My experience with plastic surgery….
This is probably not going to be what you expect. Although I am a Facial Plastic Surgeon and absolutely love my job, that is not the experience I am talking about. This is my most personal blog yet. I want to share my experience with rhinoplasty, from the patient’s perspective.
My Crooked Nose
Like many young people, I played sports growing up and took a number of elbows, volleyballs and basketballs to the face. This resulted in a crooked nose and a significantly deviated septum. I really can’t ever remember breathing through the left side of my nose or really being able to smell very well. Although none of my friends said they ever noticed it, I was really self-conscious about the way my tip looked.
Making the Decision
Finally I got up the courage to have someone look at my nose from a surgical perspective. Of course, my fellowship director, Russ Kridel, MD, is who I chose. He found what I describe above. So we started talking about surgery.
What Did My Family Think?
I think I had some of the same emotions that many patients describe. I didn’t want to lose the connection with my family or look significantly different. Neither did my family. I have what is probably an unfair advantage to know exactly what goes into it, have seen hundreds of before and after pictures and therefore use the same techniques when I perform rhinoplasty. So, I wasn’t anxious about that. Pictures and descriptions of surgical techniques are really helpful!
Being Comfortable with Your Surgeon
I obviously knew my surgeon very well. I think it is so important to feel comfortable with them because the after care is just as important as the surgery. I want to feel comfortable that they will make decisions with my best interests in mind at all time.
The Day of Surgery
Although I’m very comfortable with the process on the day of surgery, I could definitely see how it could be intimidating and nerve-racking. Sitting there hungry, because you haven’t eaten or drank since midnight, in a flimsy gown, open in the back with only that and a blanket or two between you and nurses, anesthesiologists and nurse anesthetists that you have never met. The waiting before the surgery was the hardest part.
The Recovery Room
I don’t remember anything until I woke up in the recovery room. Like many patients who have nasal surgery, I was nauseated. With some great medication from the nurses, I felt much better. We don’t use packing because it is very uncomfortable and does not anything to the surgery or outcome. We do, however, use a light gauze in both sides of the nose overnight. So, I couldn’t breathe through my nose until this was taken out the next morning.
The Next Day
I have taken out hundreds of gauze from other people’s nose, but obviously this was the first time I was on the other end. So, I took some pain medication that morning thinking I might need it. In retrospect, I probably would have been ok without it. It felt like the facial pressure that comes along with a headache when I have sinusitis for less than a second on each side. It’s honestly scarier because you don’t know what to expect than painful.
Recovery - Better Than You Think!
Every person is different when it comes to pain after the surgery. Some people need the medication, but a lot have the same experience I did. It was “uncomfortable”, but not really painful. The first morning after surgery was the only pain medication I took. I felt pressure if I reclined too far and a stinging in my incision if I moved my upper lip too much. Both were a warning from my body that I was doing too much.
Getting Back to Work
I was doing paperwork by day #2 and back to work day#5, when the splint came off. However, I usually tell people to take 1 week to 10 days off. Most places of employment aren’t as used to people with a splint or tape on their nose as mine. I am very fair skinned, so I bruised more than most people. Usually by day 5 it can be covered up with makeup and by day 10-14 most of it is gone.
What It Looked Like
My nose was swollen when the splint came off at day 5 and noticeably less swollen at day 10. However, no one else noticed it when they looked at me. I just noticed the changes. Since 90% of the swelling goes down in the first 3 months, I could tell differences each day during that time. I feel it has gotten much thinner and more defined with each month.
It Continues to Improve
What I think is funny is every time we take pictures to evaluate my progress, I always feel like it looks better in the mirror than the pictures. You just don’t get the whole effect with a 2D photograph. But I don’t feel as self-conscious about taking pictures anymore.
Even Better - I Can Breathe Now!
Even though I talk to people who have had this surgery every day, it’s amazing the changes that I have had that I didn’t even think about before the surgery. I can actually breathe through the left side of my nose and can smell now! I have realized that there are foods that taste much better than I thought and foods that I don’t actually like, but never realized it because I couldn’t smell or taste them very well. I sleep SO much better and have energy that I haven’t had in years. Running is easier and I don’t get winded as easily.
Rhinoplasty Has Given Me A Better Perspective
I feel very good recommending nasal surgery to my patients, especially after my own journey. It was one of the better decisions that I have made and I am so glad that I did it. I am happy to share my story and experiences with anyone who is interested!
