Since I was about twelve years old, I disliked the way that my nose looked. As more time went by, the bigger it seemed to get, and the more I hated it. Eventually, when I was 18, I decided that the best option for me was to get a rhinoplasty (nose job). And so my rhinoplasty journey began and I documented my rhinoplasty experience from beginning to end.
My Rhinoplasty Experience
I began by researching rhinoplasty doctors. To be honest the more I looked, the more paranoid about surgery I became. I began to realize that there were a lot of bad doctors out there. Maybe “bad” is a little harsh, but their photo galleries did not give me the vote of confidence that I needed. I was tempted to go to out-of-state doctors, but finally, at age 24, I found a good doctor who was only an hour away.
I visited him several times before actually scheduling my surgery. He never seemed irritated or annoyed that I was back again to ask a million more questions — which was a good sign to me. The doctor that I decided to go to was Dr. Grigoryants, and I highly recommend him. He is both knowledgeable and honest.
Once I finally scheduled, he was booked three months out. I tried to not let my anxiety get the best of me while I waited for my surgery day. So I scoured the internet looking for other people’s experiences with their rhinoplasty surgery to ease some of that anxiety. One blog that I found to be particularly helpful (and found myself constantly going back to) was humpbegone.blogspot.com.
A month before my surgery day, I had my blood drawn and got the doctor’s clearance for the operation. It felt like the day had come in no time at all.
Here are my before pictures:
The Night Before My Rhinoplasty
I was both excited and extremely nervous. I never had any real surgery before (aside from having my wisdom teeth removed), and I was absolutely petrified about the anesthesia. Not my nose ending up ugly, nor the possible pain, and not the actual surgery. Just anesthesia.
Don’t ask me why. Maybe I’m just a control freak and while I knew everything else was in the hands of a very good doctor, I didn’t know anything about the anesthesiologist. I was just scared of dying! Yes, I know totally unfounded — definitely an irrational fear of mine.
Needless to say, I didn’t get the greatest sleep the night before but I figured the next day I would be sleeping all day anyways.
The Day of Surgery
Woke up bright and early. Chose a comfy outfit — light zip-up sweater, yoga leggings, and a sports bra that unhooks in the back. Call me crazy, but I didn’t want to wear a bra with wire in it just in case I needed to be shocked back to life. No makeup and no nail polish.
When I arrived at the hospital, I was so thirsty but had to ignore it due to the 24-hour no food/drink rule for surgery. They gave me a thousand pages of paperwork (ok, that’s a bit of an exaggeration but it seemed like that!), and waited with my designated driver aka mom.
While we waited, I surprisingly wasn’t nervous at all. I had basically accepted death, and while this may sound terrible, it helped me to be totally calm about the whole thing — see, if someone as paranoid as me can go through with surgery, anyone can do it.
Getting Prepped for Rhinoplasty Surgery
A nurse finally came and took us back to the room with multiple beds. She went over my health history with me and the blood tests — which apparently includes a pregnancy test? She informed me that I was not pregnant. Great. Thanks, lady (I just thought that was really weird that she told me that when I didn’t know that was included in the pre-surgery). They strapped on a bunch of bracelets, started the heplock (where the IV goes), I changed in to the hospital jammies, jumped into the bed, and they wheeled me into a private room. Mom still got to come along.
In the room I met the nurse that was going to be assisting the doctor, and he explained to me that he would be strapping these things to my legs to keep good circulation. Then, the lady anesthesiologist came in to introduce herself. She was super nice and had some of the bluest eyes ever! She listened to all of my questions/concerns, and definitely put me at ease.
Then my doctor came in and drew on my nose for my closed rhinoplasty. Within a couple minutes another nurse came in and they wheeled me into the operating room. They all picked me up from the moving bed to the operating table super-fast; it felt like a hundred people were in that room (even though there were only seven; they were just speedy). Cords here, there, IV started, people hustling about – but all I could hear was the calming voice of the anesthesiologist talking to me. I don’t remember what she was saying, and I was out in a second.
Right After Surgery
I woke up to the sound of the anesthesiologist’s voice. She was asking me what my level of pain was on a scale from 1-10. I tried to answer but I felt like it took me longer than normal. Finally I mumbled 7 or 8. She explained that I already had quite a bit of morphine but she gave me a pill with a little glass of cold water. I was back in the initial room where I had put on the jammies. I felt incredibly dizzy and nauseated. No real pain, just strange discomfort. I explained to the nurse that I was really dizzy and she brought me a couple of crackers.
They took me to the car in a wheelchair and gave me a packet of ice that I was supposed to apply off and on for 15-minute intervals. The car ride was a breeze and despite the hour-long drive felt like 15 minutes. I was very tired and nauseated still when I got home, and plopped down on the sofa chair that would be my bed for the next week (sleeping with your head elevated is supposed to help with swelling). I did throw up but felt better afterwards.
Here is my pic right when I got home:
Post-Surgery: Day One
No pain, taking Vicodin as needed. I initially tried to take Tylenol instead but the achy feeling came so I started the Vicodin. I felt really tired mostly all day. My face started to swell a little bit, and the bruising around the eyes looks the same as surgery day. Hard food creates an uncomfortable pressure so I’m mostly relying on liquids (Ensure is a big help with needed calories) and pineapple juice for bruising. My throat is sore on the left side but it’s not terrible. Applying ice to my face on and off all day.
Post-Surgery: Day Two
A little more pain than the days before, but not bad by any means. My whole body feels achy. The swelling increased, bruising looks about the same. I haven’t been taking the Vicodin regularly. Still drinking pineapple juice and lots of water. I have a humidifier to help the dry mouth sore throat. Still icing, and I ate a whole can of chili (despite other rhinoplasty blogger’s advice); and now I have the worst headache ever! Stay away from foods with high salt content! Seriously.
Post-Surgery: Day Three
Almost the same as yesterday except that the body aches are pretty much gone. Bruising is starting to turn yellow. The swelling is pretty bad. Today I took a shower. It was a little difficult —you feel like a really old person, moving very slowly. And like an idiot I tried to look out the window at night and bumped my nose. It wasn’t very hard so I wasn’t that concerned. It did feel a little funny afterward, but that’s all.
Post-Surgery: Day Four
Eating solid foods today. Woo-hoo! I haven’t been taking the Vicodin consistently today, only planning on taking it at night. Still very, very swollen. My bruising has dropped a little lower and spread out more on the eyelids but is really turning a nice yellow color under the eye. Tomorrow I have a follow-up with my doctor.
Post-Surgery: Day Five
Totally normal day. Went to see my doctor in the evening, and he took my cast off. And man did that hurt! Made my eyes water but not unbearable. Then there was the reveal….
HAHAHAHA! I look like an old baby. I’m not going to lie, in that moment I totally wondered if I had made the wrong decision to get a rhinoplasty. It was really hard to see the nice new nose with my swollen discolored face, and swollen nose for that matter. I just avoided mirrors for the rest of the day in order to avoid slipping into rhinoplasty depression.
Now I’m not sure what happened exactly, but that night I had the worst night of my life. My stomach hurt so bad, I felt nauseous, had really bad hot and cold flashes, and a temperature of 103! I took a higher dosage of Tylenol and it was a very rough night.
Post-Surgery: Day Six
Still feeling like crap, the fever was gone and I definitely felt better than last night. I know it’s gross to say but the Vicodin definitely made me constipated. Today I was able to eat normal food, but it really wasn’t a great day. My doctor also told me to tape my nose to help keep the swelling down.
Post-Surgery: Day Seven
I felt pretty good. Still very swollen, still had some bruising. First day of wearing makeup. My skin texture was so weird. It was like trying to put makeup on the sticky side of scotch tape. I covered the bruising with MAC full coverage NW 20. And went to school as it was the first night of class!
I can honestly recommend taking two weeks off from life after surgery; one week was not enough for me. It was really hard to focus in class.
With Makeup on and my hair washed:
Post-Surgery: 1 week and 4 days
Post-Surgery: 1 month
The swelling and bruising both took about a month to go away completely in my face.
The way that the nose changes with time is pretty interesting. At first it looked as though I had a whole new nose, and it was definitely really weird looking in the mirror and seeing a different face looking back. But eventually, I got used to it and could see “characteristics” of my old nose coming back as swelling subsided.
Then, like a dummy, I crashed into a machine at work. I hit the bridge of my nose relatively hard. Of course, I immediately called my doctor and explained that I had walked right into the machine. He said not to worry and that I would likely experience some swelling he would check it at my next follow-up appointment. I didn’t really notice any change happen to my nose aside from the swelling.
Post-Surgery: 4 months
Post-Surgery: 6 months
I’m so happy that most of the initial swelling is significantly gone and my “old nose” is a little more visible — my nostrils have returned to normal size, and columella came down so my nose isn’t so upturned. My columella has a little extra cartilage in it on one side, which bugs me. I know I shouldn’t expect a perfect nose (but it is so close to being one! lol). Some swelling and the feeling of stiffness in my nose is still present — I’ve read that it takes about two years for a rhinoplasty to completely heal.
Post-Surgery: 1 year
Post-Surgery: 1 year and 6 months
I can’t believe that so much time went by so quickly. I still have some slight swelling in my nose and stiffness. My nose has seemed to slim down as time went by. My nose is a hundred times better than it was before surgery. There are some small things still bugging me that I may or may not address in the future; I am definitely going to wait until the two year mark has passed before I do anything. I haven’t had any major problems, or changes to things like my voice. It did seem like I could breathe really well around the two month mark, but now has returned to how it was pre-surgery; my doctor says I have allergies (who doesn’t!).
As for advice that I’d give to others starting on this journey: like your doctors work, stay away from salt, make yourself move around during recovery, drink a lot of water (and possibly prune juice if you’re on Vicodin), take Arnica Montana and finally, have patience. Results take time. Additionally, when the swelling is going away the nose is sometimes uneven so don’t freak out about it.
I hope that this blog proves to be informative, and comforting to you. Are you considering surgery? Or already had it done, either way I’d love to hear from you!
As requested here are the before and afters:
Wow! You look beautiful before and after! Thank you for sharing your experience with us 🙂
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Hello Made of Lovely,
I notice a few people here are having the EXACT same problems as me. I am in great depression after my suregry with Dr Vladimir Grigoryants. I am 11 weeks post OP.
Can I ask please:
1) Do you have more nostril show after surgery?
2) Did your columella REALLY drop back to how it was before surgery?
Or was it a closer distance to your alar nostril?
3) Did your columella widen and spring back after the sutures had dissolved?
I used to have a nice nose, only asked for the deviated septum repair. He never told me he was putting in spreader greats which widen the nose. I am very upset. My columella used to be approx 5mm lower than my alar nostrils. It is now sits on the same flush level as my alar nostrils. It is so ugly. This was never part of the plan to remove my columella. I have lost my job as a make up model after my surgery. I am so unattractive looking now. I am 24 years old, and my whole face is ruined. Dr G keeps saying its swollen and that the sutures haven’t even dissolved yet. Is this true?
Please please I would appreciate your help. I just keep thinking everyday, is there any point in life? I used to be such a happy person. I cannot believe what has happened to my face.
I notice other people on here in same position, did you guys get in sorted please?
Best wishes and thank you x
Hello Lana.
I know the healing process can be difficult. We want to see results really quickly, but our bodies take a good amount of time to heal. You’ve probably read me say this about a thousand times but you really have to be patient. My nose changed so much over the course of a year and a half. You are still at the beginning of the healing process. I wrote a great post about dealing with rhinoplasty depression and I think it will be great for you too: http://madeoflovely.com/2014/09/13/rhinoplasty-the-mental-side/
Now to answer your questions.
1) Yes, I had more nostril show while the swelling was there & my nose appeared to be flipped upwards.
2) Yes, my columella dropped back down. Not how it was before, but my nose was originally down-turned so it doesn’t hang as low as it did (but that’s a good thing!)
3) I haven’t noticed any widening, but things looked more and more normal as time passed.
I definitely understand your concern, I experienced something similar. But Dr G is a really good doctor and I’m sure he wouldn’t just do something without telling you. Like you mentioned, we all have/had the same “problem” but it really isn’t a problem, it’s just part of the healing process. When the nose is swollen the columella is gone. I get that it’s a little freaky, but you just need to give it time. Your nose will heal, and everything will be ok.
Try not to obsess over it. That will just make you feel more depressed. Instead put some attention on building a positive self-image. Beauty always starts from the inside out. And I think things like this really test a persons character. You can either allow yourself to be miserable or choose to be happy. Either way your body is going to take time to heal, and it’s up to you to love yourself and stay positive. Hang in there, it gets better (if you let it).
🙂
Dear Made of Lovely,
Thank you ever so much. I wil take all your advise 🙂
Lana xx
I’m very happy to read your blog, I actually read it before I had mine done this past Friday. Today we took the cast stitches and sutures out (OMG) and I can see where my nose will look amazing but I’m so swollen right now I feel like I look like I have a removable Mr. Potato head nose lol. Looking at your day 5 to 7 after is giving me hope and a lot to look forward to, especially 1 month and 6 months out. Thank you for sharing your journey!!
Hi AE,
Yay! Yes, healing takes time and it’s so wonderful if you can stay positive through the healing period. Congratulations and I’m sure you’ll look just lovely with a little bit of time.
I came across this post. Be patient is what everyone tells you but it’s really hard not to obsess over it. I’m two weeks post op and while everyone else that i met during my surgery nose looks amazing at 2 weeks, mine looks like an eggplant. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel but the waiting period is depressing when I compare my results to others. Let’s give it to the 6 month point. I’m a major sweller and bruiser and my skin was thick so my process will be twice as long.
Hi Tania. I understand how you feel, I felt depressed too for a little while, but I found some things that helped me overcome that: http://madeoflovely.com/2014/09/13/rhinoplasty-the-mental-side/
I know things seem really hard right now, but pretty soon you will look back on your experience and realize how quickly time flies. Also, in a couple of months you could get a cortisone shot that will help the swelling go down a little faster. My sister also had a rhinoplasty and she has thick skin. Her swelling was taking a bit longer to go down so that’s what she did and she said it helped. Keep your head up and whatever you do don’t obsess (I know it’s hard not to), and you’ll see how fast time really flies. 🙂
Hi Lana- Since we are about 4 months from when you posted this, I wanted to ask you how you are doing? Are you happier with your results now?
xx
Hello, I would require a revision to rebuild my tip and lower my columella.
Doctor pulled too much of my tissue up and sutured. I look so ugly. I will now require an ear graft to rebuild my tip and also have my columella lowered. My nose looks botched. People keep asking me what happened to me. Used to be a catwalk and fashion Model. Lost my job. No photographer even wants to use me. My life is over…… I don’t even have the money for the revision 🙁
Biggest mistake of my life
Hi Lana – I know it’s been 9 months since you mentioned about how unhappy you were about your results. I wanted to check in and see how you were doing?
Please could you post a recent update?
I will be posting one soon. Subscribe so you don’t miss it. 🙂
Hello, I am so happy you posted this to help others. So nice of you.
I just had surgery with Dr G 5 weeks ago. My columella has gone and I am very upset. He has reassured me that it will come down and it is just swelling. I had a deviated septum straightened, deprojection, tip work and nostrils narrowed. Can I please ask what you had doen and when exactly you noticed your columella back. You state 6 months approx in your post.
Thank you xxx
Hi Yasmin.
Sounds like you probably have a lot of swelling when considering everything that was done. Of course everyone heals differently so it is important to have patience. I personally had the hump in my bridge removed, turbinates shrunk, and the tip of my nose corrected. I experienced the upturned nose for quite awhile. It did take about 6 months for mine to come down. But more changes happen past that time. I know it’s hard to wait, and the thought of waiting 6-12 months can be intimidating but the time will fly by if you just keep busy with life. I’m already four years post surgery and sometimes I forget that I even had surgery. Give it time, patience, and I’m sure you’ll start to look more “normal” before you know it. 🙂
I had surgery on 9/26 and it’s now 10/1. My upper lip, upper front teeth, and palette are pretty numb. I can’t smile…my upper lip does this weird drooping thing over my front teeth.
Did you have any issues with your smile? If so, when did your smile go back to normal?
Hi Michelle.
That sounds normal for how recent you had surgery. Everyone’s healing time is different. I did have a hard time smiling until the swelling went away. I can’t remember exactly how long but I think it was about 2 weeks. I don’t remember any numbness but my face definitely felt weird from all the swelling. You can try arnica montana. I had read that a lot of people had really great results with that. Just give it time and of course if you are really concerned it’s always a good idea to contact your doctor. Hang in there!
Thank you so much for replying. I reall do appreciate it.
I too seem to have more cartilage on one side of (what’s left of) my columella. I am not sure whether this is just swelling causing unevenness? Did your evenesss correct itself on its own over time please? I notice at 6 months, you mentioned your columella came down, but there was more cartilage on one side. Before surgery my columella hung slightly down, which I mentioned to Dr G I actually liked. At just over 5 weeks, it sits on th esame level as my alar nostril which is giving an African/Asian look at present. It appears when Dr G narrowed my nostrils, he lowered it too. Did you notice this too? From your photos, it looks as if he did the same to you. did you notice this?
I thank you again for your kindness in setting up this blog. Hope to hear from you soon.
Thank you. Xx
Yes, of course! It’s nice being able to ask someone else questions about something as big as surgery. My columella is still uneven. I talked to Dr. G about this but he said that he left one side a little longer to prevent a “butt nose”. Meaning there would be a crease down the tip of my nose. It seems to me that surgery is not an exact science, so your nose will never be “perfect” (unless you’re not picky! Lol) but when there is swelling there is much more changing needing to happen. Yes, the flat upturned “piggy” nose lasts for quite awhile as I mentioned. But eventually it came down for me, I’m sure yours will too. 🙂
Bless you. Thank you so much for replying. Actually I think I may have this”butt” nose thing going on! Approximately 3 weeks ago, I noticed
my columella has a indentation line in the middle. I agree, no surgery is perfect. I am still praying that my columella will come down eventually. A A couple of other surgeons have told me that it won’t. I suppose I ought to have faith in Dr Grigoryants.
I forgot to ask you one last question, when he narrowed your nostrils, did you notice that he has moved it slightly lower to where it was before? Mine has definitely moved lower and has a totally different shape to it.
Thank you again.
Xx
I think your columella will come down. It just takes some time. I didn’t have anything done to my nostrils, they were just affected by the swelling… but yes, I would listen to what Dr. G says. And you got to give it about 6 months to see where things are going to be. And as I mentioned, even past the 1 year mark my nose changed. I’m planning an updated blog post to show the difference after 2, 3, & 4 years. Just give it some time.
Thank you! Sorry I didn’t realise this question of mine was posted, so I just sent anther similar question.
Please disregard that one!
I wish you all the best and look forward to your future updates.
Thank you xx
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Bless your heart for spending the time to create this blog. Not only that but the courage it takes to post before and after pictures just shows how proud you are with your decision. I have always thought my nose was too wide, but as I hit my 20s, I accepted and loved it. Perhaps, being able to get dates helped promote that confidence but now I am in my 30s and really wished I would have done it sooner. I am also looking at Dr. G AND Dr. Kanodia as it is a large financial and physical investment. I really appreciate your honest blog and will definitely be checking out your vlog. Thanks for setting realistic expectations for anyone thinking about it. What would you have done differently in hindsight, in terms of preparation and during the recover period?
Cheers,
LACKING BRAVERY & $
Hi there.
I’m always happy to hear that sharing my experience has been helpful to someone else. I think that it’s never too late to do something that you’ve been wanting to do! And 30’s are still young in my book. If anything, waiting until you are older and wiser to make a “big” decision is a good thing. People typically are more mature, and in a better financial situation in their 30’s.
So, what would I have done differently in hindsight? Well, the only two things that I can think of are: I would have tried Arnica Montana for bruising, and I would have booked two weeks off from life instead of one in order to recover. I was in school at the time and a new quarter had just started, but it was so hard to focus! Not exactly sure why, probably coming off the pain med is what made it so difficult.
I know that rhinoplasty seems like a big crazy thing, but now that I’ve done it, it really wasn’t that bad at all. The most important thing you can do is choose a doctor that is able to get you to the results that you want. 🙂
Thanks so much for your response! Just one more question, I failed to ask in my previous comment. Did you notice any changes in terms of your voice, speaking, singing etc.? I had a friend in particular who sounded so nasally after his rhinoplasty. Granted, I am sure this must have something to do with the surgeons work then the nature of the rhinoplasty? Singing and public speaking, unfortunately is part of my livelihood so I just want to make sure that this will not change if I move forward! By the way, you are an absolutely beautiful girl prior, after etc…your personality and positive energy exudes in all your writing. You go girl!
Thank you for your kind words! I did notice that I was a little nasally when I had a lot of swelling. I’d say that subsided around 1 month. But even so, it wasn’t that bad. Once I could breath really well (at about 3 months) I could sing better because I was able to get more airflow (I’m not a singer by any means but I was doing voice lessons back then for fun). If you go to a skilled surgeon I’m sure you will be fine for both speaking and singing after the initial swelling subsides, which really doesn’t take too long to go away.
Please don’t do to Kanodia, I had my nose done by him and he made it worse. I wanted a minimal change and really liked his work before the surgery. But he couldn’t do the same for me. Now I need a revision rhinoplasty and find another doctor. Kanodia doesn’t do revisions so if he messed up you are on your own like me.
Wow you look amazing after the treatment.Thanks for sharing your experience with us.
Hey
Great blog here. If you don’t mind, I have a couple of questions I hope you can answer. I think it’s been around 3 years since your rhinoplasty?
How is your nose right now?
Have you experienced any breathing problems or any complications?
Does it feel like your nose pre-op?
I know of stories where people’s noses are fine for like a year but they then start to experience breathing problems and complications after 1-2 years. Did you have any spreader grafts put into your nose?
Wow, I just realized I never hit submit with this response. I’m super sorry about that! Maybe these answers can help someone else now.
My nose now is fine. No breathing problems or complications. I do feel like I could breath better somewhere in the 3-4 months post-surgery, but my breathing is still better than it was pre-surgery. It does feel like my nose, it always has; I mean it was numb for awhile but it didn’t feel like a foreign object on my face (unless you are talking about mentally, I described the mental side of rhinoplasty in another post). Sometimes I forget that I had a rhinoplasty! Three years have really just flown by.
No spreader grafts. He did something with my turbinates, because they were enlarged. I can’t remember now what it was called. All in all I had a really good experience.
Thanks for sharing your post. It looks so painful, I’m scared to do the surgery. I’m planning to have with this website http://www.claravallrhinoplasty.com, hope it will done well. Anyway, you are beautiful before and after.
Thank you for the compliments. You are absolutely right that rhinoplasty looks really painful, but surprisingly it’s not. I didn’t have anything I would qualify as painful, rather I would classify it as discomfort. I’m sure that that was a result of a skilled surgeon and a closed rhinoplasty.
I dont know anything about the place you are going to, but I’ll be sending good thoughts your way and let me know how things go. If you have any questions, you are always welcome to ask. 🙂
Just had septo and rhinoplasty. Three days out and my nostrils look uneven. I am starting to freak out. Is this normal.
Hi Rasa.
Most likely yes. Whenever the body experiences “trauma” then of course there is going to be swelling. Swelling is unpredictable in the sense of each individual as well as evenness. Here’s three things I recommend:
1. Have patience. Healing takes a lot of time with rhinoplasty.
2. Discuss the unevenness with your doctor at your next follow-up visit.
3. Check out pictures of your nose before surgery. Most people have asymmetry naturally. Two different sized nostrils may be something you had before and the swelling is just making it seem more pronounced.
In the meantime, head over to my other blog post “the mental side of rhinoplasty” I think that will help you and your anxiety. Take care!
Your “before” pictures are beautiful, too.
Hi,
I am at the 5 month mark post op with the same doctor. Although I see an improvement in the mirror, my nose looks really round In photos and tends to photograph funny in a lot of light! How were you for swelling at this point? Did you still have tingles ?
Yes, I had a very similar thing going on. The tip of my nose looked very round, and at the 6 month mark I had a lot of unevenness. Unfortunately, that takes at least another 6 months to go away. When I was at the 1 yr 6m mark was when I felt a lot better about my nose. I am currently at 2 years 3 mo, and the inside and tip still have that weird numb/stiff feeling. So I know I still have a tad of swelling. I’d use makeup to help disguise the unevenness for now. I doubt your nose will ever be perfect but it will look better. 🙂
Hi girl,
Thanks so much for sharing your experience with everyone, and letting us know what to expect! It’s helped me have hope for my results. I had a rhinoplasty with Dr. G three weeks ago, but it’s been a lot more emotionally draining than I had ever imagined, and I honestly really regret it and wish I had never tried to “fix” something that was never broken to begin with… Do you have an email or anything I can reach you at to talk? I would like to get more info on what you went through mentally and how you coped and came to terms, and more detail on how things changed over the months for you… I would really appreciate it.
I hope to hear from you soon!!
Xx
-J
Hi J.
Thank you for the comment. I’ve actually been working on a post where I cover the mental/emotional side of rhinoplasty. So I hope you are subscribed so that you can be updated when I do post it. I typically recommend open discussion just because I’m sure other people have very similar questions/concerns as you do; and that is the whole reason I started this blog. To help other people. But I am going to include a link where u can contact me: kendrapowell.com/contact.html
You are very beautiful. Thank you for sharing your experience with Dr Vladimir Grigoryants
I WANT TO GET RHINOPLASTY WITH DR G SO BAD BECAUSE I READ SO MANY GOOD REVIEWS ON REALSELF DOT COM AND I LOOOOOVE THE WAY YOUR NOSE TURNED OUT ITS SOOO PERFECT PLEASE DO NOT DELETE YOUR BLOG OR TAKE ANY PICS DOWN
I have more question, sorry! After that one month mark, it should still at least look better than it did before? My nose has the smaller bump on the bridge and has a droopy tip. I was hoping though it was stolen, it may at least still look better than it did before.
No problem. I do think everyone heals differently, but from other rhinoplasty bloggers and myself included, there seems to be a consensus that the new nose (even though it’s still very swollen) looks better than it did before. And again, I think the ONLY person who will really notice if your nose is “worse” than it was before will be you. But the thing here is to remember the end result. Sure you will have to go through stages you don’t like, and stages where you don’t look so hot; but eventually all the swelling will be gone and a nice new nose will be there to stay. You just have to give it time. I’ve said this before but I don’t mind saying it again, Rhinoplasty takes a lot of confidence and patience. Just understand that before you go through with surgery. Results take time.
Your nose looks lovely 🙂 I’ve been longing for a better nose for quite some time but am going back to school in the fall. I was going to try and do it the first week of summer. We found a surgeon and he is qualified, but the recovery time is my biggest concern. I know that after 1 week you get the cast off and after two to four weeks most swelling disapears and the new nose begins to show but my worries were how long I’d have to be locked up till people wouldn’t really notice and how long till I feel it’s better than it was previous to the surgery. Summer is always three months, so I was hoping by that time I’d definitely start seeing positive results and even before that, but I don’t know if I want to go with the surgery or just wait till I have more time for recovery.
Hi Angie.
Most people are able to return to work/life /school after two weeks. It really just depends on you and your personal recovery time. Everyone is different, and there are many contributing factors (open rhinoplasty, closed, surgeons skill, amount of work needing to be done, etc). My sister had a rhinoplasty after me with the same surgeon, and she looked completely normal after the cast was removed (lucky girl!), I looked like an old baby. That right there, really makes a point. We are blood and used the same surgeon — she was gorgeous and I was Frankenstein.
But to be perfectly honest with you, MOST people do not pay enough attention to notice changes. People who see you everyday may think something looks different but not know what. My own aunts and cousins couldn’t even pick out what was different. They just said I looked better, one even asked if my eyelashes grew! How weird is that, right?
And let’s think about this logically for a moment: Who are you getting a rhinoplasty for? You or them?
If you like your surgeons work, and you are unhappy about your nose, schedule the surgery for the summer. Buy some full coverage foundation with warm undertones for the bruised areas (like MAC NW full coverage). Plan to hang out at home for two weeks. You may still have some swelling, and some bruising. For sure your nose will be swollen, but just accept it and do you.
Even if there was some magical formula where someone could say, “Angie, no one will notice anything has changed after 2 months.” Are you really going to isolate yourself for that long? Heck no. (Don’t make me have to find you and get your butt out of bed)
Don’t be afraid of what others will think. You’re doing this for you. I wish I would not have wasted so much time, and would’ve found my doctor sooner. I love my nose, I love getting in pictures, I feel way better about myself, I can breath better (most days), and I could’ve felt this great sooner if I would’ve done it sooner.
Ok, I was still putting some things together (like finding the surgeon) but you have all the pieces, so go for it!
I went through all the gross stages too, and now here I am almost two years later loving it. You’ll have to face healing, and going out in public/seeing family & friends whether you do it today, summer, next year, or ten years. So just Go For It!
“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent” – Eleanor Roosevelt
Thank you so much for this comment. I think I’m going to ahead and do it. 🙂
Your nose looks beautiful! Do you mind me asking about costs of the surgery, and whether or not insurance possibilities ever became an option with previous breathing difficulties? Thanks!
Hi Kate!
Cost is such a hard thing to share because it’s really going to be different for everyone. Your treatment needs may be more extensive, less extensive, prices can rise or fall, and insurance totally depends on your provider and individual coverage. Honestly, the best thing to do would be to schedule a consultation and get a price estimation with your Dr. of choice. And call your insurance provider and ask about your coverage (make sure you don’t have to go to a specific doctor, etc).
With that said, if you’re anything like me you may understand all that and just want some ball park figures. The rhinoplasty costs are typically between $7,000-$9,000 (again your case and doctor may have different fees), but what I paid to the doctor was between those ranges. Insurance typically covers a portion of that from $100- $2,000 (this really really depends) for the “medical/breathing” part; mine paid practically nothing. Then I had hospital charges of $2,000-$5,000 plus blood work which my insurance did not cover. With total costs for my situation I probably paid around $10,500 or a little more. But again, I can’t make any assurances about what your price will be. Everyone’s cost is different. My sister paid less than me, and a good friend paid more.
I get that you may not want to schedule anything if you’re not financially ready, but honestly a good doctor will understand your financial concerns and won’t mind you coming back in a month (or whenever you’re ready). At least with a consultation you will know what to save for and some offices even offer payment plans. Schedule the consult. You won’t be sorry. 🙂
Hi
Awesome story
Really really stopped me freaking out!!
One question I just wanted to ask
My tip seems really sorta rounded and unrefined .
Is that just the swelling ??
It kind of looks like you had what I’m experiencing then your tip seemed to settle and get a really nice point to it
Please tell me it’s just swelling lol
Many thanks
X
I’m glad this blog is really helping ease the natural panic that comes after surgery. But to answer your question, yes. My nose seemed more “pudgy” in the beginning, and as time has passed it has become more refined. If you’re nose was not pudgy to begin with then it’s probably just swelling. But it will really depend on what your surgeon did. If you guys previously discussed, let’s say, turning a pointed nose into a round nose then it may end up less defined.
When did you have surgery? I didn’t notice drastic tip refinement until the 6 month mark (and even then the swelling was uneven, making my nose look uneven). But either way, I’m sure you have lots of swelling; and it really takes time to heal. Rhinoplasty takes a great deal of patience and confidence while going through the healing phases. Whenever I thought my nose didn’t look that great I reminded myself: it takes up to 2 years for all the swelling to go away, and even with swelling my nose looks a hundred times better than it did before. Just be patient and you will be at the 2 year mark before you know it and with a much better nose than you had before. 🙂
Thank you so much for your response.
Yeah my nose was quite refined at the end before. I’m sure it’s just swelling.. Can’t wait for my final nose shape now 😉
I’m 7 days post op with Dr. G!! Just wanted to thank you for putting this blog out there as it helped me with my decision on what surgeon to go to, as well as have someone to compare my swelling/bruising with. I’ll send you a link of my pics as soon as I upload them 🙂
Congratulations! I love Dr. G, he’s great. And I’m so glad my blog helped you (that’s exactly why I shared my story. I’m really ecstatic!) I’d love to see your results, and I wish you a fast recovery.
Your result is absolutely beautiful! You are a beautiful girl and your new nose matches you perfectly.
Dr Grigoryants gave a very nice nose
Thank you so much for the compliments. I am very happy with my results. It’s made such a positive impact on my life I wish I would’ve done it sooner.
Did Dr Grigoryants use any kind of packing after surgery?
Hi Kelly.
I don’t believe that Dr. G used any packing with my rhinoplasty. If I did have any packing I was not aware. I had to change my drip pad frequently, and I was able to get air through my nostrils. When my cast was removed everything was taken off in one motion, and admittedly that did not feel the greatest. But was totally worth it in the end.
Hi friend! You commented on my realself blog a while ago connecting me to this blog. Seeing your results was one of the reasons I decided to go through with it, and I’m so happy I did! I went to Dr. Grigoryants as well. I’m 11 days post op and already thrilled. My nose kind of looks like yours, a “Dr. G nose” haha but it fits my face and looks natural. I am of course still swollen. My smile is off and I feel like my eyes look more round or farther apart I think it’s because my bridge is still swollen. Did your eyes look different for a while? and how long did it take to get your eyes/smile back to what you consider normal? Thanks so much for the blog
Congratulations! Whoo-hoo you did it! And you chose a great doctor. Yes! I had the same thing happen to me, I thought I was just crazy but it seemed like things went back to normal after about a month. Just be patient and things will heal and you will start to see the beautiful you!
Thank you for sharing with us your rhinoplasty experience with Dr. Vladimir Grigoryants . I think it really educates and help me understand the healing process after surgery. Being able to see your recover in photos is much better than just reading about it .
Your result is absolutely beautiful! Dr. Grigoryants did a beautiful job. I would like to have a nose like yours (if there is any hope for my nose).
Thank you for the compliment! Dr. Grigoryants is a great rhinoplasty surgeon, and I highly recommend him. With all the advances in modern medicine and surgical education I’m sure that whatever you’re facing with your nose is definitely “fixable”. Just take the time to research your doctor; look at his gallery and make sure you feel comfortable with him during your consult. I’m so happy that I got my rhinoplasty and wish I would’ve had it done sooner. I wish you the best on your journey! 🙂
Hi there!
Thank you for writing on your experience, I really do appreciate it! Hey I was wondering, did you have concerns about your columella before your surgery? I do also as it hangs below my nostrils, did it change with just the rhinoplasty or did he do extra work also?
Thanks, congratulations on your results
Xx
Hi Sasha.
Yes, my columella was a concern of mine. I had discussed it with my doctor during many of my consultations and that was something that he fixed during surgery. In my case I had a little more cartilage on my right side and also my tip pointed downwards. He told me that he left a little bit in order to prevent a butt nose. Now that most of my swelling is gone, it really made a difference and I don’t feel like I have such a “hangy” nose anymore. I keep meaning to post a before and after picture right next to each other so all the little differences can be seen. I’ll try to get to that sometime soon.
If I were you, be sure to discuss that concern during your consultation. Look at the doctor’s before/afters and if you like MOST (if not all) of his work then definitely schedule a consultation. That’s when you’ll know what that doctor can do for you. Best of Luck! Let me know how things go. 🙂
Thank you for your reply!
Yes I will discuss this with my surgeon I have my consultation in a few weeks so I will drop the concern, did it cost extra for him to fix the columella or wad it apart of the whole rhinoplasty surgery cost?
Thank you so much xx
Yes it was included in the total. Be sure to check with your surgeon about any additional fees if price is one of your concerns.
Your new nose looks perfect! I’m 21 and when I was a child I was hit in the nose really hard with a tennis ball while I was playing with other kids, and since then my nose has a lump that bothered me all my life. I run away from cameras because my nose looks horrible to me from the side and it just makes me cry when I’m looking at pictures of myself. I can’t afford to have rhinoplasty done now, but after I graduate I am seriously planning to have it done. I am very reluctant about it still, I see many bad outcomes on internet as well, but your story gave me hope!! Thanks
Thank you. I can definitely sympathize with you. I know it can be a long road; I spent 6 years looking for the right doctor and saving money. I wish you the best and hopefully you’re able to get it done soon.
Thanks so much for the response, it really is helpful! I’m trying to be patient, but each day I realize I have more and more swelling inside my nose; it might be scar tissue or something, I’m not sure. It just feels really weird and like I have no room in there. Did you have something similar? Do you have any scar tissue left now? Sorry for all the questions!
The inside of my nose definitely felt swollen for a long time; still feels a little swollen inside now. I told my Dr about the breathing issue at my one month checkup and he looked up there and tweezed some boogies out (did not feel great I must say). After that I had great breathing but soon felt clogged again.
I addressed the breathing issue at my 4month checkup and he told me that the turbinates swell with allergies (we’re not talking hay fever or food allergies). Just allergies that you might not even realize you have.
The swelling fluctuation I described before happens on the inside too. I noticed for me I would be more swollen in the morning or during a workout. Or even just some days and not others.
Today, with a lot of the swelling gone, I still have fluctuations just not as bad. And yes, I can feel the swelling happening mostly inside my nose. I do feel a little scar tissue in my right nostril, and I think I can see a little scar if I look up there. But I’d say I can breath fairly normal.
Since your nose job is still so new it is likely you have a lot of swelling at this point. It will take time to go down. Months to say the least. If I were you, I would discuss the breathing issue with your doctor. He’ll be able to tell you about the swelling, or if you really are having a buildup of scar tissue. He may even clean out your nose for you.
But either way I’m sure you don’t need to worry so much. Healing definitely takes time. If in a few months the breathing has not improved you could always go see an ENT.
Hi- I came across your blog after reading posts on RealSelf about rhinoplasty experiences. I found your story to be extremely helpful to what I’m going through right now. I had a closed rhinoplasty on September 18 (10 days ago), and my surgery day was a lot like yours. I’ve recovered nicely and am now in that torturous in-between time where I’m waiting for the swelling to go down. Currently, my nose seems a little too upturned and “piggish,” but I know that it will drop gradually so I’m not so worried about that. However, it is obvious that from head-on, my nostrils are a little bit uneven, and it’s driving me crazy. I also see that swelling is going down on one side of the nose, but not on the other, so my nose looks kind of weird and morphed. I see in your 1 week & 4 days pictures that you kind of had the same issue around the same time as me, and I also read at the bottom of your story where you said to be patient with the swelling and not to freak out about the nose being uneven. I’m just wondering around how many weeks did this problem start to correct itself for you? I can see that in your one month post-op pictures, it looks like the unevenness is gone and everything looks great. I also have two more questions: 1- when did the tip start to drop and become less hard and bulbous (and show less nostril)? 2- did you feel like you had a smaller breathing passage in your nose during the first few weeks? If so, did it return to normal? I know I should just be patient and wait to see myself, but I would love some reassurance from someone who seems to have gone through a similar experience as me. Thanks so much and enjoy your beautiful nose!
Hi NormaJean.
Congratulations on your surgery! Woo-hoo you did it! 🙂
Yes you are right, I definitely had the uneven swelling thing going on. It really comes and goes for quite awhile — maybe about six months or less (for the noticeable unevenness). In the beginning stages I found that taping really helped keep the swelling a little more even. But after awhile you kind of get used to your nose “fluctuating”.
Also, like you, my nose was a little on the flippy/piggy side (for about a month or so) before the columella started to come down. Once this happened the unevenness was less noticeable.
As far as the hardness in the tip goes, I still have that weird stiff feeling but I noticed a dramatic difference around the one year mark.
I know all about the breathing issue; I can sympathize with you there. During the first month and a half I actually had no sense of smell! But I’d say I really got some good air flow around the month/month-and-a-half mark. However, since then my allergies have been acting up and I can tell the inside of my nose is slightly swollen limiting my air flow again (bummer! I liked that extra oxygen).
I really wouldn’t worry about your nostrils though. It’s definitely one of those things that I’m sure only you notice; and it’s very likely that once a good amount of swelling subsides that they will be more even. Additionally, asymmetry is very natural looking and everyone has it. So if anything it will only make your nose look more natural and less like a rhinoplasty.
Time flies and before you know it you’ll be at the one year mark! Enjoy your nose; I’m sure that even with its imperfections it’s still cute!
Hi I will be 1 month post op on April 14 one of my nostrils is like half the size and the airway inside looks tiny theres scar tissue or swelling inside forsure but the way one of my nostril looks is concerning and I’m scared it won’t go back to normal it honestly looks collapsed I contacted dr g and he said If there’s still a problem after swelling i can fix it and I’m over here like what that’s my worst nightmare I look like the Texas chainsaw expect with a collapsed looking nostril and I’m embarrassed to go out and I’m not ok right now I don’t want to look like this or feel this way idk what to do
Hi Gigi. I definitely know how scary it can be when you’re in the healing phase. I’m so sorry that you’re feeling this way. It really does suck. A lot of people don’t really talk about the mental fortitude that is required to make it through the healing phase (I wrote another post about the emotional side of rhinoplasty if you’re interested).
But from my experience, when the swelling is healing it can be pretty uneven. Some parts of the nose are “shrinking” while others are still swollen, so there’s almost a pulling effect happening. I think I noticed that more around the 6 month mark for me personally.
While I don’t know the specifics of your case, this would be my general advice:
1. Stay calm. – I know it can be scary. What you’re feeling is VALID. And if you’re anything like me, it might even become something that creates obsessive thinking. It’s important to not let your mental state get away from you. Practice meditation, deep belly breathing, and know that no matter what, it’ll be ok. You’ll be ok. There’s no need to panic. You are still in the early stages of healing. Things are likely to look & feel weird. DON’T BEAT yourself up. I’m willing to bet that things aren’t nearly as bad as you are thinking/seeing it to be – we are all our own worse critics.
2. Gain Knowledge & Acceptance. – Surgery isn’t a “perfect” science. There’s bound to be some asymmetry because that is very natural. AND while you are healing (which honestly is a long process) it is normal for things to look a little wonky. It helped me to understand that there are still going to be “imperfections” to the work, even when one of the best doctors is doing it. BUT what a blessing that you have a knowledgeable doctor who is still communicating with you, and even willing to help correct an undesirable result. I’m sure you didn’t choose your doctor by putting names on a spin wheel, you chose him because you researched and ultimately made the decision to trust him because he’s qualified. In the times of emotional turmoil, I find it helpful to remind myself that I did my due-diligence to find my doctor. That their years of experience hold more weight than my panic.
3. Do what you can to help reduce swelling. – While most of the swelling reduction needs to happen within 48hrs of surgery, there are still things that can help minimize the post surgery swelling. You will have to look into these things, but some that come to mind would be: avoid high salt content foods, drink plenty of water, keep your head elevated, avoid alcohol, you could ice the area, etc.
I hope that was helpful to you. Hang in there, and have patience. It will be ok. You just got to get through some of the weird healing parts. ❤️