Revision Journey for Pinched Tip, Upturned Nose. Can't Wait to Smile Again! - Texas, TX

Hello realselfers,

I thought I would take the time to write an update on this review and my other review. I have taken a lot of time to go to consultations. I did consult with Dr. Le and Dr. Lamperti in April 2015. I also have noticed that my nose has changed for the better, and it will probably going to keep changing, whether for worse or better, I do not know. Anyhow, a recurrent thought kept entering my head that having another surgery doesn't have to be a possiblity. I am not saying that I love my nose now. In fact, I still wish that I never had the surgery in the first place. I still wish that I have my original beauty. I still feel ashame that I wasted money on a cosmetic surgery that made me feel uglier (not look uglier...but FEEL uglier). I still think about the year that I wasted recovering, hiding from people, feeling self conscious every time I step out of the house. My friends probably think that it is so odd that I haven't posted a picture of myself on Facebook or other social media for a year.

I weighed all the options: having another surgery vs. not having another surgery. I feel anxious to have the surgery because I think I have a persistent tiny infection that could be localized for now but could spread in the future. And of course, I want to get back closer to how my nose used to look so I can take pictures again and don't have to explain to anybody that I had a nose job. Yes, my shame runs that deep. In the end, I decided that I can still take pictures with my new nose, and I just have grow over the shame and embarassment of having to explain to people that I got a nose job (and not a very good one). I decided that I would find a local doctor to help me get rid of the infection. And then from there I will take time to decide what my next step will be. I feel good with the decision to take things slow and possibly end my plastic surgery adventure right after draining the infection.

As for my consults with Dr. Le and Dr. Lamperti:

Dr. Lamperti - a very nice, handsome doctor. I didn't have to wait very long and I went to the Madison clinic so I got to enjoy Pike Place Market for a couple of days too. Dr. Lamperti talks fast, and he didn't remember me from all the emails I sent him. So I should have emailed him again with my op notes and pre op pictures a couple of days before the appointment. He suggested undoing several things that the previous surgeon did, and adding three new grafts to balance out the nostrils. I didn't get a chance to see pictures of other patients. We did do a morph, and I like his view on esthetics. His morphs looked better than Dr. Le. He gave me pricing right away and emailed me the morphs right away. However, he did not email me a surgical plan. This is uncomfortable for me because I want to know that what we agreed on during the cosultation is what he has in his notes and plan for me. Afterall, it is very expensive to travel for a consultation. He said I can email him with questions if I have any. The consultation was an hour long, but it felt like 15 minutes because of the pace and the way Dr. Lamperti talks. It was a free consultation. Hotels were $170/night. I paid around $900 for the consultation with air and hotels and food and consultion fee.

Dr. Le - also a very nice man. Dr. Le does not have a happy face. In fact, he did not smile the entire 3 hrs I was there. He asked me thorough questions about why I wanted to have the surgery, and methodical questions about each aspects of my nose, whether I like it or not. He wanted to know precisely what I did not like about my nose. This lasted about 2 hours. We took pictures and did a morph. This lasted about another hour and a little more than that. I like the morphs. And he suggested that we undo several things the previous surgeon did, and add grafts to move the lower cartilage down as they have shifted up. It is called an underlay graft. This freaked me out because I do not want to add grafts to my lower lateral cartilage for fear that they may morph my natural cartilage as time passes. I felt conflicted but did not tell him that. He showed me some of his patients that had similar problems to mine and assured me that if I decide to have the surgery, that it will be okay. He told me to not waste money on seeing other surgeons for consults. He also told me that I have bags under my eyes that make me look tire and showed me pictures of people who had surgery to fix that issue. I appreciated the perspective, but I was paying him by the minute. And also, he was very on point about my emotional state and I cried several times during the consults. So, I did not leave the consultation happy and confident. He also told me not having surgery is an option. I paid $575 for the consultation. I had paid $325 for the phone consultation too. Hotel was $140/night . The consultation cost around $1500. I still haven't gotten a quote from him, and when I called him to ask about it, he seem defensive. He said some people wait 4 months for their quote and surgical plan and it takes him 3-5 hrs to write the surgical plan. He said that I could have the surgery 15 months from the orginal surgery at the consultation then said 18 months on the phone.

So that is my reviews on them. I hope that it helps some people who are seeking revision. Thank you.

Hi everyone,

I am 3.5 months away from my one year mark, when most plastic surgeons said I can have a revision. I had a wide and flat nose and it was pinched in and upturned in my previous rhinoplasty. When I smile, my skin stretches the alars out and you can see the cartilage looking very rounded and pinched in. I have talked to 3 surgeons who said that my surgery can be "reverse" and I can get a similar looking nose to what I use to have. And I am really looking forward to being able to smile without being self conscious. Especially in pictures!

I am researching, making a "concerns" list and a "wish" list, and "what can go wrong list."

I am planning to ask my future surgeons all the tough questions, as I did not ask very many questions during my previous rhinoplasty. My biggest fear is waking up and having a completely different nose from what I envision. So computer imaging is a must for me.

Doctors I plan to see:
1. Tue Dinh in Houston, TX
2. Thomas Lamperti in Seattle

Does anyone know anything about these surgeons? How can I check out their credentials? How can I find out if they have any claims against them? What else should I be looking for?

Thanks!
3. Thomas Le in Baltimore