Healing went better than expected and the result exceeded my expectations

My nose has a history. It's been used and abused since childhood and noticed years ago it was malfunctioning. My sinuses were constantly under pressure, I would easily get nose bleeds, I snored, and I could never successfully breathe through both nostrils at the same time. My sleep and my health were affected by this and the negative impact was chronic fatigue, sleeping problems, fitness limitations, and even cognitive problems as a result from lack of oxygen and proper breathing. My self-consciousness about my nose became more apparent in my twenties. People made joking comments about my "schnoz" and "oh my god, look at your nose in this picture." To me, my nose didn't fit my face and it seemed to continually grow and change even post puberty. It became more bulbous at the tip and pronounced. My face is curvy, heart-shaped and I have large cheeks. I felt my nose protruded from my face, especially from the side profile, and stuck out sharply like the pointer on a sundial--making me appear plump and rotund. My self-esteem about my appearance became low and I felt deflated and underwhelmed, especially looking at pictures of myself. I researched plastic surgeons in Boston, one of the best medical cities in the world and for years I saved up my money for a procedure I knew would run into 5 digits. Many stood out for their prominence in the plastic surgery industry for their credentials and their experience. However, Dr. Samuel Lin, despite sharing those impressive credentials, let his patient's results speak for him. The patient experience is very clearly communicated for all his procedures, on his website and this platform. I was able to identify with the story of others who'd experienced the same problems as me, which assured me that Dr. Lin himself understood the patient motivation and addressed their functional and cosmetic concerns surgically. The before/after of the patients that came before me was photographic evidence. My other concern was recovery time. I was working as a bartender at the time and did not have any paid time off, so I needed to return to work as soon as possible. The patients' reviews had spoken so highly of the recovery time being short with minimal swelling, little bruising, and no pain. That's what I needed to return to work quickly. These are outcomes that are a testament to a master of his craft who can not only perform the surgery, but approach it holistically with an understanding of the impact to the tissues, blood flow, facial structures, and healing process to ensure an optimal result. I wanted nothing less in a surgeon. Upon meeting Dr. Lin, I was very happy with his gentle, kind demeanor. He kept his explanations simple and concise. I got the impression he felt very comfortable with my case, understood me, and could perform a surgery that would impact my breathing function and cosmetic concerns. Covid threw a monkey wrench into my planning, so it took me over a year to actually schedule the surgery. Leading up to the surgery, I was a little concerned, because I felt like I had to chase the staff to answer my questions or address my concerns. A simple preparatory email a month or two in advance of my surgery, procedure, and billing process could've eased my anxiety, but instead it was many exchanges over email and phone tag trying to get my questions answered. Eventually had many people calling me about payments and some didn't go through. It was a bit frustrating, but I know it's not Dr. Lin himself with the issues. It's an office/organizational problem. I was willing to put in the effort to make sure HE was the one to perform this surgery despite the inefficiencies in the office. He called me the night before surgery and hearing his voice and going over the procedure allowed me to de-stress and restored my confidence a bit after the hassles with the office. Day of surgery, I was a bit anxious, because it took a while to set everything up from check-in to surgery. The build-up is intense and exciting. Once the anesthesia was flowing, it was all uphill and painless. Coming out of surgery I was in a fog and my face felt heavy, but there was no pain. The nurses were so kind and accommodating. Healing went better than expected and the result exceeded my expectations. Day 1, I could breathe through both nostrils at the same time. It was like a miracle had occurred. Swelling and bruising kicked in over the next few days, so it was on and off being able to breathe through my nose, but by day 4, I was breathing through my nose at night. I slept sitting up for a week. Once the dressings came off a week later, I was able to lie down comfortably and I had minimal bruising and swelling. For the following weeks, lifting things made the blood rush to my face and I would feel intense pressure, so I knew I had to take it easy. Nerve endings in the tip of my nose and even behind my front teeth are still a bit tingly and numb here three months later, but feeling continues to come back and the stiffness is residing. I was able to return to fitness and other activities after six weeks and it felt as if I was being super-powered by oxygen. I can breathe! I still look like myself. Most people didn't even realize I had a procedure, because it was such a subtle change. But for me, (you can tell the difference in my side profile) my nose felt like it was designed for my face. The curvature of the tip compliments the curves of my cheeks, forehead, and chin and gives me a slimmer appearance, versus the sharp point protruding between my pillowy cheeks that existed before. Reviews from Dr. Lin's patients ultimately helped me make a decision, so I hope this review helps someone. I am so glad I made the decision to go with him for this surgery. Thank you, Dr. Lin.As an incentive for posting a review, this reviewer received an entry into RealSelf’s monthly $500 gift card giveaway.