Rhinoplasty: Experiences and recovery tips?

rustygardener172 said:Just checking in... today is my first day post-op. I’m starting to swell and seeing some bruising today, but honestly? No pain at all. I feel amazing—even if I look a little rough right now 😁
The surgery went perfectly! At least, that's what they told me... everything is functioning properly now, which really helps the aesthetics too—my nose is finally straight. I took the tampons out this morning, and just before they put the splint on, I caught a glimpse of myself... it looks gorgeous!! Even with the swelling, I absolutely love it!!!!!! My mom was there with me, and she is totally thrilled! The whole team in Malibu was wonderful... I can't even pick just one person to highlight. I was incredibly nervous before the procedure, but those four—the surgeon, the anesthesiologist, the nurse, and the tech—really helped me relax and kept me laughing... seriously, nothing but praise for them! They were lovely!
If anyone else has questions, please feel free to ask...

I've actually seen a few pretty poorly done noses coming out of his clinic... I'm so glad you're happy with yours.:👍

Does anyone have recommendations for ENT specialists in Washington, D.C.? 🙂

I'm facing quite a few dilemmas here—it's all about sinus surgery.

Dr. South at Saint Jude
Dr. Grgić at Mayo Clinic
Dr. Janjanin and Dr. Mladin

Kimberly Baker13 said:I’ve actually seen a few noses from his studio that were pretty botched... I'm glad you're happy with yours, though.:👍

I went in for my follow-up this morning... and honestly, my nose looks incredible! I am beyond thrilled with the result!
It's funny, this is the first time I've heard anyone say they weren't... but hey, I guess everyone's got their own thing. Tastes differ, right? For me, I chose him specifically because of all the glowing recommendations from dear friends who reached out to me via 🙂 PM... everything I've heard or experienced so far has been nothing but top-tier.

I'm checking out some of the rhinoplasty options on Tony Stark's website, and honestly... I think I’m going to cross him off my list. 🤷 Most of those noses look way too large even after the surgery, and I'm not just looking for a straight nose—I actually want it to be smaller.

Alex Scott14 said:Does anyone have recommendations for ENT specialists in Washington, D.C.? 🙂

I have quite a few dilemmas here, since we're talking about sinus surgery.

Dr. South at Saint Jude
Dr. Grgić at Mayo Clinic
Dr. Janjanin and Dr. Mladin

Dr. Mladin is an incredible specialist... but as a person, he's just terrible. You can't talk to him AT ALL. Not even a little bit... plus, you end up waiting about a year and a half for surgery.

In my experience, maybe choose a resident instead. They all work under the supervision of senior specialists, but they tend to try much harder, they're more careful, and they haven't been jaded by the whole "politics and corruption" thing yet. It really matters when your doctor comes to see you right after you wake up from anesthesia and tells you everything went fine... I didn't get that from my doctor (we all know who I mean).

Kimberly Young12 said:(we all know what's really going on here)

🤷

My dear ladies, I’m finally reaching out to you all for the very first time! Even though I’ve been a silent observer since February, reading through every single one of your comments, which honestly helped me so much. That’s exactly why I want to jump in now—to make things a little easier for all of you when it comes to making the right choice. Over those few months, I tried contacting so many different doctors, or rather their nurses, because the doctors themselves are always swamped or away on business trips. Usually, the nurses are the ones setting up these "consultations" that lasted maybe three to eight minutes—it was absolutely dreadful. I was starting to feel pretty burnt out by the whole ordeal until one girl on this forum posted after her surgery and mentioned Dr. Glušac from Malibu. After that, I went down a rabbit hole reading everything I could find about him and decided to give his office a call. And oh my goodness, what a wonderful surprise! The doctor himself called me back directly. He was so kind and personable that I could hardly believe it; I asked him every single thing on my mind, and he answered every question with such genuine attention and a sincere desire to help me through this. It was just one more massive, resounding YES for choosing him. My husband and I coordinated our vacation time and headed out to Malibu, where Dr. Glušac welcomed us on Sunday. He even organized our accommodations and sat down with me personally to discuss every tiny detail I was worried about (and I emphasize *Sunday*, when most doctors wouldn't spare a patient a single minute!). I won't bore you with every single tiny detail, so let's get straight to the surgery. He actually picked me up in his own car (unbelievable!), and once we arrived at the clinic, I was greeted by the anesthesiologist, a nurse, and the surgical tech. They were so relaxing and funny that I didn't have a single shred of fear left in me. We used enhanced local anesthesia, but honestly, I slept through the whole thing—just like being under general anesthesia, believe me! Once I woke up, I felt nothing. No pain at all, girls. The doctor even showed me the little bumps he had removed before driving me back to the hotel.
I slept like a baby, and the next morning, he came by to simply remove my packing (it didn't hurt one bit!). Afterward, my husband and I went out to explore San Francisco as if nothing had even happened. Then, the following morning, my sweet little doctor came by to do a quick cleaning of my nose and chatted with me about a few other things I was curious about. Ladies, the man is a genius—call him and get your noses fixed, seriously, just put yourselves in his hands. It’s my fifth day post-op today, and I just got home yesterday, so please, ask me anything you want to know!

stormyharbor2 said:🤷

Well, if I was talking about Mladin, I guess it only makes sense to actually talk about him, right?

Hey ladies, I just spent about ten minutes straight staring at my nose in the mirror, and honestly, I still can't believe how stunning it looks! Even though there's still a little bit of swelling, the shape is absolutely PERFECT—it has completely transformed my entire face! I seriously feel like calling Dr. Glušac one more time just to shower him with thanks. If I could give you all one piece of advice, please don't rush when choosing your surgeon; you really need someone who truly understands how to sculpt a nose correctly. And oh my gosh, girls, there isn't even a single visible scar because everything was done using a closed technique. It feels like I was never even under the knife, except for the fact that I am constantly admiring my sweet little nose and how gorgeous it turned out.

Aaron Perez14...man, I know exactly how you feel! I am signing my name to everything you just said 😁
I am seriously so happy that you're thrilled with the results!! I actually had my surgery just 7 days ago... I’ve still got some medical tape on my nose, but even through the bandages, you can tell the new profile is absolutely gorgeous! I’m heading back to see him this Sunday for a follow-up. Honestly, the best part is being able to coordinate everything directly with him—it's not like those other doctors where the nurse basically acts like their personal secretary 😁 And it is such a relief that he stays so hands-on with your recovery... like, actually having you come back in for cleanings? That's top-tier. I am just obsessed with his whole vibe and the entire team he runs! 👍

That said, I’m not going to go around telling everyone they *have* to go strictly to him... people are different, right? Everyone has different tastes and different things that work for them. Personally, I think it’s smart to sit down for consultations with at least two or three different doctors before you pull the trigger on surgery. ------> Still... if you ask me, it would be pretty damn wise for anyone to have Dr. Glušac as one of those 2-3 options 🧐 without fail! 😁

Kimberly Young12 said:Well, if I already mentioned Mladin, isn't it obvious he's the subject?

Look, if you already named him in the post, why bother saying "we all know who we're talking about"?😬 I honestly thought you were referring to some other doctor since you mentioned having multiple surgeries. My bad.

Malibu, huh? That’s pretty close to me, but 🤷 I just don't trust the "professionals" out of Miami and that area... Has anyone here dealt with a major, botched broken nose—the kind where it's crooked and the bone is practically poking through the skin?😳 I'm looking for specific experiences like that, so if someone had a successful surgery for something that intense, please reach out and let me know...

rustygardener172... I am just so incredibly happy that you’re sharing your thoughts with me! It truly warms my heart to hear that you are absolutely thrilled with the fit of your new glasses. Honestly, if someone hasn't experienced that kind of transformative change, they can't even begin to fathom the pure bliss we're talking about here. I find myself feeling much more composed and calm lately, just catching my own reflection and realizing that this is exactly—and I mean exactly—the look I was dreaming of. If a stylist actually managed to nail my vision perfectly like that, I think I might actually burst into tears of joy! Sending you so many warm wishes, and please know how much I appreciate you reaching out.

stormyharbor2 said:If you already mentioned him in the post, why bother saying "we all know who we're talking about"?😬 I honestly thought you were referring to some other doctor since you've had multiple procedures done. My bad.

So, you're talking about Malibu? That's practically in my backyard, but 🤷 Honestly, I just don't trust the so-called "pros" out of Miami or the surrounding areas. Has anyone here dealt with a major, totally botched broken nose? Like, one where the bone is crooked and almost poking through the skin?😳 That’s the kind of nightmare surgery I’m looking into, so if anyone has successfully fixed something that intense, please reach out and let me know how it went.

My nose was pretty much in the same boat as yours, just without being quite that huge... Dr. Glušac used to work at Jackson Memorial Hospital, then over at the Mayo Clinic, even spent time in the USA... now he has his own private practice in Malibu. The guy is a walking encyclopedia of medical knowledge. He doesn't need flashy ads or those high-profile 🙂 celebrity surgeries (you know, the whole Ava Karabatić scene)... to keep his schedule full. People fly in from all over the globe because word-of-mouth says his work is top-tier and legit, not because they saw him on some commercial... he couldn't care less about that stuff. Speaking from my own experience, he is genuinely someone you can put your faith in. It won't cost you anything just to go in for a consultation and see for yourself...

Emily Sanchez87 said:rustygardener172... honestly, it makes my day that we're totally on the same page about how this new carrier fits. If you haven't gone through that transition yourself, you have no clue what kind of pure bliss we're talking about here. I'm feeling way more chill now; I just look at myself in the mirror and realize it's exactly the fit I was dreaming of. There's no way they could ever guess exactly what someone wants, right? I swear, if I found one that hit this perfectly, I’d be weeping tears of joy! Sending you huge hugs—so glad you reached out.

In a few days, once the swelling finally goes down, the two of us should swap photos over DM so we can compare our gear 🙂 just so we can actually see ourselves properly 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉

rustygardener172 said:My nose used to look just like yours—except without that massive bump... Dr. Glušac worked at Jackson Memorial, then over at the Mayo Clinic, and even spent time practicing in the States... now he finally opened his own private practice out in Malibu. The guy is incredibly knowledgeable. He doesn't need flashy ads or anything like that to prove himself... 🙂 Look, those surgeries—you know, like what Ava Karabatić does and all that... they only happen so he can actually have patients to work on. People fly in from all over the globe to see him because word gets around that his work is top-tier and high-quality, not because they saw some flashy commercial for him... he couldn't care less about that stuff. Speaking from my own experience, he’s honestly one of those rare people you can actually trust. It doesn't cost you anything to just go in for a consultation and see for yourself...

I'm probably looking at a total nose reconstruction... 😢 I'm more worried that it’ll end up looking even more lopsided and just stay huge—honestly, it's more nerve-wracking than the actual pain. Can I get some photos sent to my PM?...😁

Never mind, I found the website... Check out this site: http://www.estetskeoperacije.com/

Honestly, I mostly see positive reviews over on Google. Adding it to my list... 😛

Why does he claim there’s zero bruising after his surgeries? And why does he insist on pulling the entire lump out and showing it to patients right then and there...😲 I get the feeling he's just looking for people who need some minor tweak—basically, he doesn't want to bruise his own ego by admitting he needs to scale back...

We take the hump out entirely and show the patient exactly what we're dealing with—whereas other surgeons just file down the bump, only to have a bunch of tiny little bumps pop up on the nose thirty days later...

We perform all operations using a closed technique—everything happens from the inside—so there aren't any visible stitches to worry about since they just absorb on their own... which means no scarring on the outside.

Hey everyone! Just wondering if anyone here has had any experience dealing with Dr. Parazajder over at Saint Jude in Washington, D.C.? Thanks in advance!

stormyharbor2 said:I'm pretty sure I’m looking at a total nose reconstruction at this point. Honestly, it's probably going to be a massive project. 😢 Honestly, I’m more terrified that it’s gonna end up looking even more lopsided and stay huge than I am about the actual pain. Like, what if it just stays wonky forever? Seriously, can someone shoot me some photos via DM?😁

Never mind, I finally tracked down the website! Check out this site: http://www.estetskeoperacije.com/

Honestly, I’m seeing nothing but glowing reviews on Google lately. It’s actually kind of wild. I’m definitely adding it to my list. 😛

So, why on earth is he claiming there’s zero bruising after his surgeries? And what's with the whole routine of pulling the entire lump out and actually showing it to the patients? It’s wild.😲 I’ve got this nagging feeling that he’s only interested in fixing the tiny, insignificant details—you know, just to avoid having to swallow his pride or admit he was wrong. It's like he'd rather nitpick everyone else than actually take a hit to his own ego.

Look, here’s the deal: we take the hump out entirely and show the patient exactly what we're dealing with. I see other surgeons constantly filing down the hump, thinking they're doing something clever, but then thirty days later? You’ve got a bunch of tiny little bumps popping up all over the bridge. It's a mess.

We handle all our procedures using a closed technique—basically, everything happens from the inside out. That way, there are absolutely no visible stitches because they just absorb back into your body naturally, leaving you with zero external scarring. It’s much cleaner that way.

I was sweating bullets too, honestly, but hey... look at that. It turned out totally fine—completely flat and tiny. 😁
Honestly, when it comes to the pain... there's absolutely nothing to complain about. I haven't touched a single painkiller since my surgery. Like, seriously—zero. Not even a little bit!
Because it works in such a unique way—I mean, it’s not like it's going to go and file down your nose or anything. 🙂Plus, they have an absolutely top-tier anesthesiologist and the rest of the crew is just solid. Seriously, this one guy ended up having nose surgery on the exact same day I did. We actually ran into each other the next morning when we were heading in to get our tampons removed. I was looking like a total bruised purple mess, and he? He looked like nothing had even happened. Just completely fine while I was out there looking like I went ten rounds in a boxing ring. 😁 Honestly, it really just comes down to the individual. It’s not some one-size-fits-all situation. You’ll notice that people with lighter hair and fairer complexions tend to deal with way more swelling—they're just naturally more sensitive, you know? But again, I'm telling you, it's totally different for everyone. There's no single rule for this kind of stuff.
Why did you even bother looking for the answer yourself? You basically went out and hunted down the solution like it was some kind of treasure hunt. 🙂 I actually took my little pieces of crusty leftovers home as a souvenir, HHAHAHHAA. I know, I’m absolutely disgusting. 🤣
Look, when you're dealing with the heavy hitters—the stuff that actually keeps surgeons up at night like nasty sports injuries or shattered noses—you go straight to Dr. Glušac. He’s the one who handles the intense cases. His whole process is pretty straightforward, too: he doesn't even touch the aesthetics until he's made sure your breathing is stabilized and functioning perfectly. It’s all about making sure you can actually breathe before he starts worrying about how the "plastic" side of things is going to look. Priority one is survival and function; the vanity stuff comes second.

stormyharbor2 said:Well, if you already mentioned him in the post, why write "we all know who we're talking about"?😬 I thought you were referring to some other doctor since you had multiple surgeries. Sorry.

.

I didn't have multiple nose surgeries. I don't see where I said that.
And I guess I don't see what the issue is with calling someone out over just three words? Especially when it was written in a sarcastic, rhetorical way (yeah, I know, letters don't make sound... how strange). And please, don't call me out.

To be specific, the reason for my surgery was a deviated septum. When I wanted to talk to Dr. Mladin about—you know, since they're putting me under and working on my nose anyway—making a tiny cosmetic adjustment on the outside, it just wasn't possible. Not even a conversation. Let alone a real discussion about the topic. The only things he told me during the whole process (both pre-op and post-op) were "yes" and "no." Just those two words. And I don't think that's okay. Especially since I waited about 17 months for this surgery.
So, if you have any questions, feel free to ask; I'm more than happy to share my experience. But please, you and everyone else, don't call people out just because something was phrased compactly or was slightly vague. It happens to the best of us. 🙂

rustygardener172 said:People find a brighter path...

I get a bruise every single time someone pinches me...😳 🤣

I actually took my little bits of cartilage home as a souvenir HHAHAHHAA... I know, I'm disgusting...

🤣 Whenever someone starts asking me questions about my nose, I just pull a pyramid out of my pocket... 😂

Dr. Glušac is the one you go to for the heavy lifting—think serious sports injuries or broken noses... he’ll focus on getting your breathing stabilized first, and only then will he even touch the reconstructive surgery part...

Yeah, I read that. Is he really the only guy in the US who doesn't go around filing down everyone's noses?...🤷 So why does everyone insist on heading to those plastic surgeons in Washington, D.C.? Honestly, this guy sounds like the best one I've come across so far—and for the first time ever, I actually watched an entire surgery on YouTube without feeling like I was going to throw up. It looked pretty painless, too. Mind you, my situation is... 👎

Kimberly Young12 said:I haven't had any more nose surgeries. I don't see where I even said that...
And honestly, I don't get why everyone’s getting so worked up about being called out over just three little words—especially when they were clearly meant to be sarcastic or rhetorical. (I mean, yeah, obviously letters don't make noise... how weird...) Just please, stop coming for me.

You never actually mentioned having more surgeries than that—that sentence just made it sound like you had... My bad, I'm sorry. 🤷

When I tried to actually talk to Dr. Mladin—you know, since they’re already putting me under and poking around up my nose anyway—to ask if they could just make some minimal external adjustments while they were at it, it was a total non-starter. Not even a conversation... let alone an actual discussion about the topic. Throughout the entire process, both pre-op and post-op, the only things he ever said to me were "yes" or "no." Just those two words. And honestly, that isn't okay... especially after waiting seventeen months for this surgery.

That sounds awful. 👎 I definitely wouldn't go to his place. Honestly, if he just sat there acting all quiet like a fish... I think I'd lose my mind from the awkwardness.😠

stormyharbor2 said:I bruise if someone even looks at me wrong!😳 🤣

Yeah, I read it. Is he seriously the only guy in the whole country who doesn't butcher noses?🤷 And why does everyone flock to those plastic surgeons in NYC then? Honestly, he sounds like the best one I've come across so far. It was actually the first time I watched an entire surgery on YouTube without feeling like I was gonna puke—looked pretty painless, actually. Though, my own situation was 👎

That’s basically me 🙂 One of my eyes was totally swollen and bruised deep purple, while the other one barely had anything going on. The swelling went down after a day or two, but the bruising stayed... now I look like I’ve got jaundice 🙂 lol

Everyone heads to those NYC surgeons because they have massive ad budgets and people just assume (exactly like you did) that everything worth doing happens in NYC... Like, "NYC is the big metropolis"... NYC is a metropolis my ass, but hey, whatever 😁