24 Years Old, African American, Wide Bridge, Very Bulbous Tip - Houston, TX

I'd been contemplating having this procedure done for several years, but hesitated because of my young age and my fear of others' opinions of cosmetic surgery. Once I accepted myself enough to not worry about the opinions of others, I knew I wanted to do this for myself. Finding a surgeon experienced in working with black patients was the biggest challenge. I honestly feared ending up with results like many of the "after" pictures I'd seen during my searching - Michael-Jacksonish, very obviously done, results. I still wanted to look like myself! After two years of searching, I found Dr. Sofola through RealSelf. Based on his background in facial reconstruction and his beautiful "before and after" photos, I decided to make an appointment. I was exceptionally pleased with his staff, and Dr. Sofola himself was absolutely wonderful. He was honest, kind, willing to talk for as long as I needed, and emphasized the goal of "facial harmony." He really made sure he understood my wishes and he was very straightforward about expectations. I decided that day that he was the doctor I'd been looking for. I was so nervous leading up to the procedure date...I really contemplated backing out the morning of!! THANKFULLY, I went through with the procedure and now, one year later, I still believe it's one of the best things I've done for myself. Dr. Sofola successfully narrowed the bridge of my nose and refined the tip...I'd say my nose is about 15% smaller now overall, and man what a difference that 15% makes. My real-life nose now looked the way my "contoured and highlighted" nose looked pre-surgery. "Facial harmony" is a spot on term. My nose, once too big and wide, now fits my face perfectly. I feel so much more like myself and yet no one except very close family and very close friends can tell - exactly what I'd hoped for! The cost was definitely less than most average prices I'd come across...so that was just the cherry on top. Recovery was a bit painful...especially removing the packing inside each nostril a few days post-op. But swelling and bruising weren't too bad. After the first week post-op, I was feeling like myself again. The only downside I've experienced is internal swelling (inside nostrils), which I know can take up to two years to completely go back to normal. However, I believe my smoking has probably slowed that part of the healing process down. (I believe there are steroid shots available for post-op swelling but I've opted against.) Overall..I am 110% pleased. So glad I did this and so glad I found Dr. Sofola. It's all about your surgeon! I can't thank Dr. Sofola enough for helping my achieve this vision.