Dr. Mejia is a BRILLIANT Rhinoplasty Doctor

Here is a 6 month update! My nose has refined so much more. Minor swelling on the bridge and especially the tip has subsided greatly. I liked my nose at 3 months, but it has just gotten so much better. I look at my before nose sometimes and think to myself, what a huge change and journey this has been!!! It was hard to be patient, but am so extremely happy with the outcome.

About Me: I am a male who has hated his nose since puberty. It was big and bony as you can see from the before photos. There was a distinct slope/curvature to the nose which I was self-conscious about. The curvature was made worse by smiling since there was little support in the tip of my nose. There was slight bifidity and asymmetry in the tip of the nose too. The tip cartilages were visible through the skin at two distinct points, one side being droopier than the other.

Experience with Dr. Mejia:
I found Dr. Mejia on RealSelf, and was extremely impressed by his results on Instagram, Facebook, and his website. His reviews on RealSelf were positive as well. At the time, I paid $5000 for rhinoplasty & otoplasty. This included anesthesia. Bloodwork and medication are separate which is about $150. I believe he charges much more for surgery now (which I’m not surprised because his work is great and well worth it). Dr. Mejia gave me a straight and refined nose without compromising my ability to breath. My new nose & ears fits my face SO MUCH BETTER!!!! I look at myself in the mirror now and I feel so much more confident. I absolutely LOVE every angle of my face now. The profile is what makes me the happiest. Prior to surgery I would not smile fully around people because my nose curved further inwards when smiling, looking like a giant hook. I would strategically sit, facing certain directions in restaurants because of this major insecurity. It was a part of me that I never accepted, so I trusted Dr. Mejia to help me based on his outcomes and expertise. I left my deposit (20%) and secured my appointment. All correspondence was through WhatsApp where he responded during the evening.
When I met Dr. Mejia, he was extremely friendly and spoke perfect English. The in-person consultation was 2 days before surgery. It was a bit shorter than expected, but I think he was under time constraints (there were several people waiting in the lobby to see him). Regardless, he was extremely pleasant to talk to and seemed very confident in his ability. He took several pictures to study and develop a surgical plan with. I also showed him a few inspiration photos. He told me my expectations were very realistic and my outcome would be great and masculine. I left his office feeling confident overall. I had two appointments after surgery to remove the ear bandages and nose splint. Both times his waiting room had several other patients who also had rhinoplasty or other work done. I had the feeling Dr. Mejia was in high demand, but everyone seemed to be in good spirits and their outcomes looked great as well.

Maneuvers/Grafts used: hump removal with rasp & scalpel, lateral osteotomies, septal extension graft, and (I believe) alar grafts. Based on my research on rhinoplasty, the techniques and grafts he used are very common in primary rhinoplasty and were indicated for my desired changes. For my ears, he removed a bit of conchal cartilage to make the ear smaller and sutures to slightly fold the ear closer to my head. My ears look excellent and very natural. They do not have the overly pinned and unnatural look I was afraid of. I think ear surgery can make people, including myself, look more mature. Some might find big protruding ears cute or youthful, but I preferred a more mature look.

Travel:
You will need to spend at least 2 weeks in Medellin depending on your surgery, so hotel and food costs are something to account for. I know just enough word/phrases in Spanish to get by, but not enough to hold a conversation. Regardless, people in Medellin were friendly and helpful. Google Translate is your friend.
Healing process: The healing process is not painful, just a bit annoying because your nose is stuffy and you must sleep upright. It’s mostly a mental process and having patience is a big part of the process. I did not experience infections or complications, but I did have above average swelling and bruising. Bruising pretty much made me look like a raccoon. The whites of my eyes became blood red. Bruising for me took about 2-3 weeks to fully subside. When osteotomies are performed, bruising should be expected. Though my facial swelling was gone in about 2 weeks. It wasn’t until the 3rd month I could appreciate a dramatic decrease in swelling of my nose, ESPECIALLY in the tip where grafts were placed. At that point, I could really see what my nose would look like. The tip of your nose may look big, feel hard or numb, but that will subside because it is all SWELLING. Avoid a diet high in sodium/salt. This will prevent water retention and help prevent a swollen face/nose when you wake up in the morning!

To people wanting Rhinoplasty:
Plastic surgery can be a positive life-changing experience, but patience is key. The videos you see online of people getting their splints removed are ideal patients. They barely have swelling and bruising because that’s how their body works, and they likely only had minor work done. Going into surgery you should be mentally prepared to not like what you see immediately. Be prepared to not look like yourself initially if you have major work done. When my cast was removed, I did not recognize myself, and it was impossible for me to appreciate Dr. Mejia’s work with the intense swelling/bruising. Now, I truly appreciate what Dr. Mejia accomplished. I am so extremely happy with my results. You will see your nose change EVERY DAY. Just be patient. I believe Dr. Mejia is a brilliant doctor, especially in rhinoplasty, and I would do this all over again if I had to!