26 Year Old Student! Rhinoplasty and Chin Implant with Dr. Chan! Portland, OR

I've always wanted a rhinoplasty. I was bullied fairly relentlessly through my adolescence, and my nose seemed to be one of their favorite talking points. Every time I complained to my family about my looks, they'd give me the whole "you're beautiful just the way you are!" schpeel. Of course I appreciate that sentiment on a human level, but it left me without much support in my pursuit of a new nose. If I were, say, Ghandi or Jesus, maybe I wouldn't have felt the pressure to conform to these idiotic beauty standards. Turns out, I'm just a regular girl who (like everyone else) has internalized the pressures of the media, my peers, etc. Maybe I am getting too philosophical here, but this is something that I seriously considered before my procedure. Should I really spend $11,000 just to make myself more aesthetically pleasing to strangers? Is plastic surgery a good investment for a less-than-affluent twentysomething? My gut tells me yes (obviously, because I had the procedures), but only time will tell.

I chose my doctor, Dr. Chan, based on his specialization in facial plastic surgery, his double board certification, and his educational background at Stanford and the Cleveland Clinic (if Cleveland Clinic can handle full face transplants, they can surely handle me). To be honest, I was a little hesitant prior to my surgery, because there aren't as many photos and reviews of Dr. Chan's rhinoplasty work compared to other doctors in the Seattle/Portland area. What sold me is the fact that Dr. Chan seems like a genuinely nice guy. His staff, especially Yvonne, is also really awesome. In hindsight, I've never felt rushed or pressured. Also, they both give you their cell numbers once you've committed to surgery, which is a very nice/comforting gesture.

On the day of my surgery, I completely chickened out. I was in the hospital gown with an IV in my arm, but I could not stop crying. I was terrified of the anesthesia. I ended up leaving that day, but before I left, Dr. Chan and the nurse were really understanding. I immediately regretted my decision, and Yvonne went out of her way to reschedule my surgery ASAP. I felt like an awful person for doing this, and it was really embarrassing. Yvonne and Dr. Chan both managed to make me not feel like an idiot for freaking out.

Right now, I am one week post-op. Although I'm pretty swollen, I am quite happy with the shape of my nose. I know that it's only going to get better as it heals, but even so, the nose I have right now is much better looking than the one I had before. I'm kind of a design freak/perfectionist who reads too many fashion blogs, so I was expecting to be disappointed. And I'm not! At all! I guess it's true that you get what you pay for! As for the chin- it's still swollen and numb, but I think it will be fine once normal function returns and the swelling subsides. The rhinoplasty alone was nearly painless and my bruising was minimal. I was up and walking my dog at day four. The chin implant was moderately painful for a few days, but nothing that a couple Vicodin couldn't fix. Sleeping and eating have not been great over the past week, but that's to be expected. I'm hoping that the swelling in my chin subsides by week two.

I'll post updates!

I was hopeful at first, but now that some of the swelling has subsided, I've realized that I have significant asymmetry in my nostrils. One of them is notched, and their sizes are noticeably different. I also have a large, bony hump on one side of my bridge. Somehow, my bridge looks wider now than it did before surgery. My columella is hanging low, my tip is high, and it just does not look right. The notched nostril is really the worst part. There is also a large bump on one side of my chin, and I'm not sure why. My second follow up appointment is next week, so hopefully my doctor will be able to make me feel a little better. The notch in my nostril is what's bothering me the most right now. I'm hoping that this is still due to swelling, but I'm not so sure. It's looked the same since I woke up from surgery.

the asymmetry in my nostrils seems to be getting worse. i saw dr. chan for a one month follow up, and he said he would fix my nostrils but not until a full year has passed. it's pretty ridiculous considering how butchered my nose looks. i've added photos so you can see exactly how depressing my situation is. i feel like i could have gone to a third world country and gotten better results than this. now i'm $11,000 in debt and just as insecure about my appearance as i was before my surgery. total waste of money.