POSTED UNDER Rhinoplasty Reviews
Biggest Mistake Ever (with pictures)
UPDATED FROM LoraBee
Books I recommend
I've read a couple books recently that I would definitely recommend to anyone who is thinking of having plastic surgery with any doctor. The first is Complications by Dr. Atul Gawande (who wrote about his general surgery residency at Harvard). Dr. Gawande said that as a general surgery resident, he would tell patients that he was merely "assisting" with their surgeries, but then he would actually perform the surgeries with instructions from a superior. The resident did the cutting, suturing, etc., while calling it "assisting" the surgery. He said the medical people he worked with considered residents' "assisting" to mean them actually doing the surgeries as long as the residents had a game-plan that was given to them from a higher-level surgeon. He then said that when the doctors from the hospital got sick or their families did, they wouldn't let residents or fellows work on them - a total double standard. I'm not sure how much this goes on with residents and fellows who train with plastic surgeons, but the book will certainly give you something to think about.
The second book I read was called Pretty. Scary. by Anne J. It looks really campy from the cover, so I didn't expect it to be as good as it was. It was written by a plastic surgery consultant who talks about a lot of the bad stuff that goes on in the plastic surgery industry. I really related to her discussion of how plastic surgeons' staffs often mislead patients about the risks of their surgeries, what their outcomes will be, how difficult the recovery will be, etc. I felt very misled by Dr. Kridel's staff about how my nose would look after surgery, the risk of complications, and how Dr. Kridel would handle it if I did have complications post-surgery. So I definitely related to this book and would recommend it.
The second book I read was called Pretty. Scary. by Anne J. It looks really campy from the cover, so I didn't expect it to be as good as it was. It was written by a plastic surgery consultant who talks about a lot of the bad stuff that goes on in the plastic surgery industry. I really related to her discussion of how plastic surgeons' staffs often mislead patients about the risks of their surgeries, what their outcomes will be, how difficult the recovery will be, etc. I felt very misled by Dr. Kridel's staff about how my nose would look after surgery, the risk of complications, and how Dr. Kridel would handle it if I did have complications post-surgery. So I definitely related to this book and would recommend it.
LoraBee's provider
UPDATED FROM LoraBee
Other things
Overall, I hope people will realize from my review that rhinoplasties are dangerous operations that can ruin your life, even if you go to a very expensive US doctor who markets himself well. My nose was pretty decent before I went to Kridel - I think about a B+ or A-. Then after Kridel, I think it became a D. I obviously wish I had just kept the nose that I was born with.
Also, when surgeons tell you that if you don't like the result of your surgery, they can just put your nose back to basically how it was before (a lot of surgeons seem to say that to people before the surgeries), it's not true. I don't think ever. Plastic surgery is so poorly regulated today, and it's almost impossible to win a lawsuit or even get a lawyer if you've been botched, so surgeons often mislead their patients to get them to pay for surgeries with no consequences to the surgeons.
Another thing surgery offices do to mislead patients is to tell them that the consent forms that they're asked to signed are just formalities that their lawyers insist on. They make it sound like it's almost impossible for you to have any of the problems listed on the consent form. But look at my review- I had a hideous graft from Kridel, then it absorbed within a couple years, and also the left side of my nose collapsed. So I had all those complications that were supposedly so extremely rare. Of course, after my surgery, the form I signed was shoved into my face and I was told that I obviously knew the list of problems I had with my nose were a substantial possibility.
Finally, I want people to know to be careful of going to a surgeon who is a fellowship director for the AAFPRS. If you do go to one, please ask who will be doing your surgery- the surgeon or his fellow. I can't promise that the surgeon will tell you the truth. I think plastic surgeons are more shady than used car salesmen. But at least you can try.
Also, when surgeons tell you that if you don't like the result of your surgery, they can just put your nose back to basically how it was before (a lot of surgeons seem to say that to people before the surgeries), it's not true. I don't think ever. Plastic surgery is so poorly regulated today, and it's almost impossible to win a lawsuit or even get a lawyer if you've been botched, so surgeons often mislead their patients to get them to pay for surgeries with no consequences to the surgeons.
Another thing surgery offices do to mislead patients is to tell them that the consent forms that they're asked to signed are just formalities that their lawyers insist on. They make it sound like it's almost impossible for you to have any of the problems listed on the consent form. But look at my review- I had a hideous graft from Kridel, then it absorbed within a couple years, and also the left side of my nose collapsed. So I had all those complications that were supposedly so extremely rare. Of course, after my surgery, the form I signed was shoved into my face and I was told that I obviously knew the list of problems I had with my nose were a substantial possibility.
Finally, I want people to know to be careful of going to a surgeon who is a fellowship director for the AAFPRS. If you do go to one, please ask who will be doing your surgery- the surgeon or his fellow. I can't promise that the surgeon will tell you the truth. I think plastic surgeons are more shady than used car salesmen. But at least you can try.
Replies (70)
No. I didn't think it was a possibility. I did very much want to sue Kridel. I called a bunch of lawyers, but unfortunately I waited til after a year from my surgery date to call them. I waited because I was told that it would take a year to see the final result of my surgery, so I shouldn't judge the result for a year. But then the lawyers told me I'd missed my 1-year statute of limitations for bringing a malpractice suit. They also said those consent forms we sign make it really hard to sue. None of them would even see me in person. I've often wondered if surgeons tell people not to judge their results for 1 year or 2 years (or however long they say) primarily to make their patients miss the statute of limitations for malpractice suits. Very convenient for them.
I have contacted her. She's one of the few people who knew to bring her lawsuit within a year so no statute of limitations problems. I was very young when I went to Kridel, and was just too naïve.
Has Frankel acknowledged that your ear is now deformed?
He saw my ear and offered to cut off the part that was sticking out badly. But I chose to go to an ear specialist instead.
Good thing you did. As another person on here said "Frankel is terrifying"
I'm sorry that you're going through this. I also had a nice birth nose and I am so disgusted that my surgeon would have even agreed to touch it. It shows how unscrupulous some surgeons are for just a bit of money and like you said there are no consequences for them. He didn't even go through the risks with me.
Who was your surgeon? I hope you post before and after pictures and share your story. I want more people to share their real results - whether good or bad.
He's a 'top' UK surgeon. I've posted a review on him. I honestly can't believe I was fooled because I'm usually so smart and wary of surgeons. I want to post before and afters but at the same time I already feel so exposed. They need to regulate this industry. He has literally destroyed my life and even when I read reviews like this before I didnt think it could happen to me because of who I was going to. But most surgeons wouldnt have even agreed to operate on me.
I don't know about London, but in the US, being called a "top" surgeon usually just means they have good marketing, and they publish research papers. Me and my friends who have had plastic surgery try to be very secretive about it, as I think is normal, so I don't think the magazines or awards people can really find out much about real patient outcomes when they say someone is "top." Also, I've met a lot of really, really smart people (including a lot of doctors and lawyers) who have been botched by plastic surgeons after they thought they had done plenty of research into their surgeons, so I hope you're not blaming yourself.
I know a plastic surgeon in California who has been sued by 26 different unhappy patients (most of the suits were malpractice, but a few were other offenses), and he still is listed on Castle Connolly's top doctors' list. And look up Dr. Christopher Duntsch in Dallas, who is now in prison for doing some very bad things to his patients. He was listed as a top doc on some top doctors' network before he went to prison.
Oh my gosh, that's awful. aI have really been beating myself up about going to him because I only even risked the surgery because he said he could do it. I wasnt desperate for a nose job as my original nose was like a B+. The 'top' surgeons do come from the magazines and you're right I'm really not sure how they get in there because they're definitely not based on internet patient reviews because there are only a handful on here. But now I've heard of two people that went for consultations with him (since my reviews) and said he didnt cover the risks with them or seemed only motivated by money, which completely backs up what I've said. It's funny because I was in WhatsApp contact with one of his patients and whenever I expressed doubts she would send me her photos or tell me "it will be the best thing you ever do" even though she had seen a photo of my nose before and said she couldn't see anything wrong with it. I should have known from the way he behaved at the hospital (not going through risks with me, guaranteeing me the tip wouldnt change, rushing me into theatre before I could change my mind) and I have so much anxiety and regret now. It's been a horrific, soul destroying experience.
Can't believe a doctor ever agreed to touch your nose. It really disgusts me. I wish there was something that could be done.
Yes. I've done some research on how magazines choose their "top docs". Some get the info from Castle Connolly. Castle Connolly chooses "top" plastic surgeons based on other dr. nominations, academic appointments, research studies, etc. But unfortunately, I don't think there's any way that patient satisfaction rates can be adequately factored in given the secrecy us patients have about our surgeries. Also, some of the factors looked at, like academic appointments and research, I think can make a surgeon a worse choice because they can use your surgery for teaching and research.
Well said LoraBee. All of my intense research took me back, time after time, to the very person who botched me. His PR machine could rule the world, his surgical skills could destroy it!
How are you guys dealing with the trauma of all of this? I was completely misled into the surgery. My doctor guaranteed me my tip wouldnt change and it did and he didnt tell me of all the risks presumably as he knew it would put me off the surgery.
It's hard. I've tried therapy for it, where the therapist told me to concentrate more on developing my internal self instead of worrying about my physical body. I didn't find it helpful. I do some research about the plastic surgery industry, and I feel by sharing my story, maybe other people will know better what's going on and will, if they still choose to have plastic surgery, at least go into it with their eyes open.
Thanks for your replies guys. Yeah my therapy was the same and also trying to make me see that it wasnt my fault for trusting the surgeon. It was the surgeon's fault for not behaving ethically and being open and honest about the risks. It has been especially hard as I know if I wasnt so sleep deprived on the morning of the op, I would have finally realised that my surgeon wasn't to be trusted because he didn't go through the risks with me. Do any of you guys have your consent forms from surgery? If so what were the risks listed?
I started to see things with Kridel's office that made me uncomfortable shortly before my surgery, but I had already paid A LOT of money and they told me I couldn't get it back, so I went forward with the surgery anyway. Kridel's office did have me sign a consent form with lots of serious risks on it, and that's when I first started getting concerned and thinking of backing out. But then they said that the risks were extremely unlikely to happen, and if they did, Kridel would just fix it anyway. Then several of the problems listed on the form did go wrong, and he wouldn't fix it - instead he kept using the form in an apparent attempt to avoid a lawsuit. I was very young, so I didn't think to get their statement in writing that he would fix things if I had problems. I was too trusting and naïve. A lot of people have told me that their surgeons only bring out the consent forms after they've paid and can't get their money back. I think the law on this needs to be changed.
It's disgusting how things only became apparent after we paid the money. If they had shown those signs sooner, we would have never got sucked in. Completely agree about the consent. They should be giving out comprehensive literature at the consultation itself. And they should tell patients they should only do the surgery if they hate their nose enough to have more than one surgery and possibly grafts etc. These shouldn't come up only after the patient has already opened Pandora's box. Some surgeons are actually ethical enough to send out a consent form via email before you can even book the surgery.
I agree. I would like the law to be changed so that consent forms must be signed before the patient pays, and any consents presented or signed after payment will be invalid unless the patient is given the choice for a refund. I would also like it to be the law that all surgeries must be videotaped and that the video must be available at the patient's request. A lot of surgeries are videotaped now, but certainly not all. I have a lot of other ideas for new laws too.
DeceivedAndDestroyed- you say surgeons should be giving out the consent forms at the consultation. I agree that would be a HUGE improvement. But considering a lot of consultations cost $1000 nowadays and people travel around the world for them, I'd like to see more info publically available about dr.'s so we wouldn't waste so much money on consults and only then maybe, possibly after we're in deep get the info we need.
They dont dare give us the consent forms outlining all the risks beforehand because they want to get the cash banked before raising any red flags! Have you heard that a documentary is being produced in the UK about bad surgery in Beverly Hills?
Absolutely! I'm so glad to hear that a documentary is being made about this. I've thought about trying to make one myself. There's also a documentary on youtube called Plastic Disasters, but just a warning- it's really depressing to watch and 2 of the 3 patients featured in it died shortly after the documentary came out. So don't watch when you're real depressed.
I just watched it. My heart ached for those poor victims. I would love to see Tony's nose now after Nassif operated on it. It looked to me as though AF did the botching.
I looked up Tony on the internet and didn't find much about him. There were pictures of him at the documentary's premiere, and his nose looked real good I thought there. I would like to know what he thought.
The surgeons rarely go through the risks and leave it up to their "Closer", that is the person who signs you up and takes your money. They operate a bit like car dealerships, the "Closer" gets commission on sales and usually breezes right through the risks as if they are nothing, usually adding "Dr Fillinthe gap never has problems."
I knew someone else that got botched from my doctor and left there review on here and got there account deleted. Seem like a lot of effort to hide mistakes and mess ups, I wish he would have put that much energy into fixing my nose.
Not surprising. I've written a lot of reviews on vitals that have been taken down. So I've seen first hand how unreliable some sites can be. I now only trust real people who talk to me and show me real pictures.
UPDATED FROM LoraBee
Here are the photos
Here are the photos from before and after my surgery. Dr. Kridel initially put a graft in the nose that I don't think looked good at all. You can see it in my after shot that was taken 7 months after surgery (the 3/4 angle). Then in the other after shot, taken from a front view 2.5 years after surgery, the graft had luckily been absorbed by my body so the nose looked somewhat better - although still bad (it still had the problem of the left side collapsing).
Replies (16)
These documents are very scary. It looks like there was a reason this happened to you beyond his skill level. As in someone else might have done this, this would make sense given his attitude after. I think most ethical doctors will offer to help you or at the very least see the issues. So sorry for your experience. One of my doctors also had a document like this on the internet and it's just terrifying that this happens in America. Thank you for your story. Hope you are healing and can get a proper revision.
so sorry! i realized you had a revision after i pressed send. hope you are happy and healing well.
I know. I also went to Frankel to try to fix Kridel's mess, and it didn't work out well for me either. I saw that Frankel's AAFPRS page says similar things to Kridel's AAFPRS page. My jaw dropped when I saw them both!
they are teachers. and i think what happened should never happen. these are the documents thst made me understand what had happened to quite a few of us.
Yes, it's hard not knowing what happened to us when we were unconscious for and who did what during the surgeries. I can't even figure out why I woke up from the rhinoplasty with Kridel and my underwear were off and hanging from a pole!!! I think I just have to write some things off as life's mysteries that I can't get answers to.
oh no! whaaaaaaaast!???? why do underwear have to be off for rhinoplasty? mine were off as well.
I haven't figured that out either. When I had revisions with Azizzadeh and Frankel, I wore tampons and told the nurses that I was on my period. I would recommend that to any female having a rhinoplasty, whether on her period or not, just as a preventative. My underwear were kept on for my revision surgeries without any issues made of it.
Could you please post a picture after Frankel, also how much did he charge you?
I'll try to get some up. Frankel charged me about $17,000.
After the surgery did they give you the "song and dance" about your surgery being soooooooo difficult and it took sooooooooo much longer than anticipated, then add another $2 or $3000 to your bill.
Yes. I've heard lots of people hear that same story. I paid several hundred dollars more because of overtime, but not as much as $1,000.
That’s insane in the comments about women having there underwear off after surgery. Bad enough that we are 20,000$ I’m the hole from a botch and the trama from that alone but the underwear thing would put me over the edge. I recently went in to this office for a revision consultation and Kridel seemed like a nice guy but when I asked him if he was doing the surgery his voice changed and acted a little off saying that all the fellows do is hold the retractor. My epic botch was in Austin and when he acted like he was buddies with the doctor who wrecked me I just walked out. Texas laws are pretty horrible in protecting the patients. Hope your situation gets better. It’s shocking how some of this behavior is legal.
I'm so sorry for what all of us have gone through! I know how bad the laws in Texas are because I tried to find a lawyer to sue Kridel for me, and I couldn't even get one to meet with me except briefly on the phone. California laws aren't any better. My mom and brother picked me up from the Kridel surgery, and my panties were hanging on a pole by my bed. It's something my brother has teased me about ever since, but I think he uses humor because it really disturbed him (as it disturbed me). Someone on the staff (maybe she was a nurse, not sure) told me to take off my underwear before the surgery because, she said, I might pee during the surgery and wake up with sticky underwear. I told her that I absolutely refused and didn't mind waking up sticky, but I absolutely would not be naked and anesthetized in front of a bunch of people I barely knew. I was only 23 at the time. She said fine and I could leave them on. But when I woke up, they were off nevertheless. Was your surgeon in Austin by any chance an AAFPRS fellowship director too?
I also want to add that during my two revision rhinoplasty surgeries with other doctors, no one asked me to take off my underwear and they weren't removed. I now suggest to women who undergo rhinoplasties or other facial surgeries - wear a tampon.
Replies (4)