Kristina Zakhary, MD, MSc, FRCSC

I have a feeling this will be a whole essay… Going through this process was nothing like I thought it would be. Because I live in Edmonton, most of my appointments were virtual, and I only had one in person appointment before my surgery that was spent mostly taking before photos. I was a little nervous going into surgery feeling like I didn’t really know Dr. Zakhary, however, this was to no fault of her or her clinic, solely the distance. What I loved about this clinic was that they always put the patients physical and mental health first. I had to get a clearance note from my family doctor, as well as blood testing. These processes helped me feel less anxious going into surgery. The pre care and post care is extensive with Dr. Zakhary… good!! However, the two things I was concerned about were 1. Both of the prescriptions given to me by Dr. Zakhary were written incorrectly and 2. Lots of the aftercare booklet had typos/informational mistakes. For example, the booklet said to take 15mg of zinc leading up to/after surgery, and Dr. Zakhary informed me day of surgery that it should have been 50mg. There were a few more inconsistencies like this, so make sure to double check everything! For the 2-3 days following the surgery I definitely didn’t feel great, but there was no “pain”. If you stay on top of your pain killers, you’ll definitely still feel out of it from the surgery, and pressure/discomfort, but I was never in pain. I was also given a prescription for an anti-nausea pill so that wasn’t any worry for me! The sinus rinses were the worst at first. There was just already sooo much pressure, so doing the rinses when my sinuses were still swelled added more. But of course it’s worth it for the healing to go well! Sleeping was also uncomfortable at first. Constantly waking up with dry mouth, and having to be elevated with a neck pillow was not fun. However for dry mouth, the Biotene dry mouth spray worked wonders! After day 4 post op- I felt totally back to normal energy wise. The most annoying thing after day 4 was that I could constantly feel the plastic tubes that were up my nose pressing against my septum. Also… what I totally wasn’t prepared for was how ITCHY under the cast was!!! There was one night where I seriously had to focus on not bashing my nose into the wall just to itch. Benadryl helps though! And Reactine works pretty good too for day time! When I got the cast off, from the front, due to the swelling, my nose looked relatively the same. I was a little disappointed. But that’s when I took a photo of my side profile. Holy sh!t. I took photos for the rest of the day. I couldn’t stop looking at myself, nor could I believe that was my side profile!!! Now that I’m 6 weeks post op, my front profile has definitely changed, but I’m sure it’s still quite swollen. I also noticed it gets more swollen throughout the day! There are a couple small things I wish were done differently, like my tip being raised higher, and my tip starting lower on my bridge, however it’s still a HUGE improvement. 6 weeks post op I’m feeling totally fine. The only discomfort is that the inside of my nose feels very stiff/dry. I’m still doing so many sinus rinses and using nasal oil. There’s also some stitches left in my nose that can feel painful from time to time but it’s not bad. If you’re looking for a surgeon in Alberta I do recommend Dr. Zakhary. I’m quite happy with my results so far, and can’t wait to see the final results!

Dr Zakhary is kind and professional. I had two large keloids removed and she was incredibly gentle and worked quickly in order to minimize my discomfort. I am typically a very anxious person but she helped keep me calm during the whole procedure. I am now getting follow-up injections to prevent re-growth and every time I see Dr Zakhary and her staff they are very warm and welcoming. She is very gentle with the injections, which I have previously had great pain with another doctor. I would highly recommend Dr Zakhary.

Dr Zakhary is the best surgeon in Calgary hands down! She did an incredible job with my rhinoplasty I love how my nose turned out it's very natural yet much smaller and much more defined. I see her too for my routine botox appointments because she also does an amazing job, the botox works by the next day the way she does it and also looks super natural. I also just love seeing her so any needs I need I would go to her!

I am dealing with 2 autoimmune diseases and take daily medications which puts me in a more risky category, but i have wanted my rhinoplasty done for years. I chose Dr. Zakhary because I have followed her for years and trust her expertise. She took into consideration my medical issues, medications, and proceeded with care and caution. She was very available, answered all of my questions, walked me through every little detail, gave me expectations and didn't paint things with a gold brush. She was very honest regarding the risks, breathing, and results. I received clearance to have surgery and it was such a success! I love my results more and more every day. I followed everything she said to the T and didn't change things because someone on TikTok said so, which is what I hear many people do. I think that's why some people end up having issues. Following her instructions exactly as she laid them out made a big difference. After the cast came off I noticed these big bumps, but she told me what to do, I followed it, and they are gone! I highly recommend Dr. Zakhary.

To begin with, I want to say Dr: Kristina Zakhary is genuinely one of the kindest people I have gotten to know. From the minute she walks into a room, her personality shines and lights up a room. She treats her patients as friends! And then there is her expertise; she truly knows what she is doing. The results from my rhinoplasty are natural; stunning and I finally feel confident. I could continue to use a thousand words of appreciation for her but I’ll sum it up by saying she’s touch my life in more ways then she’ll ever knows

Getting a nose job was something I had considered for my entire adult life, but fear always held me back. I worried about the risks and the possibility of not being happy with the outcome. Even as I started seriously considering the procedure, I wasn’t fully committed—until I came across the incredible reviews for Dr. Zakhary. From the moment I reached out, Dr. Zakhary’s team was prompt, professional, and kind. They quickly arranged a virtual consultation where Dr. Zahkary personally addressed all of my questions and concerns with patience and care. What truly impressed me was how she showed before and after photos of previous patients with similar nose structures to mine—this really helped me visualize potential results and gave me the confidence to move forward. Booking the procedure turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. On the day of surgery, I was understandably nervous, especially since I had never been under anesthesia before. Walking into the operating room was daunting, but Dr. Zahkary went out of her way to make me feel comfortable—she even had the Backstreet Boys playing loud in the background, which helped!! (A moment I won't forget!) The post-operative period came with its challenges—not pain, but I knew what to expect as we went through it all before the surgery. I was beyond excited to have the cast removed after two weeks, and when I finally saw the outcome, I was absolutely thrilled. The result is natural—I still look like myself, just more refined. I’m so grateful to Dr. Zakhary and her team for their professionalism, expertise, and genuine care. This experience has been life-changing, and I couldn’t be happier with the results.

How many exceptional people have you met in your life? Not many I bet. What word would you use for the type of surgeon you would want as your plastic surgeon? Like me, I'm pretty sure you would want an exceptional surgeon. That is who Dr. Zakhary is. She is not only an exceptional human being who is helping her patients through the surgical process with her consistent kindness and understanding, but an exceptional surgeon who has the eye of an artist and the practical skills of one of the top surgeons in the world. If you are overwhelmed by what choice to make, and don't know which plastic surgeon is the right one for you, I have no doubt it is Dr. Zakhary.

It’s hard to put into words just how grateful I am to Dr. Zachary for the incredible experience and results of my rhinoplasty. From the very beginning, she made me feel completely at ease with her warm, down-to-earth personality. She doesn’t carry the air of a typical plastic surgeon—in fact, she could easily be your kind, approachable neighbor next door. And yet, behind that humility lies a true artist and a consummate professional. One year post-surgery, I look in the mirror and see me—only more in harmony with how I’ve always felt inside. My nose now perfectly fits my face in the most natural way. So natural, in fact, that you’d never guess I had any work done. That’s the true magic of Dr. Zachary’s work: it enhances who you are without ever erasing your essence. The entire process—from the consultations, to surgery day, to post-op care—was flawlessly organized and thoughtfully guided. I always felt informed, supported, and in the hands of someone who truly cares about her patients as people. Thanks to Dr. Zachary, I’ve rediscovered a deep sense of confidence and self-love that I didn’t know was missing. She doesn’t just reshape noses—she helps build people who feel comfortable and proud in their own skin. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Dr. Zachary, for helping me become more fully myself.

I can’t be more pleased with my rhinoplasty results with Dr. Zakhary! I am 53 years old and have wanted to fix my nose ever since I can remember. I had 3 previous consultations, starting at age 20, each time feeling like I was backing out of the surgeon's office in fear or at least great unease and disappointment. As soon as I met Dr. Zakhary I knew I finally found “the one”. She listened to me, to exactly what I wanted in a subtle change, she asked me numerous questions, analyzed my nose structure, and explained everything from structure to process, to me in detail and was so kind and personable. I felt complete confidence that she understood what I wanted and could achieve the natural look I was aiming for. The office staff were very kind and helpful and made the initial and follow-up process so easy. I received an incredibly complete booklet with absolutely everything I needed and would need to know prior, during and post op. I found this booklet to be extremely helpful during the entire process, it also included a detailed schedule to follow to ensure my optimal health and healing powers were at it’s peak. During the healing process, the office staff and Dr. Zakhary were always easily available if I had questions beyond what was detailed in the booklet. Whenever I think that I wish I would have done it sooner, I know that it was perfect timing because I had to wait until I found Dr. Zakhary, and I am so happy I did. I feel like I finally have the nose I should have been born with.

I have so much I can share about my experience with Dr. Zakhary. Getting a Rhinoplasty is a big decision and choosing the right surgeon is paramount. I had not known anyone to get this surgery so I depended on the reviews and reaching out to some of her patients which was one of the best things I did to feel confident about going through with Dr. Z. There are some people online claiming her reviews are fake but that can not be further from the truth, she has amazing reviews for a reason! I have extremely high standards and now that I am 2 months post-op I can honestly say that I don't think Dr. Z could have done a better job. I have always felt beautiful looking in the mirror it was just my side profile that I didn't like so it was so important to me that I still look like me. I considered going to Turkey but I did not want a barbie nose. Plus, knowing what I know now I think going to Turkey would have made the whole process way more stressful. I felt so taken care of by Dr.Z and her team. Dr. Z is able to give you the most natural results that you can dream of. Only the people that I decided to tell knew that I changed something but some of my closest friends and family didn't even notice which is what I wanted! I will say the recovery was a bit more brutal than I had expected and for me personally it was difficult dealing with the post-op depression, I didn't think it would effect me but it was HARD. I like to be active so not working out for 6 weeks was super challenging. Make sure you have a good support system. The day of cast removal, it was pretty painful to have the plastic tubing removed and the massages hurt at first but it gets better day by day. Having said all that it is still completely worth it and I know it was the right choice and the right timing for me. The mental battle of knowing this is an act of self-love not an act of insecurity was so important for me to keep in mind during this process. I would highly recommend Dr. Zakhary if you are considering this procedure. Not only is she extremely qualified and talented, she really is a kind hearted person that cares about her patients. She loves what she does and her results are truly incredible! You will not regret choosing Dr. Z!