Revision Rhinoplasty to Fix the Tip. - Geneva, Switzerland

I've always been very insecure about my nose; big, overprojected with a big bump. At 18 years old I finally got my first rhinoplasty, and looking back now, 1 year later, I can say I rushed things instead of making sure to chose the right surgeon and REALLY discuss my goals. However, at that time I really thought the surgeon did understand what I was looking for and I was extremely confident. The intervention itself went well, I was in some pain the first day but the recovery went smoothly, very uncomfortable but nothing unbearable. I can't deny, there is a big improvement but there have been some mistakes which are really bothering me right now.

The bump is gone, my nose is overall smaller but the now bulbous tip still has a "droopy" feel to it (due to the hanging columella + supra tip), a small bump is noticeable from one side (cartilage) and there's an obvious pollybeak deformity as well as alar retraction. Needless to say I'm quiet disappointed since I clearly told my surgeon that I was looking for a cute nose, a little bit pointy ( I think it gives a very "refined" look which I always loved) and I have the exact opposite now.

Sadly, my surgeon didn't admit that and basically said she did a great job and that I should be happy with it. I decided to look for another surgeon, and after having a few appointments, I chose Dr. Beldi who seemed very professional and trustworthy right away (6 months ago). He also performed revision rhinoplasty several times and I made sure to be EXTREMELY clear with my expectations (lots of pictures highlighting what I don't like about my nose, what the perfect nose would be for me, etc).

My surgery is in less than one month right now, and I'm obviously feeling nervous about the outcome ! There's a lot of money that I'm spending after working hard to get it, and I'm thinking about it every single day. Sometimes I do wonder if I shouldn't wait, but I'm getting more and more obsessed with my nose and I honestly don't think I'll be able to live with it another year or so.

I don't know if it makes sense, but it's almost like this nose bothers me more than before because I actually PAID for it, believing I'll finally get over with it. Lesson learned: never rush things to get it done, take your time and be patient.

Fingers crossed, hoping I'll be satisfied this time :).

Hi guys, as you know it my surgery was scheduled for December but I did some thinking and I realize I'm not quite ready yet. I've been extremely anxious lately, thinking about my nose and what could go wrong ALL the time. Plus I've been sick and really exhausted these weeks; not the best time to put my body through this surgery. My surgeon was extremely understanding and we rescheduled the procedure (March 2013).

Now what ? Well I did some thinking and decided to book a 1 month vacation (mid January to mid February). Until then I'm going to make sure my body and mind are at peace: eating healthy, working out and just take my time doing the things I like to do. Last rhinoplasty was rather uncomfortable because my body didn't recover that well from the anesthesia, I was in a rush, anxious, tired.

It was hard to make this decision. Obviously, living another 4 months or so with this nose isn't what I wanted, but I need to stop obsessing so much about it and find some self confidence back no matter what. So right now, it's "me-time" :). I'll update you guys before the surgery !

Hi guys,

As you can tell I've gone MIA the past year and didn't update my review. In short; after coming back from my vacation in late February 2013, I've had some pretty big health issues (brain tumor) that required loads of tests, appointments and finally a surgery in September 2013 (2 months spent in hospital).

Needless to say my nose was NOT my priority these past few months, even though the insecurity was still there. I guess life threatening experiences will do that do you, and I'll have to admit that after my brain surgery (hardest time of my life, lots of complications too) the idea of putting myself through an intervention willingly seemed NUTS !

It took time to get better, and accept the fact that I'll have to be under the neurosurgeons radar for the rest of my life (the tumor is so deep rooted in my head that it's impossible to take everything out without major neurological deficits). What about me ? Well I'm feeling better now, still experiencing some tumor related symptoms and the aftermaths of a pulmonary embolism that occurred a few days after my surgery.

Wow. So what now ? :)

I've contacted my plastic surgeon & have an appointment next month. We'll have to talk a lot about my medical history, make sure to plan a safe intervention & really assess the risks.

Some friends and family around me are surprised (some angry I have to admit) that I decided to go through another surgery willingly, I mean isn't this kind of experience supposed to make you realize your life is precious, and amazing and you have to make the best of it with what you have ?

Well, yes, of course. But I also realized that I don't want to live the rest of it obsessing over something I could "fix". I'm strong, I went through a lot, but now I'm sure that's what I want. It's not a reckless decision, and nor do I believe it will fix all of my self-esteem issues but I genuinely think it would be a big step towards self-acceptance.

I want to believe in loving yourself for what you are, and I've really tried to, I'm still trying every single day. I respect IMMENSELY those who accept themselves for what they are, "au naturel", but 2 years and a half after my first rhinoplasty I can say I'm not there yet.

It is my choice, and I believe I can get "there".

So, I had an appointment with my surgeon not too long ago. To keep it short, he's just as amazing as I remembered, whether it was at listening or explaining.

As I was expecting, we're gonna have to be a lot more careful considering my recent health problems, especially post-op to make sure I don't develop another thrombosis that could lead to a pulmonary embolism again (not fun). I was however really impressed at how much time Dr. Beldi spent with me (about 1 hour actually) discussing what happened, the surgery, my expectations or just plain small talk. I understand now how that communication was missing with my last surgeon !

Dr. Beldi does not treat me like an ignorant patient; he's opening his own med books, trying his best to explain every little step of the procedure, never annoyed when I repeat myself talking about my expectations, again and again.

I'm happy to announce my revision rhinoplasty is scheduled: 21st of July.

I'm also seeing the anesthetist 2 weeks before that.

So now we wait, but I'm extremely happy we're finally getting there. Especially considering I've been working my ass off these past few weeks to pay for the surgery; 5 more weeks to go !

My next update will probably be after the surgery. See you guys, & all the best to each and every one of you !

So, on Monday I had my surgery; it took longer than expected (4 hours) so recovery is pretty hard. I have to admit after waking up in quite some pain and a shitty general state I was really questioning the decision to put myself through this again. I'm a little bit better now, so there's that !

Apparently, the previous surgeon did an even worse job than we thought; lots of cartilage was missing so my surgeon had to take some from my ear, and also use fascia graft on the bridge. I'm obviously still extremely swollen, & still have a cast on.

I'm still very drowsy, but I'm trying my best to stay as active as possible; don't wanna risk another thrombosis. I'll make sure to update you guys with pictures as soon as the cast comes off.