I’m so excited to be back with my third (and likely final) post in the ‘My Rhinoplasty Experience’ series! I tried to be as thorough as possible in the first two parts (Part 1 & Part 2), but here are some additional questions y’all had!
Would you get plastic surgery again?
Would I do this over again? Heck. Yes. Would I get a different procedure done at some point? Never say never, but right now, no. I feel like I’m all set in that department and I don’t see it changing anytime soon!
Who’s videos/blogs did you find helpful to look at before your surgery?
I actually hadn’t read any blog posts before getting a rhinoplasty, but YouTube videos were my best friends!! At one point I had to cut myself off because there are some wild ones out there… I would limit how many videos you watch, because it can be so easy to fall into a rabbit hole of videos! Stick to just a few that are informative and don’t keep watching any horror stories. Of course plastic surgery is a risk, but I think once you’ve scheduled the surgery there’s no reason to freak yourself out.
Here’s a couple of helpful (and reassuring!) YouTube videos I watched:
Were there any must haves for you during the recovery period?
Ohh this is a good question! Because you can’t wash your face or hair for a bit, definitely some good face wipes (these are my go-to) and your favorite dry shampoo (I like this one!). Other than that, because the recovery wasn’t all that intense for me, I didn’t need much more than some shows/movies to watch and some friends to come say hi! Oh, and lots of Ben & Jerry’s.
Was there anything you wanted/anticipated for your ‘new nose’ that didn’t happen?
As far as what was realistic, no! My doctor warned me that the bridge of my nose (which was very skinny before) may not be as wide as I wanted just due to the structure of my nose and the limitations of surgery. However, the results are exactly what I wanted! I’m very, very happy with what I have, and wasn’t disappointed at all! I will definitely credit Dr. Barnett with this since he very clearly laid out what would and wouldn’t be possible for my surgery.
Was there anyone in your life who thought negatively of you for getting plastic surgery?
As far as I know, no! I think everyone in my life really understood how I felt and supported the decision. And people who have come into my life since then have never said anything negative. If anyone does think negatively, that’s their problem!!
Did you get any weird responses when telling people about your nose job?
A lot of people ask “Do you think I need a nose job? Should I get one too?” I am NOT going to tell you whether you ‘need’ a nose job. No one ‘needs‘ a nose job, and I’m not here to decide for you just because I had one! If you’ve learned anything from these posts I hope it’s that this is such a personal decision that shouldn’t depend on anyone else’s opinion. I also find it funny how many people say this who have noses I would’ve killed for prior to my rhinoplasty! It’s like they’d never considered a nose job before, and all of a sudden they want to know if I think they need one. I’m not an expert, and even the experts (at least the good ones) won’t tell you that you need a nose job. However, if you are seriously thinking about or debating a nose job, I really would love to chat! I just won’t tell you what to do!
How long did you feel like you had to stay home because of bruises?
I went out on day four (just to get frozen yogurt haha) but I definitely still had bruises and felt pretty self-conscious. By day six my bruises were pretty much gone, and were easily covered by some concealer! So I guess my answer is about 5/6ish days depending on how much you bruise and if having the ‘cast’ on your nose bothers you in terms of going out in public! Once the ‘cast’ was off and my stiches were taken out (day 7) the bruises had almost fully disappeared.
How long was recovery?
I feel like this question could have a million answers! Let me explain. If we’re speaking super technically in terms of swelling and stuff, about a year. It takes that long for your nose to get to what it will truly look like post-surgery. But in terms of feeling able to get back to my day-to-day life (working out, seeing friends, nannying, etc.), about two weeks! I will say I don’t feel like my nose felt fully ‘normal’ for a month, but there wasn’t pain or anything stopping me from living my normal life.
Final answer: about two weeks!
Did you have an open or closed rhinoplasty?
Open! And if you don’t know what that means, I will explain! An open rhinoplasty is when they cut your columella (that part of your nose that separates your nostrils) to get better access. This is where my stiches/scars were since I had an open rhinoplasty. In a closed rhinoplasty they can go through incisions in your nostrils which definitely cuts down on healing time (and maybe cost as well? Not positive). I actually had a sketchy surgeon tell me I could get the results I wanted with a closed rhinoplasty… NOPE. That isn’t to say a closed rhinoplasty doesn’t get results for other people – it just all depends on the structure of your nose! For some, a closed rhinoplasty works perfectly, but for me it wasn’t an option to get the results I wanted.
Did your self-confidence change post-surgery?
Yes! Even though I had already gotten to a place where I felt good about myself, liked who I was, etc. I won’t deny that having a nose job increased my self-confidence. It changed looking at myself in the mirror everyday, and I never think “Oh god is that person sitting next to me staring at the bump in my nose?” anymore! Of course, I’m not feeling super duper confident every single day just because I had plastic surgery, but it definitely helped with something that was quite literally staring me in the face each day.
How are you feeling mentally now that it has been years since the procedure?
Really good! I honestly forget it happened sometimes! But, I feel very satisfied with my decision. I’ve also become even more self-confident like I just said. I think when you have an insecurity that feels that prominent, it takes up a lot of your headspace and energy. It honestly feels like I’ve had a weight taken off of my mental load! And for someone with anxiety that’s huge. So the best part, aside from the way I look now, has been feeling lighter mentally!
You said you had a fairly easy/ideal experience. Was there anything that went ‘wrong?’
No! Besides having a bit of an adverse reaction to anesthesia, nothing went wrong. I feel so lucky that was the only thing that wasn’t super ideal, and it was something very mild that didn’t last long.
What are your thoughts on cosmetic surgery in general? Do you think people should only get plastic surgery if they feel the same kind of insecurity you felt?
What it boils down to for me, and this sentiment I apply to many aspects of life, is I will never tell another person what is right or wrong to do with their own body. I don’t think you have to have deep-rooted insecurities to ‘qualify’ for plastic surgery – that was just my experience. As long as someone is doing it for them and not anyone else, and has made that decision themselves, I have no problem with plastic surgery.
Do I see the high rates of plastic surgery as a result of unrealistic beauty standards society forces upon women? ABSOLUTELY. And I had a really hard time reconciling with that when I chose to get a nose job. Would I have wanted a nose job if society didn’t tell me large noses with bumps in them weren’t beautiful? I truly don’t know! I also don’t want anyone reading this to think their nose isn’t beautiful because I decided to change mine. You are beautiful, no matter what!
Do you have any regrets?
Not doing it sooner, maybe? Lol jk! I definitely wouldn’t have been ready to do it any sooner than I did, honestly, so no.
No regrets!
//
I just want to thank you guys again, from the bottom of my heart, for reading about this journey and experience. I have really enjoyed reflecting on this part of my life, which I often forget about or gloss over. It’s allowed me to feel connected on a deeper level to those of you who read my blog and those who I already knew IRL! And these posts have led to a lot of meaningful conversations, not only about cosmetic surgery, but about beauty standards, body image etc. that we often stress about as girls/women. I am so grateful for these conversations and for you all!
And again, PLEASE do not hesitate to reach out if you have more questions, comments, or want to chat about any thoughts/feelings these posts have brought up for you – whether they relate to cosmetic surgery or not!
Leave a Reply