POSTED UNDER Rhinoplasty REVIEWS
Dr Rizk Open Rhinoplasty - 14 Weeks Post Surgery - New York, NY
ORIGINAL POST
I've already written up my review and I am still...
LDNgirlSeptember 7, 2012
$23,000
I've already written up my review and I am still healing and swollen, but every month my nose gets slowly better/nicer. And it is a slow process which at times kills, but at least every month I can see an improvement. I still don't have complete symmetry as one nostril looks more 'pushed in' than then other and one side of my nose is marginally more swollen, but I know this will subside once healing is complete. It's not noticeable to others, only me (and because I am constantly looking at and scrutinising my 'new' nose. I hope the pics help. Thanks and good luck everyone!
LDNgirl's provider
Replies (25)
September 8, 2012
Hello LDNgirl,
You look great! I would like to know something... Did Dr. Rizk use rib graft to refine your nose? I'm also looking for a revision specialist to reduce an overgrafted nose, but I don't want to have rib in my nose. :(
Happy for you and your results. I hope my nightmare ends soon...
You look great! I would like to know something... Did Dr. Rizk use rib graft to refine your nose? I'm also looking for a revision specialist to reduce an overgrafted nose, but I don't want to have rib in my nose. :(
Happy for you and your results. I hope my nightmare ends soon...
September 8, 2012
Hey MissLila2 - thanks so much for your lovely comments :)
I had open rhinoplasty and he had to break my nose too to refine the thick/wide bone. He also reduced the bulbous tip at the end (hence needing open rhino). He was also going to reduce my nostrils but decided not to during surgery as he was worried I'd end up with a pinched look (and I'm so glad he didn't do this - no one wants a Jackson nose!). He didn't use any grafts or implants in my nose - probably because this was my first nose job rather than a revision. I wouldn't worry about having your own rib in your nose - it sounds weird but it's part of you and less invasive/problematic than a foreign object like silicon. The healing is less of a nightmare now for me as I'm used to the swelling and can see it reducing month by month. Good luck missLila2!
I had open rhinoplasty and he had to break my nose too to refine the thick/wide bone. He also reduced the bulbous tip at the end (hence needing open rhino). He was also going to reduce my nostrils but decided not to during surgery as he was worried I'd end up with a pinched look (and I'm so glad he didn't do this - no one wants a Jackson nose!). He didn't use any grafts or implants in my nose - probably because this was my first nose job rather than a revision. I wouldn't worry about having your own rib in your nose - it sounds weird but it's part of you and less invasive/problematic than a foreign object like silicon. The healing is less of a nightmare now for me as I'm used to the swelling and can see it reducing month by month. Good luck missLila2!
September 8, 2012
Hey!
Thank you very much for your detailed reply. I don't know why, I thought your surgery was a revision. I'm glad for you that you made a wonderful first choice.
I hope your nose improves even more with time! :)
Good luck and thank you.
Thank you very much for your detailed reply. I don't know why, I thought your surgery was a revision. I'm glad for you that you made a wonderful first choice.
I hope your nose improves even more with time! :)
Good luck and thank you.
September 8, 2012
Wow!! You look great .. Thanks for your positive email LDNgirl. I went back to work 1 week after surgery just to keep myself occupied! My nostrils are a big reason why I decided to get rhinoplasty as well as deformity overall. Nostrils look exactly the same.
UPDATED FROM LDNgirl
1 year post
One year on - not worth it!
LDNgirlMay 21, 2013
I have come to the conclusion that my rhinoplasty with Dr Rizk was NOT worth the money and recovery pain (mentally and physically). I have waited patiently for one year and am still swollen on both sides of my nose (unsymmetrically). My nose is also still 'crooked' from underneath. I was told after surgery that this was post surgical swelling and it would disappear, but it has not, and the end result is now a lopsided nose. I am worried that I may have scar tissue inside my nose which is causing the permanent swelling and this upsets me as I often feel my nose actually looks worse! I will try to upload close up shots of the lopsidedness on here and will also be sending these to Dr Rizk soon. As I live in the UK I can't afford to go back to NYC for a correction either (the first op used up all of my savings), so I'm left feeling stupid for having such an op when there was actually nothing wrong with my old nose - I just wanted a better one.
Replies (24)
May 21, 2013
Sorry to hear it was not worth it to you. I know the disappointment. Will you be looking into a revision or can you accept how it is? I don't notice the asymmetry you are referring to because you are bandaged and wearing glasses in your pics. I don't blame you if you don't want to show photos, though.... I am mortified of my nose and the only way I would post pictures of it is if I get it fixed first. Good luck with whatever you decide!
May 21, 2013
So sorry to know that it wasn't worth it spectially with the amount of money you've paid! I was considering Dr. Rizk to do my revision (2 previous ones) but now he's out of my list. You are pretty before and after your rhinoplasty but I totally understand the way you feel since this is not what u expected. I am considering now Dr. Sam Naficy he seems to be an excellent surgeon with great before and after photos. have you ever heard of him?
May 21, 2013
Hi Ldn girl. Sorry to hear you are not happy with your nose. It looks OK on the pictures. Could you pm me what it looks like now? I have a surgery coming up with Rizk in June. My worries are building up, but there is no way of turning back esp given the prepayment..
May 21, 2013
I happen to think it looks good. You look like you but your nose is more refined. I was thinking about going to him but his price was OUTRAGEOUS.
May 22, 2013
Wow... ldngirl.. I'm sorry to hear about your results.. I'm in the same predicament.. stuck with a deformed nose.. when he was suppose to fix it.. He is overpriced & not worth the money!!!
PEOPLE beware Please!!
Alexa
UPDATED FROM LDNgirl
4 years post
3 years post op - happier with nose now :)
LDNgirlJuly 7, 2016
July '16: I'm updating this in the hope it'll help some of you that are on your new nose journey. Because what I didn't know or realise pre op is that it really does take this long - 3 YEARS! - to see the end result of your shiny new nose.
So am I happy 3 years on? Mostly yes. My main concern was my wide nose bone and bulbous tip when looking at my nose front on. I am now mostly happy with how my nose looks at this angle.
What am I not happy about, 3 years on? The asymmetry (wonky nostrils) that's visible if you look from underneath my nose. Luckily at 5'2" very few people get to see me from this angle, so I mostly ignore this issue, which is the best solution for me!
I'm also uncomfortable with the slightly drooping tip when looking at my nose side on. But again, I can live with this for now.
So overall yes, I am happier with my nose now after surgery than I was before. However I still think that $23k for a complication free first op was obscenely excessive.
Advice for others: I know only to well how hard the waiting game is, but unfortunately you have to do this. It really has taken 3 years for my new, post op nose to settle into itself. So please try to be patient and above all please be kind to yourself during this time. We are all our own worst critics so give yourself a break guys.
Wishing peace and love to you all from London [RS bleep]
So am I happy 3 years on? Mostly yes. My main concern was my wide nose bone and bulbous tip when looking at my nose front on. I am now mostly happy with how my nose looks at this angle.
What am I not happy about, 3 years on? The asymmetry (wonky nostrils) that's visible if you look from underneath my nose. Luckily at 5'2" very few people get to see me from this angle, so I mostly ignore this issue, which is the best solution for me!
I'm also uncomfortable with the slightly drooping tip when looking at my nose side on. But again, I can live with this for now.
So overall yes, I am happier with my nose now after surgery than I was before. However I still think that $23k for a complication free first op was obscenely excessive.
Advice for others: I know only to well how hard the waiting game is, but unfortunately you have to do this. It really has taken 3 years for my new, post op nose to settle into itself. So please try to be patient and above all please be kind to yourself during this time. We are all our own worst critics so give yourself a break guys.
Wishing peace and love to you all from London [RS bleep]
Replies (6)
July 7, 2016
I'm so happy to see you are ultimately satisfied with your results! Dr Rizk did my primary in 2013, and I waited 3 years and then decided to have my revision this past Feb 2016.
July 7, 2016
Hope, did you return to Rizk for the revision? What did you dislike about the outcome? I hope things are going well since the revision.
July 10, 2016
I had my revision scheduled with him, but I decided to cancel it. I didn't think he and I were on the same page. My revision nose is MUCH better of an outcome (only 4 months post op) although some issues were not addressed in the revision (mostly straightening the crookedness from the front). My revision surgeon told me way too much of my septum was removed during my primary, so as a result, he had to harvest cartilage from both ears. He also noted a septal perforation in the back of my septum as well as 3 slits or cuts which must have been made during my primary surgery and he wasn't sure why they were made (no reason for it). Also, some area under my Caudaul septum was cut during my primary, which my revision surgeon told me he never does because the tip can fall in the future. He reinforced my tip with a strut graft during the revision. He discovered all of these things during the revision and told me about them at my follow up. He noted them in his operative report as well. I'm still growing to accept my new nose- although some things were not fixed and I'm upset because of how much I have spent on these 2 surgeries. But it's possible my revision surgeon was afraid to do too much because of what was done during my primary which he discovered during the surgery.. So maybe he was more conservative. Not sure...Either way, I'm done with rhinoplasties!!!! For a long long long time!!!! Lol
July 10, 2016
Glad to hear that your revision nose is much better! And only 4 months out from a revision, there is still a lot of healing to do over the next year or two so it will no doubt get even better! I wonder why so much cartilage was removed during your primary. But I guess even with "top surgeons" things can happen.
July 9, 2016
Oh wow. Thanks for your honest review. I have heard it takes up to 2 years for the nose to finally settle in but 3! It is very good to know. I am considering getting a subtle change to my nose but I am afraid that a doctor will go overboard!
October 14, 2017
Why didn`t you elect to have rhinoplasty with Dr. Sultan Hassan of London? Apparently, he seems to be one of the most popular and top rhinoplasty surgeons in the UK. Unless his popularity and top ranked status is driven primarily by media hype and aggressive marketing?
Wow, your new nose looks so refined. I'm glad you're happy. Please keep us posted as the swelling continues to subside!
I'll post some more pics when I hit the 6 month mark as there should be a more noticeable decrease in the swelling then.