Best Decision I Made As a Teenager - Jacksonville, FL

I had my rhinoplasty when I was 18. My nose was slightly asymmetrical with a large bump and "droopy" tip and was by far my biggest insecurity. When I finally had enough money to finally correct it I booked a consultation; within 24 hours I signed the paperwork and I have absolutely no regrets.

My surgeon didn't break any bones, he just "shaved" off the bump (pardon my phrasing, but I'm not well-versed in the proper medical vernacular here). I didn't have any packing, either. Honestly, I did not have much discomfort. The toughest part of recovery was sleeping upright in a recliner for two weeks. When my cast was first taken off, I didn't like the way I looked at all, but that's only because I wasn't listening when the doctor was telling me that I would have swelling. You will have swelling, even if it's just a little bit, for at least a year.

Your doctor may sugarcoat this part of recovery to sell you on the procedure but remember that you will not see anything near to your desired end result until 2-3 months post-op. Even five months ago, I can look at pictures of myself and tell that my nose looks different than it does today. Plastic surgery delivers a promise of a "quick fix" but you will only be disappointed unless you put everything into perspective with regards to the time it will take to achieve your desired outcome.

Today my nose is not the one I might have envisioned a year ago, but I absolutely love it. While it may not be the "ski bump" nose everyone seems to be looking for, it fits my face perfectly and with every month that passes, the swelling goes down and everything just gets better and more refined.

If any young people are reading this and trying to figure out whether or not they should go through with it, I want you to think about it for awhile. Talk to friends, parents, a therapist - people who know you best or are trained professionals who can offer you suggestions without bias. Yes, that "perfect" nose may give you that outer beauty and superficial attention that you crave, but it's a lot tougher to gain all of the confidence you lost from bullies or telling yourself that you're not worth it. For me, the rhinoplasty was a step in that direction, but you should be open to considering the fact that it may not be the right path in your own journey.

My nose job really did give me a new lease on life, as kitschy as it sounds. I'm not perfect, but when I remember the kind of thoughts I had about myself this time last year, I realize how far I've come and how much my nose job helped me realize that I had more intrinsic value than I was willing to place on myself.

Best of luck to any and all who are constantly googling "ugly nose" or "before and after rhinoplasty." I was that person for about seven years, and today I'm thrilled to share my experience like this. I hope, if you read all of this or just skimmed it, that I helped you in some way. :)