POSTED UNDER Revision Rhinoplasty REVIEWS
Wanted a Natural Looking Nose from Dr. Hilinski- almost there!
ORIGINAL POST
Well I am finally writing a review. I am not ready...
gigigirl14June 6, 2017
WORTH IT$7,000
Wanted a Natural Looking Nose from Dr. Hilinski. Well I am finally writing a review. I am not ready to give my final "star" review as I am still healing. So I started out with a pointy, long, droopy nose and wanted a very natural improvement. Dr. Hilinski certainly gave me that. I consulted with several other doctors and felt confident with Dr. Hilinski's expertise in rhinoplasty and revision rhinoplasty. He also has wonderful credentials. When he performed the digital imaging he was spot on so I knew we were on the same page. Fast foward to the day of the surgery...healing was a piece of cake. The surgery was fairly long. I do feel Hilinski takes a great deal of time with his patients and surgeries.
Now to the results. I started out with very thin skin which gave me nice definition but left me with visible cartilage show after the swelling went down. See attached pics. Dr. Hilinski assured me at the year mark we could easily put a fascia graft in the tip and this all would be camouflaged. I was also left with a somewhat hanging columella....pretty minor, and a "funky" bump on the incision area. I knew right away these two problems would need to be fixed at the year mark. I wasn't thrilled about having another surgery but know things don't always turn out perfectly the first time. However, I loved everything else about my new nose! It was very natural looking, not too perfect and suited my face. If you want the "perfect" nose, do not go to Hilinski! If you want natural and conservative approach, he is your doctor.
Now onto the minor revision May 1st 2017. I had another open procedure as I really wanted to make sure the tip was slightly shaved down perfectly and the fascia graft was placed correctly. Also, wanted the columella tucked. Now... should the fascia graft been placed the first time? I think so. Would another doctor have done it? I will never know. Dr. Hilinski made a call the first time around not to do it and I have to trust that he made the right one. But I did have to go back at the year mark to have it placed. The little touch up was really no big deal in the big scheme of things. Healing has been fast and uneventful.I'm 2 months out and still very swollen in the tip. Probably from the open procedure and the graft placement. I do not see the cartilage show anymore but my tip is now bigger....should settle and go down. My biggest concern....my columella! It really doesn't look any different and I definitely wanted it tucked. Mat still be swelling but I am not sure. Good thing is that can easily be fixed with a closed procedure but oh man! I am waiting to give my final review to see how the office handles this last problem I seem to be having. But I do have a feeling I will definitely need another touch up to fix the columella. Will update with pictures as soon as I get further along with the healing process. I have included before and afters and hope this is helpful. Please reach out with any questions!
Now to the results. I started out with very thin skin which gave me nice definition but left me with visible cartilage show after the swelling went down. See attached pics. Dr. Hilinski assured me at the year mark we could easily put a fascia graft in the tip and this all would be camouflaged. I was also left with a somewhat hanging columella....pretty minor, and a "funky" bump on the incision area. I knew right away these two problems would need to be fixed at the year mark. I wasn't thrilled about having another surgery but know things don't always turn out perfectly the first time. However, I loved everything else about my new nose! It was very natural looking, not too perfect and suited my face. If you want the "perfect" nose, do not go to Hilinski! If you want natural and conservative approach, he is your doctor.
Now onto the minor revision May 1st 2017. I had another open procedure as I really wanted to make sure the tip was slightly shaved down perfectly and the fascia graft was placed correctly. Also, wanted the columella tucked. Now... should the fascia graft been placed the first time? I think so. Would another doctor have done it? I will never know. Dr. Hilinski made a call the first time around not to do it and I have to trust that he made the right one. But I did have to go back at the year mark to have it placed. The little touch up was really no big deal in the big scheme of things. Healing has been fast and uneventful.I'm 2 months out and still very swollen in the tip. Probably from the open procedure and the graft placement. I do not see the cartilage show anymore but my tip is now bigger....should settle and go down. My biggest concern....my columella! It really doesn't look any different and I definitely wanted it tucked. Mat still be swelling but I am not sure. Good thing is that can easily be fixed with a closed procedure but oh man! I am waiting to give my final review to see how the office handles this last problem I seem to be having. But I do have a feeling I will definitely need another touch up to fix the columella. Will update with pictures as soon as I get further along with the healing process. I have included before and afters and hope this is helpful. Please reach out with any questions!
UPDATED FROM gigigirl14
1 year post
4 month post op!
gigigirl14July 31, 2017
So many have reached out with questions about Dr. Hilinski...hope I have answered and helped you all! Quick update, I continue to heal...slowly, but swelling is coming down in the tip. The columella is still an issue. I looked at some before and now photos and see no difference quite honestly. Hope a bit is swelling. And really hoping it would be a minor tweak if I have to go in and shave a bit off. Still very pleased with Hilinki's office and work:) My journey just might not be over as quickly as I would like with this columella still hanging.
Replies (18)
August 10, 2017
Any news to give? :)
August 11, 2017
Hi there. I am 4.5 months out and no real changes. The white cartilage show is gone, I'm so thankful for that! However, my columella is still too drippy:( I am so sad to have yet another revision but hope it will be minor and achievable. I don't think the columella is just swollen. I will post my 6 mo post op photos for a good comparison for everyone:) Let me know if you have any overall questions about the procedure or Dr Hilinski:)
September 21, 2017
Does Dr Hilinski think that it's swollen?
You know, for what it's worth, I like the looks of your collumella! It has a Julia Roberts kind of charm :) But I do understand that we all have our preferences, so I hope you'll be able to get what you want! Do you have to pay as much for the revision as you did for your first surgery with Dr Hilinski?
You know, for what it's worth, I like the looks of your collumella! It has a Julia Roberts kind of charm :) But I do understand that we all have our preferences, so I hope you'll be able to get what you want! Do you have to pay as much for the revision as you did for your first surgery with Dr Hilinski?
September 27, 2017
Hi...Just saw Hilinski last week. He does say my tip is still swollen. It's hard because at this time with my primary I was way less swollen and I am trying not to compare the two! I had way less done this time but it was a "revision" and he did add the fascia graft. I just sure hope the fascia graft didn't add bulk to my tip. I was under the impression that it was very very thin. My columella still bugs me, I really think it would just need to be slightly shaved off. In my uneducated plastic surgery opinion this should be fairly easy?
The revision was only for the anesthesia so 600...didn't mind that at all. Let me know if you decide to go with him! He is booked way out:)
The revision was only for the anesthesia so 600...didn't mind that at all. Let me know if you decide to go with him! He is booked way out:)
September 6, 2017
My first rhino took 3 years for swelling to heal from my collumela. That's insane I know but it is true. I didn't go to hilinski the first time I went to golden. But I believe some people always need a second surgery because how healing happens can't be predicted the first time.
January 10, 2018
Will you post some pictures from your nose WITH fascia graft? Thank you
January 13, 2018
I see him at my 1 year in about 3 months and will post pics then. I don't think it will be beneficial to see candid shots. The best comparison is the professional ones he takes. I definitely have lost some definition with the fascia graft but Hilinski thinks this is residual swelling from the graft and the revision. May get a steroid shot at the 1 year mark. I am still happy I did not as I hated the cartilage show. Will update when I have the office pics.
January 14, 2018
I have excactly the same problem. I need a bit of cartilage in front of my nose tip shaved down and place something to cover it from show again. So i want to ask you if this change in your nose tip was subtle and what you was hoping for or made a drastic change that was difficult to use to.. thank you
January 19, 2018
It is very subtle but noticeable to me if that makes sense? I notice that my supra tip is fuller now. Hoping it goes down, Helsinki thinks it will. And maybe a cortisone shot will help. I think the trade off was worth it. I absolutely hated the cartilage show. I would definitely recommend shaving off more than you think to compensate for the graft thickness...I wish I had had more shaved off.
January 19, 2018
I see... You mentioned that fascia graft will last "a quite bit". What if it absorbes? What solution wou have then?
January 20, 2018
I don't even want to go there right now. I guess I will have to cross that bridge when and if the time comes.
January 13, 2018
Did your doctor mentioned how long will fascia graft last?
January 13, 2018
He seems to think it will last for quite some time or be permanent. We have discussed a steroid shot in the supra tip for excess swelling but the last thing we want is to dissolve the fascia graft!
Replies (8)