So, this is a procedure I have wanted since my early teens. I fractured my nose when i was around 10 years old when my brother head butted me in the face (accidental lol) however there was no blood/bruising etc so nothing was done. Started to get people telling me at high school "why is your nose crooked?" And it really threw me because i hadnt even noticed myself. As the years went on i really started to hate the way i looked so my mom took me to the hospital when i was roughly 15 and had an MRI and got completely checked over. They found a fracture however they wouldn't operate until i was over 18. I was so upset because as I was growing, so was my nose, and I noticed it more and more, and so did everyone else. In my last year of high school (when I was 16) I got picked on quite a lot and would refuse to go to school.
As I went to college and the people were so different, I grew to get on with life and not worry about my nose. Although, I am now a makeup artist and through college I had to have my makeup done by other students and they use to have to take close up pictures of me. Again, my hatred grew back and I was determined to go through with a 'nose job'.
I also started to hate more things about my nose, other than it veering to one side, i hated the small bumb on the bridge of my nose, how bulbous the tip was, i absolutely HATED my own side profile as it looked bigger than the other. I would always sit to the right of people because the thought of them looking at me from the left made me want to cry. I would never take a front face selfie, or a selfie from the left. I would get so mad at my friends if they took a picture of me off guard because I only knew of one angle I could look 'okay' in. Long story short, I got a good job since leaving college and saved up enough to go private, as the NHS here in the UK was struggling and I didn't want to risk it because it wouldn't be priority. So I looked around private hospitals and eventually chose The Hospital Group.
I will carry on with the process in my following updates :)
Here are some pictures of my nose before surgery.
Updated on 26 Apr 2017:
This is when i first woke up from my surgery. I felt quite nauseous but no pain, i couldnt see much because the tape theyd used on my eyes in surgery had a very sticky adhesive so i used saline pads on my eyes a lot for the first few hours. The nurses at The Hospital Group in bromsgrove, which is the Dolan Park hospital (biggest in the UK i believe) were amazing. They always checked up on me and asked how i was, if i needed any painkillers, or i wanted tea/coffee and if i was ready to eat something. My own private room with walk in wardrobe and en-suite was phenomenal, tv and adjustable bed were so nice to have. Would definitely recommend this hosptial/company.
Updated on 26 Apr 2017:
I stayed overnight in hospital which I'm glad because the anaesthetic made me very drowsy so nurses helped me to the bathroom and to change etc. My mom made a huge fuss lol and got me comfy in bed with plenty of water and snacks and all my medication. It felt very nice to be home. Although i couldn't sleep at all, literally all night in the hospital I would doze on and off every 10-15 minutes. I also suffered with a bit of a cough too, but the nurses said it was normal because of the anaesthetic. Feeling good day 1 post opp! :)
Updated on 27 Apr 2017:
I have been so lucky throughout this recovery because I have had very minimal bruising. Although I have had quite a bit of swelling to the eyes and face! I feel like a chipmunk ha ha. I started taking arnica tablets 2 weeks prior to surgery which I think has massively helped and I continued to take them the day after surgery. So would definitely recommend!! Mouth is still very dry and I have probably consumed enough water to flood a village. Sleep is getting better each night, I manage to get a full hours sleep before waking up again. So far, id say the key essentials for this surgery that you will need every day are: lotssss of water, lip balm, tissues, cotton buds, saline water, v neck pillow/airplane pillow, buttoned up clothing (so you dont have to struggle with putting it over your head), and biscuits (very helpful if suddenly feeling nauseous as it often was because my stomach was empty and this small amount of sugary food took the edge of massively)
Updated on 28 Apr 2017:
So Ive just got my cast off, and stitches out. Oh goodness does the stitch removal hurt D: well, more just a sharp pinch (doesnt last long to be fair, so still okay. Id say 8/10 for pain) but if you compare to the whole procedure, it has been the worst pain. Which is good!! I couldnt even bring myself to look at my nose at first, i was soo anxious. At first i HATED it. I thought i looked ridiculous, it didnt suite me and made my eyes look really far apart. I put a bit of makeup on when i got home and after a few hours i now think its great! It definitely looks better with makeup at the moment, because my eyes look more in proportion. Lets just wait and see how my family and friends react! :)
Updated on 12 May 2017:
So, its officially been 3 weeks since my septo-rhinoplasty. At this moment, I am still unsure. I love the side profile however i still get conscious of my front profile. My nose is still not completely straight and it still looks bent, in some pictures its worse than others, im not sure if thats lighting or real?? So im 80% happy. Obviously there is still a long healing process to go and my whole look had been improved massively! I just still have my concerns as its not how i imagined 100%.
Updated on 15 Jun 2017:
So it has now been two months since my opp and i an feeling more and more confident every week with my nose. I was so worried due to the fact my nose was so swollen and still very bent.. but i feel its just swelling on the one side thats making a shadow. What does everybody think? Will it go any straighter?
Updated on 18 Sep 2018:
So.. i havent posted an update in over a year! But i thought id show you how it looks now its all completely settled. I would say overall i am very happy with my nose, however there are small things that i dont like. I am never anxious to go out anymore or meet new people or take photos, i dont even think about it anymore! Its strange what changing one thing can do to your mental state. I really feel like this has completely helped me to progress. The small things that i dont like are that my nose is not completely straight still and i was told that it never will be, which is annoying because its still quite noticeable although not as bad as it was before. Also i have a small lump on the bridge, which my surgeon says is bone from when they were moving it and breaking it. These things are minor but when its your own nose and you have to live with it forever you will always pick out faults. I hope you have enjoyed my journey and can take something from it to help you on yours :) good luck!