Wonderful rhinoplasty experience - Dr. Rahban maintained the integrity of my nose but made it more refined

Ok, I'm back after one more follow-up. Dr. Rahban was super grateful I came in even 2.5 years later. He said it's important to track how healing is going both for myself and for his professional purposes. After this much time, I stopped noticing any changes in my nose. But he pointed out some very nuanced details and I realized that I was, in fact, still healing! If you have thicker skin (for example if you are Middle Eastern), the process takes TIME. I must confess, it has been kind of trippy over the last couple years to see photos of myself, especially from the side. I would sometimes have moments of missing my old nose, while simultaneously understanding that my new one looks objectively better and more harmonious. I shared this with Dr. Rahban, and he explained this is common for two reasons. One, you just don't ever truly see yourself from your side angle unless it's in a photo. Two, if you are someone like me who has a strong sense of self and generally liked how she looked prior to undergoing the surgery, it takes time for your brain to catch up. My mother-in-law laughed when I told her how I'd been feeling. She said she'd always been in awe of how it turned out. "So you, so very natural," she said. Something I've been doing over the last year is taking lots of selfies from the side and just training my brain to catch up. It really helps. I've also started to get unprompted compliments from people I don't know about my nose! When I told someone in his waiting room what I was in for, she was shocked that I'd even had it done. "Wow, that is REALLY natural, I never would have known." So there you go! That is my second update. I won't see him again for another 5 years. Totally optional at this point, but I know how important it is for physicians to study their work long-term. Thanks, Dr. Rahban!

I had another follow-up last week. I flew in to LA the day before and back home the day after. Follow-ups at this point are just for a few minutes to make sure all is going well. Because I have thick skin, I'm still experiencing numbness and stiffness at the tip of my nose, and I could tell it's swollen at the bottom half. Dr. Rahban confirmed all this and said it's still completely normal at this point given my thick skin. That being said, it still looks great! Even if healing stopped here, it looks fantastic. But I'm glad it will continue to heal (he said I'd need the full 18 months to see the mostly final result) and slowly reduce in swelling. That will also help my profile appear more straight (like it used to be and how both Dr. Rahban and I preferred it) as opposed to the tiny bit of curve it has now toward the bottom half. He reviewed how to massage with me and how to get used to treating my nose more normally again (e.g. blowing it), reassuring me that I can't do any damage and it's not going to collapse in on itself or anything lol. My breathing feels the same as it used to be, which he said could also just be related to slower healing for me and me having been afraid to really blow my nose. Another follow-up in December! :)

Here is my lengthy, detailed review of my experience getting a septorhinoplasty with Dr. Rahban -- it's lengthy and detailed because I found having such narrative information very helpful in my research.

I haven't included photos because of my line of work, so I do apologize for that. If you don't want to read the whole thing, here's the synopsis: Dr. Rahban is a highly ethical, detail-oriented, and genuinely kind surgeon who will get you the best possible result for your unique situation with dignity, skill, and talent. Choose him. For those with more time, here we go:

I am in my 30s and had been casually considering a rhinoplasty since my early 20s. I do want to describe my internal experience a bit, because I think there is a stigma associated with plastic surgery even in 2020. Many people think you must hate yourself or have some deep insecurities to go under the knife -- and that may be the case for some people. But, I never had a deep hatred for my nose and never thought I was ugly, unattractive, or "needed" plastic surgery.

I had an ok nose, just had some things about it I didn't like and wished I could change, especially when I smiled. It used to get super wide and droopy when I laughed, and it was overall crooked to the left. I never hid my nose or edited the way I looked in pictures, but I would sometimes look back on photos and think, "Ehhhh, what is that going on over there?" haha.

I didn't seriously start considering plastic surgery until a few years ago and decided to start real research when I realized I wasn't hoping the surgery would make me happier/solve my problems/make me a better person. For me, it made sense to do it because I was already feeling fulfilled, happy, and successful, and I was in a financial position to go for it. Speaking of financial position, please please please do not try to get a bargain on plastic surgery.

This is like any other investment or goal: you will feel all around so much better if you wait until you can pay for the very best. This is not the time for "a good deal." This is your face, or your body, and an extra few months or years of patience your best friend. I had come across only maybe four plastic surgeons, including Dr. Rahban, whose worked I really liked. But as I looked closer and closer, I realized Dr. Rahban was a rarity in that no one walked away with a "signature tip," swoopy scoop, or some other identifiable autograph of his work.

Every single patient in his plentiful before-and-afters looked like themselves, just enhanced and more balanced. I'm Middle Eastern and didn't want to look like someone else. Nothing excessive, nothing "unnatural," and nothing cookie-cutter, and also nothing TOO subtle to the point of, "Why even go through all that to look exactly the same?" As I read more about him and his approach, I knew he would be my surgeon even before we had the initial consultation.

I still booked three others to ensure I was being responsible -- and part of this was inspired by all the informative and educational content Dr. Rahban selflessly puts into the world.  This was in spring of 2020, so all of these consultations were virtual, and none of the surgeons lived in my state. I was definitely willing to travel for the right surgeon and would encourage you to consider it as an option as well.

As soon as I was on FaceTime with Dr. Rahban, I knew in my gut I would go with him. He let me first describe my concerns and then told me, "You know, that's a very accurate assessment." He described in detailed, objective terms what was feasible and possible, as well as spent 45 minutes total with me on this consultation. Dr. Rahban emphasized the importance of structural integrity when performing a rhinoplasty (a smaller nose means nothing if it won't hold up over time) and described how, even if I believed my breathing was fine (I did), it would likely greatly improve after the procedure.

He described what the surgery would entail, informed me about recovery, and we just kind of had a conversation about my goals and mindset. "If you're someone who's looking for perfection, don't get a rhinoplasty." Loved that so much. He is honest and truthful, and if he turns you away, you should listen to him. He's not scalpel-happy and truly has people's best interests at heart. He will do right by you, even if that means telling you you don't need the procedure you've always wanted.

After I did my other consultations (one other well-renowned surgeon kept saying I'd look good with "a cute nose" which automatically terrified me), I realized I was right from the start and went ahead and booked a septorhinoplasty with an alar base reduction for a few months later with Dr. Rahban. Sally was incredibly helpful in walking me through what it would be like as an out-of-state patient and recommended I do at least one night in a recovery facility nearby.

I felt overall calm but definitely more nervous the closer we got to the surgery date. I kept thinking, "This is my FACE. And I have a pretty decent face -- what on earth am I doing?" I'd never had any other elective procedures before, not even filler or Botox. My husband, who is incredibly supportive, reassured me and said that I'd been thinking about this for so long and that he trusted my intuition and research.

Once we got to LA, we got a COVID test and hung out for a couple days, both working from 'home' until my pre-op in-person consultation. THIS is when I started to get really nervous. I'd only ever seen Dr. Rahban through a screen and on Instagram/RealSelf/etc, what if all the glowing reviews online were misleading? But honest to God, as soon as he walked into the room and we started talking, I immediately felt more at ease. Dr. Rahban has a very grounding presence and is friendly, warm, and obviously very intelligent and perceptive.

After examining my nose, he took some notes and once again asked me to describe my concerns and goals. He then walked me through EXACTLY what he planned to do during surgery, pointing to every single area and describing what he would do to it in objective terms. He also said my septum was about 80% deviated.

My jaw dropped -- I had no idea! I also want to note that a couple days before this appointment, I learned of some tragic, traumatic news and was a total basket case -- a walking raw nerve who was crying most of her waking hours. My husband told Dr. Rahban he was worried about me going under general anesthesia and then a tough recovery in this state, and Dr. Rahban was so reassuring, validating, and kind.

He kept telling us they would take the utmost care of me -- I am tearing up as I type this, because I can viscerally remember his genuine concern and compassion as he walked me down the hall to take some photos. The morning of surgery, I was super calm. Mind you, surgery doesn't frighten me, especially when I know I'm in good hands, but if you are afraid of surgery/anesthesia, Dr. Rahban and his team will put you at ease for sure.

Dr. Houston, his anesthesiologist (an MD -- make sure the person putting you to sleep is an MD!!), is like a freaking fairy godmother. So sweet, so charming, so friendly. Dr. Rahban had informed her of what I had been going through, and she held my hand as everyone prepped me for surgery. The last thing I remember is chatting with someone who said, since my husband couldn't come in with me or be at the recovery center (COVID precautions), they would call him after surgery so he could see me in the parking lot as I left to the overnight facility.

So, who the heck knows if I divulged any family secrets or made a fool of myself if the anesthesia made me loopy. Dr. Rahban had come in to do his Sharpie magic before I went into the OR, so I obviously did see him before the procedure. The aftercare facility they recommended was wonderful. A driver came to pick me up, and they let my husband come say hi to me before we drove off.

He had a stunning arrangement sent to the facility that all the staff came by to compliment, and the nurses who came in frequently were genuinely kind, had great recommendations, and took thoughtful care of me. I wasn't in pain, but they still encouraged me to take some Tylenol and eat what I could, and they helped me take a slow little walk around the floor. I then went back to the AirBnB we'd rented.

I would highly recommend having someone -- a friend, a parent, a spouse -- with you, whether or not you travel. I have pretty high pain tolerance and like to be left alone when I'm not feeling well, but at the very least you need some emotional support and someone to bring you stuff, especially if your first couple days after surgery are on the weekend and you can't call to ask random questions. The first few days, I felt overall ok, just in and out of sleep most of the time and congested from the packing/swelling.

That was the age of Netflix, soup, and ice cream. I never took a pain pill, just did Tylenol regularly and all my prescribed medications. On the third/fourth day, my swelling moved down to my cheeks and jaw, and that's the only time I experienced any pain -- still not enough for a pain pill, though. It wasn't bad, but just felt super hot to the touch and I wanted to make sure I didn't somehow have an infection despite being on antibiotics.

My husband called Dr. Rahban's office, and the staff talked to Dr. Rahban and got back to me, saying I could very gently ice the area but that I was ok. Overall, my recovery experience was consistent with what you read and what Dr. Rahban had shared with me. It's really not painful, just feels like a bad head cold for the most part. A week later, we went back to Dr. Rahban's office. It was nice seeing his staff again -- everyone is always really welcoming and excited to see you.

Dr. Rahban came in and prepared me: "Whether you love or hate how your nose looks today doesn't matter. Your nose today doesn't look like what it's supposed to look like." He then cleaned everything up, which...let me tell you. I nearly passed out from the massaging and rubbing he has to do after the cast comes off. That was honestly the worst part of this whole thing -- but Erika has blue Jolly Ranchers, so you'll be fine. I also had Weir incisions for the alar base reduction so had more stitches than may be typical.

Anyway, when this was all done, Dr. Rahban told me I could look in the mirror before he put another cast on to keep for a second week. My husband was smiling and giving me a thumbs-up, and we had made a pact that he would be HONEST, so I was so excited to take a look. Y'all...I was SHOCKED. And not in a good way.

I thought I looked terrible, but I didn't want to be rude and tend to be extremely calm when shocked, so I just said, "Ok," and smiled and turned back to Dr. Rahban so he could cover this monstrosity with another cast. Dr. Rahban didn't say anything, he remained calm -- he apparently knew that I needed to hear what he had said to me at the outset of this appointment. I was in this deer-in-headlights mode for the rest of the day, and then the worry hit me the next day.

I remember I had to keep telling myself: "This is Dr. Rahban. He's not some quack, he didn't botch your nose, you need to calm your [RS bleep] and trust the process." I spent the second week working (yep!) from the AirBnb, enjoying food again, and dreaming about washing my hair. I kept trying to distract and reassure myself, since every now and then I'd think about what my nose would look like.

Once my second follow-up approached, I started to get nervous again but honestly had kind of a fatalistic attitude about it. "Well, what's done is done." Dr. Rahban came in and we chatted for a little while -- about sneakers, documentaries, and just philosophy on life. As he did some more cleaning, I could tell my husband was smiling again.

I stood up to look in the mirror and was honestly pleasantly surprised. I could tell my nose was still swollen, my face was still bruised, and my nose was turned up (which is normal and necessary, it will come back down!), but I remember saying, "Oh my gosh, that actually looks pretty good! I like it!" Dr. Rahban chuckled and said that some people immediately cry ecstatically and say, "This is amazing!!" and other patients need some time to warm up to it.

He also said, "Look, objectively? This is a freaking amazing nose." And my husband, who was in awe, said, "Holy shit, yes it is." Dr. Rahban then took a photo of my face and showed me that, saying my brain would be able to process that better -- and he was so right! By the end of that same day, I was feeling more and more into my nose! I was starting to feel happier and that has only improved with time.

He told me to go on autopilot for the next few weeks and let my nose do its thing. I FaceTimed my mother-in-law, and even though she knew I was having my nose done, she said it would have taken her a while to figure out what was different if I had never told her. She immediately got on Instagram to follow Dr. Rahban and said to me, "Girl, you found a really good surgeon, wow."

The next day, my husband and I spent some time driving around LA and flew back home the day after that. Within a couple weeks, I really really started to love my nose and felt so happy that I'd gone for the procedure. We went back to LA for my six-week post-op, and by then, I was feeling and looking great. I thought my nose looked amazing at that time, but Dr. Rahban told me I was on mile 3 of a marathon since I have thick, Middle Eastern skin.

So, basically, my nose is going to look even more amazing in a year's time -- again, I think it looks gorgeous now, and so do the people in my life who know I'd had it done. At six weeks, I was cleared to work out, wear sunglasses, discontinue the nasal sprays, and basically get back to my life -- that was a relief. Dr. Rahban and my husband chatted about classic Porsches, and my husband remarked to me as we were leaving, "Man...it would be so cool if we could hang out."

I think he's looking forward to my six-month follow-up more than I am! I am now almost four months post-op and still loving my nose. It's still oily (which is apparently a normal change that can occur post-rhinoplasty), kinda tender, and numb/hard to the touch at the tip, so Dr. Rahban was right on track with the mile 3 estimate.

I'm doing my massages (as instructed by him, only do as he says) and I can't wait until all the swelling is down so I can see the final result. That being said, I am already so happy and love how it looks. Dr. Rahban maintained the integrity of my nose but made it more refined, suited to my face, and proportionate. 

I appreciate Dr. Rahban's hard work, skill, and expertise as much as I appreciate his care for all patients, whether they are his or not. I also often think of something he said to me while helping me get situated before I was taken to the OR. I was struggling to fit my very long hair in the cap and said, "I have way too much hair, I'm sorry." He said to me, "No such thing as too much hair, too much good health, or too much good fortune." What a beautiful outlook on life. Thank you, Dr. Rahban, and we will see you in the spring!