A year after rhinoplasty...

It's been almost a year since my rhinoplasty. I feel that now is a good time to look back on my experience and share it with everyone. Reviews really played a huge part in helping me to make my decision. So I feel I owe it to everyone out there to pay it back and write my story, so I can help you too.

Ever since secondary school I hated my nose. I got called names and people made comments. I knew everyone talked about it behind my back.
As I got older my nose became crooked and felt like it was getting worse, but I just wasn't in a position to be able to afford a rhinoplasty. So out of depression I began to save up the money over a few years. I also studied my nose and figured out exactly what I didn't like about it and what I wanted to change.

Whilst researching surgeons and trying to choose someone to go to, I was very anxious about the whole process, and the outcome. What if it goes wrong? What if I don't like it? What if I choose the wrong person? It can be quite a daunting process.

I browsed surgeons on this site numerous times. I read all the reviews and looked at their websites. I also looked at the clinic locations and where they perform their surgeries. Some use hospitals and some don't.

After all of this research I was drawn to one particular surgeon. To be honest I just went with my gut instinct. I didn't rush anything or put pressure on choosing one. I then made an enquiry via email, and booked a consultation with Dr Julian de Silva.

I was drawn to him due to his really good reviews, and the fact that he specialises in facial surgery. Some surgeons work on the whole body, and I felt that someone that specialises in the face would be more skilled and would better understand exactly what I wanted.

Everyone has different noses, you can't just choose one from a magazine and have it made. I think this is an important point to understand before you go into this. You have to work with what you have, and fix the problems on YOUR nose. They can only really make slight changes, but ones that will improve the appearance of your nose.

So the day of my first consultation came with Dr Julian de Silva. His practice is a short, few minutes walk from Hammersmith tube station. Easy to get to and not located in busy central London. Which to me was a bonus.
His clinic is small, but welcoming. It has two floors, one for consultations, and downstairs for surgery and procedures. Everything is done under one roof.

Dr de Silva is a very warm, friendly man. He is very calm, placid and attentive. He listens to everything you have to say and really cares about you as a person and what you want. He also really wants you to have a pleasant experience.
At the first consultation he discussed what I was looking for and I explained exactly what I didn't like about my nose using photographs. There was a lot I didn't like and wanted to fix, but he took all my points on board and drew out a plan of what he could do to help. He described to me what he could change against images of my nose on his computer.
He then went on to explain what would happen during the surgery. He explained that he used sedation in the majority of cases and not general anaesthetic. This was the only worry for me, and made me anxious, but I was still keen to go ahead.
I received a cost for the surgery, and information pack and details to request blood tests from my doctor if I was to go ahead. You also have to do a pregnancy test.

I took about a week to make my decision, and I also did some research on sedation. I then went ahead and booked my surgery and paid for it. I waited around a month or two, and that gave me time to complete the tests required. Before I knew it I was back at the clinic, but this time for the surgery.

I wasn't overly nervous when I arrived, but I was anxious about the sedation. I had watched YouTube videos about conscious sedation and didn't really know what to think. I had also been given the direct contact details of the Doctor that administers the sedation, so if I had any worries or questions I was able to ask, but I didn't.

I went downstairs dressed in loose, comfortable and warm clothing and I was shown to a small room with a large chair in. Dr de silva came in and went through everything again and I signed some papers. Another doctor then put a cannula in my arm with a line to a drip to begin the sedation. I was nervous and felt sick, but the sedation made me feel really calm and relaxed. I then walked into the theatre next door where there were a few other nurses/doctors helping and I led down on the bed.

The sedation doctor was right next to me the whole time monitoring me and adjusting the rate accordingly. I don't remember much after that. It was just like falling into a deep sleep. You are aware that time is passing if that makes sense, sometimes you can hear people talking like when you fall asleep with the tv on in the background, but then you drift straight back to sleep. At no point could I feel anything. There were a few times I was so relaxed I forgot to breathe, but I heard the doctors telling me to breathe and reminding me and I kept on taking deep breathes.
Before I knew it I was being washed and woken up with lots of reassurance from the doctors and I was encourages to gently wake when I was ready. I then walked back to the first room where I was taken off the sedation and had my cannula taken out. I then had a sip of water, and within 15minutes or so I was ready to leave and my parents drove me home.

I felt fine. It was literally just like a deep afternoon nap. I felt great when I woke up, no heavy head or drowsiness, no sickness or vomiting, and no pain.

I'd say the hardest part of the whole experience is the recovery the week after. You have quite a gruelling regime of painkillers, antibiotics, arnica, vitamin c and cleaning to do. You really have to take all the right tablets at the right times and clean the stitches and underneath the nose. You also change the dressing underneath regularly. The healing process is hard, mainly because you have to sit at home and avoid everyone seeing your face. I did have quite a lot of bruising but it didn't hurt at all, it's more uncomfortable and strange. Sleeping upright was also hard but you do get used to it.

You go back into his clinic a week later to have the cast taken off. It's quite sticky so it does take a while but dr de silva was really patient and caring whilst doing this. He also gives you an injection to help reduce the swelling.
When I first saw my nose it was very strange. I knew it was swollen and that was not going to be the final result, but I was happy with it instantly. It was nice and straight and I could feel where some of the bone had been taken away. I felt really glad. It instantly felt more comfortable than it was before so I knew it was a good result.
I then realised that the hard part was all over with and now I just had to wait for the swelling to go down. I was instructed to tape my nose each night to encourage the shape and to reduce swelling. This method really worked for me. Even now if it feels a bit swollen I will tape it before bed, and it will always feel more defined by the morning.

About a month later I was still getting a runny nose and a funny smell. Although there were no immediate signs of infection, dr de silva saw me anyway and wrote me a prescription for a course of antibiotics and nasal drops. After this treatment my nose was fine and it really worked to clear everything out.
I had two more check ups after that and each time everything was fine and healing well.

I found the whole thing a very positive experience. I think dr de silva 's warm, welcoming and friendly approach made it all very pleasant. He really is a very calming person, and his energy has a great affect on people, and everyone at his practice. Everyone there seemed very nice and friendly, and always willing to help.

I would definitely recommend Dr De Silva. I am over the moon with my nose, and I realise even more when I look back at old photos just how far I have come and how much it has changed my happiness in all aspects of life. I am certainly a lot more bubbly, happy and confident now, and it now feels so much more comfortable. It really has changed my life for the better and I'm very thankful for his help. I'm sure all his other patients feel the same. I don't think I can fault any of it. I really have had a very happy experience and I am very glad I chose him.