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My Rhinoplasty Journey with Dr Mark Baldwin
It was as a young adolescent I had begun to feel self conscious about my nose. At first I didn't even realise it was my nose, it was just my side profile (in particular one side). It started affecting my life quite negatively, to the point I hated being a passenger in a car as the driver would have a clear view of my "bad" side. I would refuse to take photos on certain angles and was also very conscious of my body position when engaging in conversation.This may sound ridiculous to some but to me, it was my world. Fast forward to 28 years of age, nearly 15 years of living this way, I decided it was time. I'd just finished my 5 year degree and I had promised myself once that was done I would invest in a rhinoplasty. Not a decision I took lightly by any means, but I figured, 15 years on, this issue wasn't going away.
I think the most stressful part of this whole journey was doing research on which surgeon I trusted with essentially reconstructing the most central part of my face (scary business)!I spent a good year doing this, I looked at surgeons all over Australia, not just Melbourne which is where I am from. And after a year of reading what felt like a million real self reviews, messaging hundreds of girls over Facebook and Instagram and paying a lot of money for consultations with multiple surgeons across Australia, I found Mark.
As I was aware by a lot of Mark's real self reviews, he wasn't backwards in coming forward. But to be honest, that's what I liked about him.Pretty sure, one of the first things he said to me was "I'm going to try and talk you out of this surgery". He told me all the risks involved, told me that no matter what, my nose will never be 'perfect' even after surgery, nobody's nose can ever be 'perfect' in a sense. He gave me a true reflection of exactly what I will be in for if i go ahead and explained that having a nose job will not change my life.It wont change my job, it wont change the people in my life, it wont change my own morals and values. The aim of this surgery is to essentially change my own perception of myself - deep huh? But oh so accurate.
Now my surgery was technically a 'revision surgery' as I had previously had surgery on my nose for medical reasons when I was younger. This posed more risks and Mark told me there was a high possibility I would need to have a rib graft (meaning cartilage taken from my rib and put into nose....ekk!).I walked out of my first consultation feeling excited because I knew I had found a surgeon who didn't just tell me what I wanted to hear so he could pocket my cash, but genuinely understood the enormous impact this surgery can have on on the emotional well being of someone. I was told to go away and really think about if this was something I wanted to do. It didn't take long for me to decide (I'd had the last 15 years to think about it), so I booked my surgery in.
I then saw Mark for a second consultation, where we spoke about my nose, what I didn't like, what the end goal would be and what realistically he could do. I was half expecting Mark to say what I wanted was completely unattainable and I was [RS bleep] crazy (for lack of a better word, I hope I can swear on here). However, he simply said "I think that is possible and will really suit your face'. I sat there for a second like a stunned mullet, and then smiled with relief. This was happening, this was actually happening.Fast forward to surgery day, paperwork filled out, payment made, hospital gown on, laying in the bed about to be taken into the operating theater. Let me tell you nerves were high. Mark came out, and I can't really explain it, but talking to him really calmed me down, he had told me to bring print outs of what I wanted my nose to look like, so I did (He had reiterated to me in the last consultation to not bring a mood board of 20 images but just 1 or 2 - it was like he already knew me too well haha). We spoke about the pictures and went over again what I wanted. Before he left he said "How are you feeling?" I expressed how nervous I was. He gave me a little smile and chuckled stating "We wouldn't be here if I didn't think you would be happy with the result".And honestly, that comment has resonated with me to this very day as I remember feeling a sense of calmness in that very moment.
Now, lets talk about recovery for one second. And let me be clear - this recovery is not for the faint hearted. I like to think of myself as quite tolerable of pain, I've had many surgeries before but NOTHING compares to the un-comfortableness of this one.When I first woke up, I remember Mark was there, he told me the surgery went better than expected as he didn't need to do a rib graft (ummm winning)! But to be fair, that was probably the only moment I smiled in the two week recovery period. Now let me be clear, I wouldn't even say I experienced any pain. It was just miserable. Imagine having a head cold, the pressure, the tenderness in your sinus's, sore eyes, headache, dizziness, absolutely no taste.Got it? Okay,now times that by 1000, add in not being able to breath through your nose, not even a little bit, plastic splints that sit in your nostrils, bruising, swollen eyes to the point you literally cannot see out of them (LADIES GET YOUR FAKE EYE LASHES REMOVED FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!!! Learn from my mistakes), irritation from the cast/tape and who could forget the very attractive tampon looking bandage that you need to change every hour because of the blood and mucus that constantly comes out of your nose. One thing I learnt from this experience is there is nothing graceful about a rhinoplasty. Another thing - be prepared for minimal sleep, the first 3-4 nights I barely slept at all, and if I managed to get some sleep I would wake up with a mouth dryer than the Sahara dessert - make sure you have water close by, trust me. Also, apologize in advance to whoever is going to be caring for you (sorry mum), because your patience at this point is very low.I became a slave driver (again sorry mum), but for the first 5 days at least I pretty much had an ice pack on my eyes 24 hours a day (my advice, find some good podcasts/music to listen to because I could barely open my eyes). Also, something else I learnt, eating and not being able to breathe through your nose is quite challenging. Make sure you have food that is easy to eat, unless you want to have a heart attack each time you swallow because you feel like you might block your ONLY airway.Okay, enough about the negatives, what about the positives ? Well, after a week I got to have my splints removed? That was an EXPERIENCE let me tell you. I was very excited to say the least, I layed down on the bed and the nurse put a sheet over me. A sheet? Why on earth would I need a sheet? We are just removing some little plastic "chop sticks" I liked to call them out of my nose.....on reflection, I now understand the the purpose of the sheet, my god. Not only did the splints come out, but also what felt like the entire Indian ocean of mucus and blood, hence the need for a sheet (Again, nothing graceful about a rhinoplasty).Also, be prepared for the most horrendous smell for about 2-3 hours post splint removal, I can't begin to explain it but if I could it would be something like week old mucus and blood mixed together. Nice huh? (Also, hot tip - purchase the FLO Sinus Care, starter kit - honestly saved my life. I used it twice a day to help wash out any built up mucus, dry blood etc, it also helped me be able to breath through my nose which is always great.Anyway, after the splints were removed I did feel better, I had ALOT of irritation in the next week from the cast and were popping antihistamines every 6 hours, which made me sleep a lot, which was a good thing because as long as I was asleep, I didn't feel like scratching my face off :)
At one point I called the after hours line in tears demanding to speak to Mark (yes i was being dramatic but every part of me was irritated I couldn't even concentrate) so the lady took my name and number to pass on to Mark. I kid you not, Mark called me back within 2 minutes. I was actually amazed by his efficiency, like he didn't have anything better to be doing at 8pm on Thursday than dealing with my sookyness.He organised to see me the very next day to make sure I wasn't having an allergic reaction to the tape - turns out I wasn't and this was completely normal, so I just had to suck it up and get through the next 5 days.
I woke up on the cast removal day feeling completely ready! And while Mark explained to expect a lot of swelling as my nose was still very much healing I could not WAIT to say the least. I checked in with reception and waited anxiously for the nurse to call me in.As I laid on the bed, she removed the cast, my skin felt bizarre as it hadn't felt air for the last 2 weeks. She said to me "Are you ready ?" as she held out a mirror. I said "Not at all" as I took the mirror to look. I can't really explain how I felt looking at my new face and I say face because I felt like I looked completely different. A rush of emotion came over me as I fell completely in love with my new nose. It sounds very superficial and almost vein to say that, but this was something I had dreamed about for a long time and unless you have been through something so personal and close to home you may not understand.I had my 6 week check up with Mark yesterday. I wanted to run up and give him a big hug but thought better not, because you know - COVID. But, I did thank him, thanked him for making such a big difference to my confidence, my overall perception of myself and for changing one of the biggest insecurities I have lived with for 28 years. He told me my nose was still very swollen and it can take 6-12 months for that to go down.It's crazy to think that, because I feel like my nose is so small now in comparison to what it was like previously and I couldn't love it anymore if I tried. One thing I have learnt about Mark is that he is very humble and that straight down the line, tough love approach he has, is genuinely because he cares about his patients. I have gone to a number of surgeons and I honestly have never come across someone so honest, logical, sometimes abrupt but kind hearted as Mark (he wont admit it haha, but it comes across in everything he does).His attention to detail is second to none, he is an incredible surgeon and I highly highly highly recommend him! I never really write reviews but I just HAD to share my experience because I honestly believe there was nobody else who could have made my journey this positive besides Mark.
Also, shoutout the girls at Horizon Plastic Surgery Aliesha and Laura who were equally as amazing.They were so professional and efficient and great at keeping me calm throughout the chaos of recovery, organizing medication scripts and liaising with my mum when I was bed bound haha. You girls always made me feel no question was too silly and even when you had multiple people on hold or waiting to be served you gave your 100% attention and time to the person you were talking to. Your customer service was second to none and I couldn't thank the both of you enough!
I think the most stressful part of this whole journey was doing research on which surgeon I trusted with essentially reconstructing the most central part of my face (scary business)!I spent a good year doing this, I looked at surgeons all over Australia, not just Melbourne which is where I am from. And after a year of reading what felt like a million real self reviews, messaging hundreds of girls over Facebook and Instagram and paying a lot of money for consultations with multiple surgeons across Australia, I found Mark.
As I was aware by a lot of Mark's real self reviews, he wasn't backwards in coming forward. But to be honest, that's what I liked about him.Pretty sure, one of the first things he said to me was "I'm going to try and talk you out of this surgery". He told me all the risks involved, told me that no matter what, my nose will never be 'perfect' even after surgery, nobody's nose can ever be 'perfect' in a sense. He gave me a true reflection of exactly what I will be in for if i go ahead and explained that having a nose job will not change my life.It wont change my job, it wont change the people in my life, it wont change my own morals and values. The aim of this surgery is to essentially change my own perception of myself - deep huh? But oh so accurate.
Now my surgery was technically a 'revision surgery' as I had previously had surgery on my nose for medical reasons when I was younger. This posed more risks and Mark told me there was a high possibility I would need to have a rib graft (meaning cartilage taken from my rib and put into nose....ekk!).I walked out of my first consultation feeling excited because I knew I had found a surgeon who didn't just tell me what I wanted to hear so he could pocket my cash, but genuinely understood the enormous impact this surgery can have on on the emotional well being of someone. I was told to go away and really think about if this was something I wanted to do. It didn't take long for me to decide (I'd had the last 15 years to think about it), so I booked my surgery in.
I then saw Mark for a second consultation, where we spoke about my nose, what I didn't like, what the end goal would be and what realistically he could do. I was half expecting Mark to say what I wanted was completely unattainable and I was [RS bleep] crazy (for lack of a better word, I hope I can swear on here). However, he simply said "I think that is possible and will really suit your face'. I sat there for a second like a stunned mullet, and then smiled with relief. This was happening, this was actually happening.Fast forward to surgery day, paperwork filled out, payment made, hospital gown on, laying in the bed about to be taken into the operating theater. Let me tell you nerves were high. Mark came out, and I can't really explain it, but talking to him really calmed me down, he had told me to bring print outs of what I wanted my nose to look like, so I did (He had reiterated to me in the last consultation to not bring a mood board of 20 images but just 1 or 2 - it was like he already knew me too well haha). We spoke about the pictures and went over again what I wanted. Before he left he said "How are you feeling?" I expressed how nervous I was. He gave me a little smile and chuckled stating "We wouldn't be here if I didn't think you would be happy with the result".And honestly, that comment has resonated with me to this very day as I remember feeling a sense of calmness in that very moment.
Now, lets talk about recovery for one second. And let me be clear - this recovery is not for the faint hearted. I like to think of myself as quite tolerable of pain, I've had many surgeries before but NOTHING compares to the un-comfortableness of this one.When I first woke up, I remember Mark was there, he told me the surgery went better than expected as he didn't need to do a rib graft (ummm winning)! But to be fair, that was probably the only moment I smiled in the two week recovery period. Now let me be clear, I wouldn't even say I experienced any pain. It was just miserable. Imagine having a head cold, the pressure, the tenderness in your sinus's, sore eyes, headache, dizziness, absolutely no taste.Got it? Okay,now times that by 1000, add in not being able to breath through your nose, not even a little bit, plastic splints that sit in your nostrils, bruising, swollen eyes to the point you literally cannot see out of them (LADIES GET YOUR FAKE EYE LASHES REMOVED FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!!! Learn from my mistakes), irritation from the cast/tape and who could forget the very attractive tampon looking bandage that you need to change every hour because of the blood and mucus that constantly comes out of your nose. One thing I learnt from this experience is there is nothing graceful about a rhinoplasty. Another thing - be prepared for minimal sleep, the first 3-4 nights I barely slept at all, and if I managed to get some sleep I would wake up with a mouth dryer than the Sahara dessert - make sure you have water close by, trust me. Also, apologize in advance to whoever is going to be caring for you (sorry mum), because your patience at this point is very low.I became a slave driver (again sorry mum), but for the first 5 days at least I pretty much had an ice pack on my eyes 24 hours a day (my advice, find some good podcasts/music to listen to because I could barely open my eyes). Also, something else I learnt, eating and not being able to breathe through your nose is quite challenging. Make sure you have food that is easy to eat, unless you want to have a heart attack each time you swallow because you feel like you might block your ONLY airway.Okay, enough about the negatives, what about the positives ? Well, after a week I got to have my splints removed? That was an EXPERIENCE let me tell you. I was very excited to say the least, I layed down on the bed and the nurse put a sheet over me. A sheet? Why on earth would I need a sheet? We are just removing some little plastic "chop sticks" I liked to call them out of my nose.....on reflection, I now understand the the purpose of the sheet, my god. Not only did the splints come out, but also what felt like the entire Indian ocean of mucus and blood, hence the need for a sheet (Again, nothing graceful about a rhinoplasty).Also, be prepared for the most horrendous smell for about 2-3 hours post splint removal, I can't begin to explain it but if I could it would be something like week old mucus and blood mixed together. Nice huh? (Also, hot tip - purchase the FLO Sinus Care, starter kit - honestly saved my life. I used it twice a day to help wash out any built up mucus, dry blood etc, it also helped me be able to breath through my nose which is always great.Anyway, after the splints were removed I did feel better, I had ALOT of irritation in the next week from the cast and were popping antihistamines every 6 hours, which made me sleep a lot, which was a good thing because as long as I was asleep, I didn't feel like scratching my face off :)
At one point I called the after hours line in tears demanding to speak to Mark (yes i was being dramatic but every part of me was irritated I couldn't even concentrate) so the lady took my name and number to pass on to Mark. I kid you not, Mark called me back within 2 minutes. I was actually amazed by his efficiency, like he didn't have anything better to be doing at 8pm on Thursday than dealing with my sookyness.He organised to see me the very next day to make sure I wasn't having an allergic reaction to the tape - turns out I wasn't and this was completely normal, so I just had to suck it up and get through the next 5 days.
I woke up on the cast removal day feeling completely ready! And while Mark explained to expect a lot of swelling as my nose was still very much healing I could not WAIT to say the least. I checked in with reception and waited anxiously for the nurse to call me in.As I laid on the bed, she removed the cast, my skin felt bizarre as it hadn't felt air for the last 2 weeks. She said to me "Are you ready ?" as she held out a mirror. I said "Not at all" as I took the mirror to look. I can't really explain how I felt looking at my new face and I say face because I felt like I looked completely different. A rush of emotion came over me as I fell completely in love with my new nose. It sounds very superficial and almost vein to say that, but this was something I had dreamed about for a long time and unless you have been through something so personal and close to home you may not understand.I had my 6 week check up with Mark yesterday. I wanted to run up and give him a big hug but thought better not, because you know - COVID. But, I did thank him, thanked him for making such a big difference to my confidence, my overall perception of myself and for changing one of the biggest insecurities I have lived with for 28 years. He told me my nose was still very swollen and it can take 6-12 months for that to go down.It's crazy to think that, because I feel like my nose is so small now in comparison to what it was like previously and I couldn't love it anymore if I tried. One thing I have learnt about Mark is that he is very humble and that straight down the line, tough love approach he has, is genuinely because he cares about his patients. I have gone to a number of surgeons and I honestly have never come across someone so honest, logical, sometimes abrupt but kind hearted as Mark (he wont admit it haha, but it comes across in everything he does).His attention to detail is second to none, he is an incredible surgeon and I highly highly highly recommend him! I never really write reviews but I just HAD to share my experience because I honestly believe there was nobody else who could have made my journey this positive besides Mark.
Also, shoutout the girls at Horizon Plastic Surgery Aliesha and Laura who were equally as amazing.They were so professional and efficient and great at keeping me calm throughout the chaos of recovery, organizing medication scripts and liaising with my mum when I was bed bound haha. You girls always made me feel no question was too silly and even when you had multiple people on hold or waiting to be served you gave your 100% attention and time to the person you were talking to. Your customer service was second to none and I couldn't thank the both of you enough!
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