Rhinoplasty with Dr. Mehmet Erdil

I had my primary rhinoplasty with Dr. Mehmet Erdil in July 2024.

During my pre-op appointment, I explained that my goal was a natural “my nose but better” result and explicitly asked for “no small, round, or weird-shaped nostrils.” I also asked to please be mindful of my asymmetries.

When I saw my table photos, especially the alar base reduction incisions and nostrils, my heart sank. My eyes were immediately drawn to the right now visibly higher alar base and even smaller nostril, created by reducing an already shorter ala.

Problems emerged within just a few days when the right alar base incision became irritated or infected (I don’t know which). Then, tension and thick scarring developed as a result of the alar reduction, indentations appeared along the bridge and ala, and the right side of the nose became concave. My nostrils became triangular and noticeably different in size.

After raising concerns about the indentations, nostrils and breathing, I was either told that it was normal or due to swelling and that we needed to wait one year for the final result.

As the appearance of my nostrils became even more concerning, I requested a video call. Dr. Erdil acknowledged that my nostrils “shouldn’t look like that,” suggesting stitch contraction. I was then sent nostril retainers, which I truly appreciated.

However, I then began to realize that the alar base reduction itself was the problem and that what I was experiencing physically was not part of a normal recovery.

When I expressed my dissatisfaction with the increasingly obvious aesthetic issues caused by the alar reduction, along with the overly upturned tip and flattened columella, hoping to understand what was happening and discuss a plan moving forward, Dr. Erdil did not respond.

The sudden reduction in swelling brought some of my hardest days. My nose not only looked increasingly deformed, but it also felt too small. The base was uncomfortably narrow and tight, while the entire nose felt like it was being pressed between two metal plates. I couldn’t open my nostrils, which triggered a feeling of claustrophobia and intense physical anxiety. I also struggled with breathing and air hunger. It was all genuinely terrifying, especially because I didn’t yet understand what was happening to me.

My message to Dr. Erdil expressing that I was scared and felt like something was very wrong was also ignored.

When Dr. Erdil finally responded, his message felt more focused on deflecting and defending than addressing my concerns. He did not ask any follow-up questions to help me to confirm or rule out potential issues. Instead, he attributed these concerns to my pre-existing asymmetry, age, loose skin and swelling. He stated that my nose was the same size as before despite several reduction procedures being performed. He then also said that it was a “very good result compared to the previous situation” and that it was “disheartening and exhausting to see so much dissatisfaction and negative messages.”

All that I needed from Dr. Erdil was some reassurance, information and a plan. However, I was left to research my own symptoms and consult other surgeons for answers.

The ultimate result was an over-resected, pinched, and collapsed nose with inverted V and reverse C deformities, a deviated septum, an over-rotated tip, a flat columella, a weird circular outline around the tip, alar retraction and breathing difficulties. The most debilitating issue to this day has been the alar reduction and loss of natural curvature, which resulted in distorted unnatural nostrils and nasal base, harsh demarcations and scarring. Experiencing restricted breathing and losing the ability to flare my nostrils has been incredibly distressing and, at times, panic-inducing. I constantly feel trapped in my nose. It truly is physical and mental torture.

Dr. Erdil never took accountability, even though the alar base reduction was entirely his decision, made during surgery.

The alar base reduction is irreversible.