor pain feels like pure agony...

Otherwise, my nose is okay. I'm not 100% thrilled, but I’ll get it sorted in month twelve. Honestly, nobody else even notices the flaw, but of course, I can see it.

To reiterate: removing the packing hurts. In my experience, it was intense enough to make me pass out. The pain is momentary, but it's brutal—like someone is trying to pull your brain out through your nostrils. Not trying to scare you, though; everyone's experience is different.
As for the general anesthesia, I handled that just fine. No nausea, no dizziness, and I actually managed to nap for a bit while watching TV.

The nurses at Zambelli's clinic are wonderful. One of them actually held my hand while I was crying right after I woke up from surgery... I panicked when I came to because my mom wasn't there. 🙂😍

Just one quick note: I was torn between choosing Kinčl or Zambelli. When I went for a consultation with Kinčl, I mentioned that the nasal bridge felt a bit too long, and he basically told me that shortening it wasn't an option.
But when I asked Zambelli the same thing, he said it could be done, and most importantly, he actually did it, and it looks great.

😛

Hey, I was there too. The nurses are phenomenal! Why were you crying? 🤣 Waking up is the best part! I slept like a baby. I also had my bridge shortened and I love it. The packing was definitely "awful," but nowhere near making me pass out... those tiny little threads around my nose drove me crazy while he was pulling them out. 👎
So, it’s not perfectly straight? How are you planning to fix that in month twelve? Are they opening it up again? 😲

vividfox said:Hey, I was there too. The nurses are absolutely amazing! Why were you crying 🤣? Honestly, waking up is the best part! I got some great sleep. I also had my nostrils trimmed and they feel awesome! My tampons were "awful," but nothing close to passing out... those little bits around my nose just drove me crazy while they were pulling them out 👎
So, it isn't completely flat, and how are you going to fix that in a month? By opening it back up again?😲

YES!! I’m going to lose it! Even the doctor told me it would hurt!
Oh my God, WHY ME??!!
I'll be under local anesthesia... I am terrified...
And I was crying just because that's who I am—I cry at everything. It wasn't even about the pain, it just... happens, I guess

rapiddriver14 said:YES!! I am actually losing my mind here! And he literally warned me it would hurt!
Oh my God, WHY ME??!!
They’re doing it under local anesthesia... I am absolutely terrified...
And honestly, I was crying just because that's how I am—I just start sobbing at everything. It wasn't even about the pain, it's just... I don't know, it just happens.

Please, please do not panic 😉
My surgery was on September 16th under local anesthesia... and I slept like a baby the whole time... I woke up once everything was already finished. Not a single second of it hurt—not one bit. There is seriously nothing to be afraid of, just try to relax.

rapiddriver14 said:YES!! I'm losing my mind! They even warned me it would hurt!
Oh God, WHY ME??!!
They’re doing it under local anesthesia... I am dreading this...
And I was crying just because that's who I am—I burst into tears over everything. It's not even about the pain, it's just... I don't know, it just happens.

Are you sure it isn't level and that you really have to go through with this again? If I recall correctly, you mentioned you were the only one noticing any irregularities....

Bagatin ?????
Seriously... out of everyone here, not one single person can tell me anything about him?
Has really nobody seen him before?

Unfortunately, this wasn't my first time going under the knife, but man, it was easily the best experience yet... I cannot recommend Dr. Tončić enough—he and his entire team are just top-tier. We're talking elite expertise, total professionalism, and that genuine warmth and teamwork you just don't see everywhere. I could go on and on about them, but I don't want anyone getting the wrong idea... let's just say I finally took the cast off and I was so incredibly happy I actually found myself crying tears of joy on the drive home... my nose already looks amazing and fits my face perfectly; it doesn't even have that "I definitely had surgery" look to it...
At the end of the day, we all have the freedom to decide when, where, and how much we want to tweak our noses, and I am just so glad I made the choice I did... honestly, I feel like a whole new chapter of my life started today. I'm officially putting an end to that insecurity and moving past it for good... yeah, I'm feeling free and happy again...

Susan Watson31 said:Unfortunately, this wasn't my first time under the knife, but it was easily the best experience yet... I can't recommend Dr. Tončić enough. He and his entire team are just exceptional—from their technical skill and professionalism to their genuine warmth and how well they work together. I could go on, but I don't want to sound too sentimental... Let's just say I finally took the mold off and was so incredibly happy that I actually found myself crying tears of joy on the drive home. My nose already looks wonderful and fits my face perfectly; you wouldn't even know I had surgery...
We all have the freedom to decide when, with whom, and to what extent we want to fix our noses, and I'm just glad I made this choice. I feel like a new chapter of my life started today... I'm finally putting an end to this insecurity and stopping the habit of hiding my face behind my hand. Yeah, I actually feel free and happy again...

Good for you!! Enjoy this new chapter without having to hide behind your hand anymore!! 😍

Susan Watson31 said:Unfortunately, this wasn't my first time under the knife, but it was easily the best experience I've ever had. I can't recommend Dr. Tončić enough. He and his entire team are just outstanding—their expertise, professionalism, and genuine kindness make such a difference. I could go on, but I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea about how much I appreciate them. Honestly, I just took the mold off and I'm so happy I actually cried tears of joy while driving home. My nose already looks beautiful and fits my face perfectly; you can't even tell I had surgery...
We all have the freedom to decide when, where, and how much we want to fix our noses. I’m just glad I made the choice I did. I feel like a new chapter of my life started today. I'm finally putting an end to that insecurity and moving past it. Yeah, once again, I feel free and happy...

👋 😍

Susan Watson31 said:Sadly, this wasn't my first time going under the knife, but it was definitely the best experience yet. I can't recommend Dr. Tončić enough. He and his entire team are top-tier—super skilled, professional, and just genuinely kind people. I could go on, but I don't want anyone getting the wrong idea... anyway, I just took the cast off and I'm so happy I actually teared up driving home. My nose looks amazing already and fits my face perfectly; you can't even tell I had surgery...
We all get to decide when, where, and how much we want to fix our noses, and I'm just glad I made this choice. Honestly, feels like a new chapter in my life is starting today. I'm finally done with this insecurity and moving past it. Yeah, I feel free and happy again...

So glad you're happy😉👋👋👋

Me too, 🙂 I can shoot you some photos via DM—or honestly, maybe just email is better

Hey 🙂🙂🙂

It’s been about two days since they removed the sutures 😁 and honestly, there isn't any swelling, bruising, or any of those typical red marks to speak of 😁. It looks absolutely wonderful, just lovely. Everything sits so naturally 🙂)) Most people don't even realize I had surgery; only those who already knew are asking, and they're all equally thrilled with how it turned out.
I have to admit, when I was dealing with blood leaking from my nose and all that mess, I found myself questioning why I was even putting myself through this, but now? I'm just happy and completely satisfied with the result.
I've already been out with friends and headed to campus; I'm moving around normally and everything feels great.
I'll post a photo soon, once I finally track down my USB drive -.-''''

😍😍😍

Sophia Doyle53 said:Hey

It’s been two days since they removed the sutures 😁 and honestly, zero bruising, no swelling, and absolutely no discoloration or anything like that. 😁 My nose looks fantastic—really, truly lovely. 🙂 People don't even realize I had surgery; only those who already knew are asking about it, and they're just as thrilled with the results as I am.
I won't lie, seeing blood coming out of my nose was pretty terrifying at the time, and I definitely questioned why I even went through with all this. But now? I'm happy and completely satisfied with how everything turned out.
I’ve already been out with friends and back on campus; I'm moving around normally, and everything feels great.
I'll post a photo soon. Once I actually find my USB drive... -.-''''

😍😍😍

Good for you!! 😁😍👍

Hey everyone! I feel like I’ve read pretty much every single post here, and honestly, it seems like everyone is thrilled with how their surgeries turned out, which is great to hear!
But I really want to hear the other side of things—is anyone actually *unhappy* with their final results?! I had my rhinoplasty back in January, and I still haven't gotten used to my "new" nose. It’s not even a massive change, and none of my friends or family have even noticed anything different—partly because I didn't tell everyone, but still. For me, the change feels absolutely drastic, and I just can't seem to get used to it!!!!
I'm wondering if anyone else is going through this exact same thing?

Hi everyone,
I just registered on the forum. I've been following along for a while, but I haven't really posted anything until now. I started keeping a close eye on this specific thread once I decided I actually wanted to go through with nose surgery.
Reading about your experiences helped me quite a bit, so I figured I should share mine here too. To be honest, right before the surgery, I stumbled upon a post by Laura Booth6 and it freaked me out a little. My procedure was done under general anesthesia, though... still, while I was lying on the table, I couldn't help but wonder what kind of sedation they were using after the anesthesiologist mentioned something about a "sweet rose" sensation.😁
Anyway, all those fears are completely normal, even if they don't make much sense—especially if you choose general anesthesia. Since my nose was a bit complicated—meaning I needed to fix both the function and the aesthetics—the doctor handled it perfectly. He used the closed technique and finished everything in about an hour and a half.
The surgery was last night. I made it back home to my place near Orlando... around 1 AM. I wasn't tired at all; in fact, I felt great. I guess that was just the effect of the anesthesia. When I woke up, the staff was there to "comfort" me, and they were honestly wonderful. They had this lighthearted yet calming vibe that really meant a lot to me during that waking period.😉 Today at 1 PM, I had my packing removed. Even though the drive left me exhausted, the doctor was so efficient that I didn't feel a thing.
I'm still getting used to breathing through my mouth. It feels like whenever I try to sleep, since my body hasn't adjusted to breathing this way yet, I wake up immediately... maybe it's some subconscious fear about not being able to breathe. I hope tonight goes okay. If not, I'll probably just sleep for thirty minutes, then another thirty, and so on, throughout the night.😁
It isn't a big deal, really. I can handle four days of discomfort if it means I'll breathe easily and look great for the rest of my life.😉 Of course, everything is still swollen, so it's impossible to see the final result right now. In a few days, after some light nasal massage, it should look fine.
I need to use drops and some paraffin oil to soften the scabs inside so I can breathe better. I just wanted to ask if anyone else has used these types of drops—should I blow my nose gently afterward, or will it just drain down my throat? :S I forgot to ask the doctor today... it seems more logical to blow it out, but I thought I'd ask if anyone else has dealt with the drops.