POSTED UNDER Alarplasty REVIEWS
African American alarplasty - what do you think?
ORIGINAL POST
African American Alarplasty
bgirl1978July 19, 2021
WORTH IT
It's been a little over 3 weeks.
It is so nerve racking because upclose my nose looks fine but from a distance it just looks wierd. Like I can't see my nostrils. My nose seems so narrow.
I feel like my nostrils were reduced tooo much. I just wanted a tiny reduction and asked for a very conservative alarplasty. I don't think that is what I got.
Are my nostrils too small? Does my nose look fake? I'm African so I feel like a little flare is normal and desirable. Especially with a short nose that doesn't have a lot of projection.
What do you think?
It is so nerve racking because upclose my nose looks fine but from a distance it just looks wierd. Like I can't see my nostrils. My nose seems so narrow.
I feel like my nostrils were reduced tooo much. I just wanted a tiny reduction and asked for a very conservative alarplasty. I don't think that is what I got.
Are my nostrils too small? Does my nose look fake? I'm African so I feel like a little flare is normal and desirable. Especially with a short nose that doesn't have a lot of projection.
What do you think?
UPDATED FROM bgirl1978
25 days post
African American Alarplasty
bgirl1978July 20, 2021
Somedays I miss my old nose. This is a real adjustment. The nostrils are so small.
I have order nostril dilators and hoping that I can use them to expand my nostrils a little. I also use makeup to darken inside my nostrils and it helps to make it look bigger.
I asked for a conservative alarplasty but I think this is way more aggresive than I needed.
I am just happy my nose is still functional, I can breathe, blow and pick my nose and hopefully, I'll get to like the way it looks now.
I have order nostril dilators and hoping that I can use them to expand my nostrils a little. I also use makeup to darken inside my nostrils and it helps to make it look bigger.
I asked for a conservative alarplasty but I think this is way more aggresive than I needed.
I am just happy my nose is still functional, I can breathe, blow and pick my nose and hopefully, I'll get to like the way it looks now.
Replies (8)
July 25, 2021
I actually think your surgeon did a good job, but I see your point. I've read that nose dilators can effectively improve thin nostrils so I hope that works for you! I think perhaps you need to give yourself more time to adjust to your new nose, which will happen eventually and you may not see it in such a bad light xx
July 25, 2021
Thanks. You are right. I actually like it now. I think adjusting to the change was an emotional roller coaster but after 4 weeks, I’m starting to warm up to it.
July 27, 2021
great to hear that! I think sometimes we don't realise how much even a small change in the nose can bring a new look to the entire face, which takes a while to get used to! I am looking to get an Alarplasty, and I wanted to ask, how was your healing process and scarring? Are the scars noticeable? I'm slightly scared lol!
July 27, 2021
My physical healing process has been fine. It's just the psychological, mental gymnastics that is so exhausting and honestly, if I could have a redo, I would just get the cinch suture. It's scarless... and most importantly REVERSIBLE.
I would suggest you ask your surgeon to do some imaging to give you an idea of what you would look like. I would also suggest that you go to a surgeon who does faces. Not the ones who do nose today, bbl tomorrow and tummy tuck the day after. That's just my opinion though. I feel that surgeons who specialize on the face are more specialized and will more often deliver better results.
Also, make sure what you actually need is an alarplasty and not a lift. I for one think I would have had better results with a tiplasty but alarplasty was a quick fix, it's 30 mins, local anaesthesia and you are done... but for a change that would last a lifetime, it's worth it to do it right the first time even if it is more involved.
Finally, I wish you the best, best, best of luck. Noses are such a huge part of our identity. Much more than we realize and it is really scary to embark on this journey but hopefully, when you finally get it done, it'll all be worth it.
I would suggest you ask your surgeon to do some imaging to give you an idea of what you would look like. I would also suggest that you go to a surgeon who does faces. Not the ones who do nose today, bbl tomorrow and tummy tuck the day after. That's just my opinion though. I feel that surgeons who specialize on the face are more specialized and will more often deliver better results.
Also, make sure what you actually need is an alarplasty and not a lift. I for one think I would have had better results with a tiplasty but alarplasty was a quick fix, it's 30 mins, local anaesthesia and you are done... but for a change that would last a lifetime, it's worth it to do it right the first time even if it is more involved.
Finally, I wish you the best, best, best of luck. Noses are such a huge part of our identity. Much more than we realize and it is really scary to embark on this journey but hopefully, when you finally get it done, it'll all be worth it.
July 27, 2021
Oh, my scars show but barely. It looks more like when your nose is sore from a cold and frequent blowing. I use silicon scarguard at night. They aren't nasty scar. He hid them in the alar groove pretty well.
July 29, 2021
thank you so so much for your insight and advice. My doctor is a facial cosmetic surgeon and an ENT. I agree with everything you said, especially your last paragraph. I really do have quite large nostrils, but love the ethnic shape of my tip (pics on my profile) so I think alarplasty may still be the route I go down, however I'm going to do more research to see if perhaps a cinch suture would be a better, less dramatic but effective change for me. I'm glad to hear your scars are barely noticeable! That gives me hope. I wish you the best with your nose moving forward!
UPDATED FROM bgirl1978
2 months post
Love it!
bgirl1978August 17, 2021
So over the last few weeks, I have gradually gotten used to having a tiny nose (well, what I consider to be a tiny nose, even though it is probably just my perception that it is tiny, relative to the nose I had before.
The one thing I will say is that this has been such an emotional and psychological roller coaster. I really think a pysch evaluation should be part of the consulting process. I had so much difficulty getting used to this nose. I felt like part of my nose was missing. Touching my nose when washing my face, made me feel so anxious, like it felt so tiny... Like where is the rest of my nose?! Lol.
I am glad that I eventually got over it but some people never do. So... be careful and make sure this is really what you want. Understand that the nose is a huge part of our identify and messing with your nose can cause a lot of distress and trauma.
For me, I am glad I got this done, it's behind me, I love my results and I can now move on with the rest of my life.
Best wishes everyone! :-)
The one thing I will say is that this has been such an emotional and psychological roller coaster. I really think a pysch evaluation should be part of the consulting process. I had so much difficulty getting used to this nose. I felt like part of my nose was missing. Touching my nose when washing my face, made me feel so anxious, like it felt so tiny... Like where is the rest of my nose?! Lol.
I am glad that I eventually got over it but some people never do. So... be careful and make sure this is really what you want. Understand that the nose is a huge part of our identify and messing with your nose can cause a lot of distress and trauma.
For me, I am glad I got this done, it's behind me, I love my results and I can now move on with the rest of my life.
Best wishes everyone! :-)
Replies (7)
August 30, 2023
girl your results are beautiful! i'm from ontario too and am super interested in this procedure. who was your dr?!
September 1, 2023
Thank you! It took some getting used to but I'm so happy with it now :-)
My Doctor was Dr Jamil Ahmad at the Plastic Surgery Clinic in Toronto.
My Doctor was Dr Jamil Ahmad at the Plastic Surgery Clinic in Toronto.
Replies (3)