Primary Rhinoplasty with Dr. Most - Palo Alto, CA

Aww thank you!!!! Good luck to you, too!!

You should definitely consider him!!!! He and his office staff are fantastic! I'd certainly make sure he's on your list of consults if you plan to do a few of them. After meeting him, I didn't feel that I needed to meet anyone else. I'm totally happy to answer any questions if you want to message me. And I plan to keep my reviews going w updates and pics over the next few months as I found it to be extremely helpful and reassuring throughout my process! Still can't believe I went for it... Just have to be patient with swelling and remember that the look of my new nose will be a work in progress for a few months!

Hi there - I actually live in Palo Alto and was considering Dr Most for this procedure. Did you meet with any other docs in the area as well?

I met with him first after much research and was so impressed by him during the consult, his "resume" and the very natural results of his before and after pics of other clients... for him to be he head of Stanford's plastics program for years on end speaks volumes. His complication and revision rates are lower than most. I wanted a guy who did noses.... not a little bit of everything. His primary focus seems to be rhino. I couldn't be happier with my decision and result! I would recommend my own family to him! So no... I didn't see any other docs. I had a few I was considering meeting with but after my consult with Dr Most I had no question of confidence or skill. I appreciate the fact that he he is forthcoming and honest about your results.... he does what is most aesthetically sound for your face based on your underlying facial structure. My goal was to look like it myself... but a little better. He delivered! Let me know if you have any other questions. You won't regret Dr Most!

Thank you so much for your response :) My rhinoplasty needs are actually very similar to yours (minor correction, mostly in the tip, no hump reduction needed) and I've put it off for so long because I almost felt like my nose wasn't bad enough to justify the procedure? Your results are beautiful and super natural - exactly what I am looking for. I just had a few questions - were you stuck with nose packing for the first few days? What type of anesthesia did they put you under? The first doc I had a consult with stated that he only does rhinoplasties with full on "general anesthesia" where the patient is intubated, but this can make the recovery much rougher.

No packing!!!!! I had asked Dr Most about it pre procedure and sounds like it is pretty rare for him to use it. I think packing was more of a thing of the past… I remember my dad having a deviated septum fixed and having packing and him complaining how uncomfortable and awful it was. I know that on occasion the doc may place some internal splints but I think that tends to be with more complicated rhinos. It is done under "general" anesthesia.... though the drugs they use can also be used in lesser amount and considered minimal sedation. I had asked about this as well. The medications they use for the anesthesia are drugs I have seen given to my patients many, many times by our anesthesiologist. And I was very comfortable hearing that it would be the same type of medications. They use Versed and Fentanyl (wonderful drugs that work quickly/wear off quickly/are reversible--I administer these to patients daily for pain/anxiety during procedures) to help relax you when you get into the procedure room. Then the anesthesiologist starts you on a an infusion of propofol (yes, the Michael Jackson drug--though no one was managing his airway). I have seen propofol administered to patients who are intubated or given lightly enough to where they just required an oxygen facemask. Obviously, a facemask is not really an option when your nose is being worked on. When I had my procedure the anesthesiologist placed a LMA (laryngeal mask).. it's a little less invasive than being intubated. It's basically a mask on a stick that they place in the back of your throat in order to protect your airway during the procedure and oxygenate you. In talking to the anesthesiologist it sounded as though this is their usual practice… Unless you have some sort of funky anatomy that would make it safer to intubate. The recovery should be no different whether they use the LMA or intubate you. The longer recovery you are referring to probably is based on different types of anesthetics used in more complex/invasive surgeries. There is no sore throat with the LMA like people often complain of after having been intubated. The tube was already out by the time I came to. I had zero recollection of the procedure. The nurse was there and asked if I had any pain and was available to give me additional pain medication if I needed it. I did not feel badly when I woke up. Dr. Most had also told me that in addition to the anesthesia that they administer a lot of lidocaine to your nose once you are asleep. I specifically asked whether Dr Most worked with one or two anesthesiologists who were familiar with his procedures or if it was just whoever was available that was sent over from the hospital on a particular day. (Which could easily be the case at a huge teaching hospital). The anesthesiologists he uses are the same couple... which is great!! Last thing you want is an anesthesiologist who isn't familiar with the procedure and the doc who is operating on you! Let me know if you think of anything else! I asked a ton of questions… Especially being a nurse! That being said I am probably a more critical customer than most, being "in the industry".... I couldn't come up with a single complaint regarding my care! Dr Most and his team were excellent!

Thank you SO much for this response - you have no idea how helpful it has been. I have been watching recovery vlogs on YouTube and many of them seem to have very difficult recoveries where patients are too nauseous to even eat. This makes me feel much more secure :) I am planning to take two full weeks off of work - did you feel like that was enough time for you since you have a very active job?

That was plenty!!! And I had NO bruising. I think I actually had off like 10 days. You will feel pretty stuffy until the cast comes off. I assumed my difficulty breathing through my nose was due to internal swelling but it is actually from that cast!! The minute that thing came off I could breathe easily! My husband took the day of my surgery off to drive me and stayed home with me the next day....That was helpful esp bc we had a 5 month old puppy running around the house). I suggest making a little chart ahead of time to track when you have taken your antibiotics and pain meds etc... I found that the first day or two I was really tired and if I hadn't written things down I would have forgotten what and when I had taken anything. Glad I was able to help! Let me know if you think of anything else!!!