According to Google, nearly 1 Million are done every year, most of the patients being females.
In 2021 it was my turn to finally decide and do this after 28 years of debating.
A rhinoplasty was in my mind since I was 12 years old. Growing older, there was always a mix of thoughts that made me wait so long, such as “I don’t have time”, “Why would I do it”?, “It’s too expensive”, “I actually like my nose”, “How do I choose the best doctor”?, and even worse, listening to other voices “Are you crazy”?, “Why would you do this, your nose is perfect” etc. My nose was not big but believe me, it was far from “perfect”.
In 2020 I booked Paula as MUA for one of my events, and we have been friends ever since. Shortly after we met, discussing over a cup of coffee I randomly mentioned my wish to finally have my rhinoplasty and that I am researching some good plasticians who ideally are specialized in “nose”.
And surprise, The Right Nose Dr. Levente Deak (@drlevente_therightnose) happened to be one of her very close and best friends.
From that moment, everything started to unfold nicely, and 4 months later, on April 21 at 1 pm my nose job was done.
I told you this short story because I am a firm believer that the right things happen at the right time, and sometimes it is worth waiting.
I know a lot of other women are about to have this surgery or they are considering having it, and I would like to share my experience and walk you through the entire process and, of course, give you a few useful tips that might make your journey smoother and boost your confidence because boy … I was scared as hell.
Ah, should I mention that I also put this image on my vision board in January 2020? Wink.
Pre-Surgery
I met Dr. Levente a couple of times before the operation, and we discussed the changes that we will make and pricing. And he even made a simulation of the before and after of my nose.
By the way, it is crucial to trust your doctor and have a really good anesthetist that will administrate you the right mix of sleeping pills & pain killers. Another big wink.
1 Day Before Surgery
I was scared, and I thought I would literally die. A part of my brain was frozen, and I imagined they would put me to sleep and never wake up.
I was thinking, “this is my last meal, my last workout, my last talk to my mom, my last shower” … ever!!!
But strangely or not, nothing made me change my mind and give up. I said, “if I planned a ball, I should definitely dance”.
Surgery-Day And A Step-By-Step Guide On How The Day Passed By
06:00 am – I woke up and reached Valiant Clinic in City Walk around 7 am, and I was ready for my surgery scheduled for 8 am. I was assigned a single room perfectly equipped with all that was necessary.
8.00 am – Dr. Levente came for a short visit in the morning, and so did the anesthetist.
I was still scared, especially that one of the nurses asked me if I was there for breast implants. I was like, please, I don’t want the wrong surgery :)) I am here for a nose job, not a boob job 😛
9:00 am – They took me into the surgery room, and in less than 1 minute, I was knocked out.
1:00 pm – They woke me up, and I remember I wanted to sleep more, but the position was uncomfortable as I was supposed to stay on my back with my head raised on 2 pillows. So I decided to wake up.
1:00 – 4.00 pm – Had a great coffee & lunch (In the morning, they brought me a menu, and I pre-ordered lunch and dinner). The food was actually very good.
After a while, a nurse came and gave me more painkillers.
I was able to stand up and use the restroom by myself.
The truth is that I was high, happy, and talkative :)) Had a lot of energy and zero pain. It was hilarious, and I was funny haha.
30 min after my surgery, I was on the phone talking to my friends and family.
4.00 pm – Dr. Levente came to check on me and take out some of the tampons from my nose, and I was already able to breathe with around 70% capacity, which was not bad at all.
5.30 pm – Salma, one of my best friends, came to see me and have Iftar together.
7.00 pm – Felt really ok and we got bored, so I decided to go home as staying there was useless. She took me home as driving a few days after the surgery is not advised.
11.30 pm – I went to sleep.
Note: The first 2 nights are a bit tough as you have to sleep on your back, and it is pretty annoying, and since you can’t wholly breathe on your nose yet, your mouth will be dry in the morning.
It is also advised for an adult to stay with you for the 1st night. It might be a good idea, but it’s not brain surgery, so I was totally fine by myself.
Day 2 – Day 4
Recovery is mild and easy to handle; however, I highly recommend taking 7-10 days off from work. I was out of the office for 8 days.
In the first 2-4 days, you will slightly bleed, and you’ll need to keep the medical tampon below your nose. Don’t worry much about it. Before leaving the hospital, they will give you a kit with all you need and instructions.
Note: You won’t be stuck in bed. Yes, you will be a bit slow, but still, you can do many things around the house if you want to. I advise to take it easy.
I went for the first check-up post-surgery.
This was the worst part of the process and luckily the only one. And I am happy I had no idea what would happen.
The doctor removed some of the stitches, which was uncomfortable, and he had to take out 2 more tampons from my nose that I had no idea about because I was already breathing through it.
He worked flawlessly and he was very gentle but digging with a sharp object deep into my nose, well that was pretty unpleasant, to say the least.
In the end, he retaped my nose and changed the splint.
In the evening, Salma washed my hair as it is not allowed to have your splint on the nose wet.
Day 8
I was already feeling great, doing stuff inside the house, went to the hairdresser for another hair wash, and went out for Iftar.
Go for it if you feel like going out but still have the splint or the tape. I felt actually cool hehe.
Day 9
Back to work. Business as usual …
Day 10
The splint had to be removed, and I could do it myself (you go in the shower and put some warm water on it, and it will get loose). For another 7 days, I had to tape my nose with medical tape as the doctor taught me (the tape you can find in any pharmacy).
Month 3
Your routines and activities are back to normal 99%.
You will mainly still have the swelling, and you will have to use SPF all the time.
Post-Surgery And How I Recovered
I never had any pain ever except Day 5, which was more annoying and uncomfortable rather than painful.
Bruising and Swelling
I expected to be super bruised like some of my friends. Not really.
Workouts
I didn’t do any workouts for 3 weeks. After week 3, I started slowly to get into my routine, but for another 3 weeks, I didn’t do any cardio. In week 6, I increased my weights and included more cardio.
I would say after about 2 months, I was able to go back to my usual routines.
Wearing Sunnies
4 months after the surgery, I haven’t worn them, and I will most probably not use them for at least another 6 months.
Glasses
If you wear glasses, consider using contacts for a while. They rest on the bridge of your nose and can have a negative impact on the softened tissue and the cartilage there.
Going to the Beach & Staying out in the Sun
I didn’t go at all for about 6 weeks after the surgery. After this time should be fine but make sure you use high SPF and also a hat. If you don’t, the risk of skin discoloration is very high, and it will stay forever. Trust me to be careful with this one.
Not hitting your nose.
Right after month 3, when in Zanzibar, I bumped into an open glass door that I thought was closed. Hit my nose pretty bad and kept ice on it for about 1 h. Luckily it was ok … yeah, I guess I was very lucky. Major don’t – don’t be an idiot like me duh!
Blowing your nose
Technically speaking, you are not allowed to blow your nose. I did. Gently. Had to. And every time was ok.
Cleaning your nose
Q Tips will be your best friend for a long time as that will be the only way to clean it.
Smoking and Drinking
I rarely smoke, so it was not the case. But I had a glass of wine here and there.
Wearing Make-up
Don’t put any foundation or powder on your nose for the first 2 months. Other than this you can have your usual routine.
Sexual Activity
Surgeons advise not to for about 3 weeks. I had sex after 1 week (with precautious), and it was ok so doable.
Going to the pool or swimming in the sea.
I suggest staying away from this activity for about 2 months. After, go for it, girl!
Sneeze
In your mouth, please.
Showering
The first 10 days – it is not advised to have your nose wet, especially if you have the splint on. After that, it is fine but avoid hot water on your face.
Stitches
It really depends on the type of surgery you will have. In my case, I was cut at the base of the nose in 3 places and had stitches. The doctor will remove those on Day 5. The others were inside the nose, and they self absorbed in time.
Don’t pull the last ones or try to take them out. I pulled one by mistake … I instantly had tears in my eyes.
Medical Kit – A Must Have
The clinic provided me with
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Tampons to place below the nose for the bleeding
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Vaseline in case lips get super dry – or you can use any hydrating cream.
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Saline water to clean your nose 2-3 times/day
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Nose drops in case your nose gets stuck
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Fucidin Cream – used this one with a Q tip inside the nostrils to clean them and where I had the cuts at the base of the nose.
- Advanced Silicone Gel for Scars – I used it at the base of my nose, where I had the scars three times/day.
- Mebo Cream (this one smells terrible, but it is very good for scars) – I used to use it all over my nose in the evening for about 2-3 hours for about 2 months long.
- Medical tape as once your splint is off, you will still have to tape your nose for a few days more for best results
Be patient. The healing process for the nasal surgery takes a minimum of 6 months up to one year. I know it sounds long, but the final result is worth the wait.
After 4 months, the tip of my nose is still numb, and so does the cartilage between my nostrils. So now I understand better why it takes a bit longer.
The idea of this surgery is not to copy someone else because you liked “that” nose. But to enhance the balance and harmony between other facial features, boost your self-esteem, and even fix your deviated septum issues if you have any.
Personally, I needed a change. I needed something new but something that keeps me the same, Iris, and not someone else.
And it was one of the best things I ever made!
IF
- you decide to find the right doctor, I wish you good luck and enjoy the results.
- you have additional questions, send me an email, I will be happy to help.
- you wanna share your experience, leave a comment, I would love to read it.
