22 Year-old Female, my Rhinoplasty Experience! - Beverly Hills, CA

I hate that you can't edit former posts! Here are the other 2 comparisons.

It's been exactly a month since my rhinoplasty! I'll post some comparison pics to commemorate. My inner nasal healing has progressed a lot in the past few weeks. The last of my visible stitches are gone and the incisions have scabbed over and come loose. My nasal swelling has gone down, although I feel somewhat congested higher up in my nose. My nose has been really itchy, probably from the scabbing and the nerves healing. Generally though, it's all very tolerable and I feel fine.

It's funny, this has been such a long process that I don't feel like I've had some kind of big unveiling moment. (Seeing myself with the cast off on Day 5 wasn't a happy experience, lol.) I look in the mirror and just kind of think, "Yup, there's my nose. It looks good, yeah..." When I have that anticlimactic reaction, I question whether going through this whole process and dropping $11k was worth it. But I guess it's evidence that a rhinoplasty or any other cosmetic surgery isn't going to "change your life" and be some magical thing. I'm still the same person in the same career in the same relationship in the same social group... Besides a few millimeters off my nose, nothing is really different. That seems obvious, but with all the build-up surrounding your plastic surgery, sometimes you forget. However, when I look back at old bad pictures of myself or feel one of those pulls out of habit to turn my face so somebody doesn't catch me at an unflattering angle, I remember that this decision was more about alieviating a self-consciousness rather than bringing something new into my life. So in that regard it was a success and will be worth it for the rest of my life, because I now feel much more comfortable with my looks. Just something to keep in mind for anyone out there considering cosmetic surgery themselves.

It's now been 3 weeks since my surgery! It feels so long ago that I was driving to Beverly Hills to get my face busted up, haha. Besides a nice new nose, I feel almost 100% back to normal. I'm chasing job leads, got some freelance work, and have seen a ton more people since my surgery. So far not a single person I've told had anything but a supportive response, and no one I've seen who wasn't informed about my surgery has commented on the change. To some that might be disappointing, but I'm actually relieved that generally people don't notice (or don't comment). I know myself that a huge change was made, so I just take it that my surgeon did a great job at making my nose look natural and suit me and that people aren't as critical of my looks as I am (surprise, surprise haha).

Happy to report that I can finally say my new nose feels more familiar than my former one. I was looking through old photos- which I haven't done in a while now- and my old nose looks so huge to me! It's taking some restraint to not untag myself from half my Facebook photos, hah... But yeah, I'm still anticipating further refinement, but generally I'm way happier with my current result.

Today I had a follow-up with Dr. Kotler. He, the staff, my family, and my boyfriend are all really pleased with the progress. Dr. K said my incision healing looks right on track and that I can expect further de-swelling. Although I do wish my nose was a liiiittle more pointed rather than round, overall I really have no complaints. My nose really fits my face and isn't overdone at all, and yet it's also enough of a change that the investment feels worth it and my self consciousness is alleviated. And as my nose continues to de-swell, a bit of sharper definition might show through and make me even more pleased with it.

Attached photos are from exactly 3 weeks in!