Rhinoplasty (surgical team) 1 month review - really pleased with main objective

Note: the review contains experiences of rhinoplasty which aren’t a reflection of a review of 8West clinic, but I have included these in hopes of providing a more holistic picture

I followed all pre-surgical and post-surgical instructions, per 8West clinic. I did find some conflicting information and perhaps should have looked more into post-op care which caught me off-guard (eg: taping your nose 24-7 for up to one month and then at night for 6months to one year). The surgical team and client experience manager answered my questions in a timely fashion, and were helpful. Interestingly in the wait room, I also had the privilege to chat with someone undergoing a review rhinoplasty, who also spoke highly of their experience and Dr. Buonassisi, and I got the impression that they wish they communicated their ideas of what they wanted to accomplish better.

Consult with Dr. Buonassisi: at a cost of $200 (included in the whole package should you proceed with the surgery), I found Dr. B to be a professional who has the qualities of patience, understanding and communication without making someone feel pressured. The patient-surgeon relationship is one of trust, and within the first minute I felt I was in good hands, safe, and able to express myself (I should mention that I have done my research into board certified plastic surgeons and would recommend everyone to do so). My motivations to get a rhinoplasty fell on attentive ears, and I remember a comment in particular about my (former) nose: that it “had character”. I had never had someone tell me that, and in a way it was therapeutic, coming from a renowned plastic surgeon. I still went forward with the rhinoplasty but it is a comment not lost on me. During the consult, Dr. B also simulated what my nose would look like via a photoshop-like 2D program, based on front/angled/profile images. If I had a comment on how to be a better patient, it would perhaps be to focus on the implication of each process Dr. B informed me about that I would be undergoing. I felt the consult was fantastic, and I took notes for further research and homework (for myself).

One of these was sending Dr. B photos of what an ideal tip angle was for me. I chose to do that closer to the surgery day, and Dr. B went over these in the final chat prior to my surgery. Even though the IV-sedation was kicking in, I felt I needed to communicate the key ideas of what I found attractive (one more time). Again, it was a safe space and I felt I was in fully capable hands. This became abundantly clear as I saw the intense focus, little bleeding and precision during the 2hour surgery (I kept my eyes open most of the time). At one point, Dr. B showed me the cartilage that was responsible for the curvature on my nose: it was a moment when I felt how absurd the whole thing was that a little piece of cartilage has been the source of an insecurity that (voluntarily) had me in the operating room.

I experienced little pain after the surgery, and ditched the T3 after 24h. The discomfort came not in the form of pain but nasal secretions (without the luxury of blowing my nose), minor bleeding and sleeping face-up. I also did not experience any bruising, which was a nice surprise, and had moderate levels of swelling.

I was quite stunned when the cast came off at the 1 week mark, to the point I wasn't quite able to make sense of what I was seeing. Rhinoplasty has been something I have thought about for ~ a decade, and to see a modified reflection of myself that was still recognizable and knowing these were not the final results was a lot to take in. After the consult where Dr. Buonassisi answered many of the questions I had (and the staff helped me in understanding and practicing post-op care), I went back to the mirror at home. I was a bit reserved with my excitement, because I knew I was not seeing the final results: a) my nose with the angle between the tip and my upper lip was quite high (as if I am pushing my nose upward), b) there was nostril asymmetry that I began addressing with taping a certain way that minimizes it. Dr. B estimated the swelling contributing to these factors at 30%. Also, online resources make mention of 90% recovery at the one mark month, and 6months to up to 1 year for that extra 10% (full results). So, patience is of essence. I went back to work on day 8, wearing a mask, and pushing me to think about disclosures of the procedure (something I didn’t give much thought to). I also reached out to the clinic to make sure it was healing properly and the client manager discussed the concern with Dr. B. I did not interact with the clinic much in between my scheduled consults, but I think it is important to keep the clinic up to date with how you are progressing (again, how to be a better patient!). I slowly got back to working out per guidelines: it was a shock to see such a decline in physical activity and I was eager to get to it. But as Dr. B explained, it isn’t as much as getting hit on the nose (that is a factor too) but more concerning at that stage is the increase in blood flow delaying swelling reduction, triggering nose bleeds and possible scar tissue formation.

At the one month mark (at the time of this review), I am really pleased with the main objective of a side profile improvement which I feel is very apparent. I also think frontal deviation has been reduced, and the tip angle, nostril asymmetry has improved throughout the month. My hope is that it continues to do so, which leaves me feeling like the results are likely going to be as perfect as they can get. I waited til the one month mark to provide this review to Dr. B. I have also engaged with the non-surgical team at 8 West given my positive experience, and would like to provide a separate review for these. I also intend to write another review at the 2 month consult, and a final review (so the overall rhinoplasty review will be accurate).

A heartfelt thank you again to Dr. B and the team, as well as the staff at the surgery center.