I had my silicone + ear cartilage + capsule removed yesterday. Two weeks ago, I suddenly felt an unexplained pain in my nose, so a week later I had consultations at two hospitals, and I had surgery yesterday. In my case, it wasn’t inflammation. A lot of ear cartilage had been placed in my nasal tip, and because my skin is fair and thin, it started to show through. I think the cartilage had also shifted again. It had been 1 year and 8 months since my surgery.
For the past few weeks, I was in so much emotional distress, and it felt like I was living in hell. I think people who are dealing with more severe concerns than mine, like inflammation or contracture, must be having an even harder time... I hope everyone can stay strong, get consultations at a safe hospital, have the removal done well, and recover both physically and emotionally.
At first, I had no information at all about nose surgery. I did have some nasal bridge height, but I had a slight hump, and I felt disappointed that the nasal tip below that hump drooped, so I started thinking about nose surgery. The first place I went to was a large plastic surgery clinic that appears on TV. Even though the doctor said I didn’t need nose surgery, once I had made up my mind that I wanted it, those words didn’t reach me. So I got something called Hiko. It didn’t turn out like the dramatic photos shown by the consultant or online. So without looking into things much, I went to the hospital where I had my double eyelid surgery and said I wanted nose surgery. They told me to go ahead without much comment, but said that because I had done Hiko, they would charge me a revision surgery fee. Anyway, I had the nose surgery, and as soon as the splint was removed, my nose was crooked? So I told the hospital, and the consultant said she couldn’t tell it was crooked, while the director just kept saying we should watch it for now. That was because correction could only be done after 6 months. For those 6 months, I did like that my nose was higher, but the crookedness bothered me so much. From the beginning, there was cartilage sticking out like a small pimple inside my left nostril. (I really should never have had that surgery... sigh.) At 5 months, I went back to the hospital, and the doctor also acknowledged that it was crooked. I also asked them to improve the protruding cartilage, but they said they would only correct the crookedness using a closed approach, and that the cartilage wasn’t uncomfortable in daily life and wouldn’t come down any further, so I should just live with it. Anyway, the crookedness was corrected, and I spent almost a year just thinking, “I guess that’s how it is.” I think I lived treating my nose like something precious, not blowing it hard like other people and not using nose packs. Then, my nose started hurting, and the cartilage at the tip became whitish and bumpy again, so I went to the hospital.
I went to two places. The first hospital was large, and I went because they said there was a famous professor there, but it just felt like a factory. Until then, I thought I had an L-shaped silicone implant with ear cartilage, so I told them that, and even though I took all the CT scans, the doctor looked at the CT and still didn’t say, “This isn’t L-shaped.” Then he drew on my photo, saying this is how I would look if I removed the nose implant, but it looked so strange. With that kind of uninterested tone and expression, he scared me and told me to have revision surgery if I didn’t like that appearance. ㅡㅡ So I talked with the consultant, but they quoted an absurd price, so I put it on hold and left. The second hospital is a place that is mentioned a lot on this site. Anyway, I was full of distrust toward doctors and plastic surgery clinics, so I couldn’t trust anyone, but I went with the feeling that I had to grasp at any straw. It was quiet and not very large. But the consultant who spoke with me wasn’t someone who looked overly operated on; she was naturally pretty. Before I went into the director’s office, she consulted with me, reassured me, and comforted me, so my heart eased a little. Then I met the director, and as soon as he saw me, as soon as I sat down in the chair lol, he said it needed to be removed right away. And when I said it might be an L-shaped silicone implant, he touched it and said he didn’t think it was L-shaped. They don’t even take CT scans there. (When I asked the hospital where I had surgery, it turned out to be straight silicone + a lot of ear cartilage.) Anyway, the director said that if I removed it, it would just become my own nose, and if there was any depressed area, he would crush some ear cartilage and reinforce it, but if there was no depression, he would just remove everything. After leaving, I felt much more reassured. The doctor said I seemed too scared right now, but it would all be over in an hour and there was no need to worry. He said I originally had a nose bridge, and because not much time had passed, it would be okay. After the consultation, the consultant told me to think it over slowly and call them. (The first hospital kept calling the hospital phone even until the day before surgery, the day before yesterday, and even called my personal phone, telling me to hurry and do it lol.) Anyway, after leaving, I ate with my boyfriend, and I felt calmer than before. I thought, doctors are people too, and in the end they are still someone else, so I can’t fully trust them, but let’s try trusting this one. So I paid the deposit and had it done yesterday.
After I arrived, I washed my face, changed clothes, had another consultation with the consultant and the director, and I did it under sedation (because I usually have a cough). They said they would call in an anesthesia specialist. They trimmed my nose hairs, gave me an injection, disinfected me, and as I was lying there, a female anesthesiologist came in. After that, the director came and said he would start the surgery, and I fell asleep right away. Compared with nose surgery, there is really very little swelling, and there is no bruising. It does ache a bit though haha. After the surgery ended and I woke up from anesthesia, I was lying on the operating bed, and tears just kept falling because I thought, “I’m so relieved it ended well. It’s over.” Rather than regretting that I had been foolish, I felt relieved that it ended well, and I felt thankful to my mom for waiting for me and just grateful for everything, with a sense of relief haha. (I usually cough a lot, so I was very worried about anesthesia too, and I also take medication. Please make sure to tell the hospital in advance about any prescriptions like that and get your medications prescribed accordingly.) Oh, I had silicone removal, ear cartilage removal, cartilage repositioning? cartilage tying? And they said there had been a huge amount of my ear cartilage inside. So the doctor crushed that and put it in, and the surgery ended in about 50 minutes. The doctor apparently told my mom that my nose shape looked good haha. After the surgery, the consultant showed me my silicone implant and explained while showing me photos taken during the surgery. I brought the silicone home. I feel like I need to have it so I can stay clear-headed and live properly. My mom said there was a lot of hammering sound when they were crushing the cartilage lololol.
I don’t have much swelling, and what’s good is... this hospital gives you a mobile number you can keep contacting even outside hospital hours or on holidays. Yesterday at 8, I asked something, and they answered well. Today the hospital is closed, so the consultant told me to take photos and send them, saying she would check my condition. After plastic surgery, you tend to worry even more, and everything starts to seem like a problem, right? lol I keep bothering them, but they answer kindly. Right now it aches a little, and I think there is some bleeding. It must be pooled blood coming out, so I guess it’s right that it comes out haha.
This is long and disorganized, but... What I want to say is: I know many people are suffering because of the nose they wanted to make prettier. You spent time and money on it, but what came back in the end was side effects and pain... and that pain is lonely because it’s something you go through alone. But I think it’s fortunate that even now, we found out and can have it removed. Because of the emotional distress, I cried while walking down the street, couldn’t eat, and couldn’t sleep, so my mom and boyfriend suffered along with me. It was hard, but it also became a time when I felt that I was loved by the people around me. I also came to regret and reflect on how much I had obsessed over beauty. When I looked in the mirror in the recovery room, my sharp nasal tip had become round, and I was so happy to see it. It was very swollen, so yes, I looked like I had a bulbous nose, but I thought, “This is my nose...” and tears welled up. Rather than obsessing over appearance, I thought I should cultivate my inner self more. Please don’t suffer too much. Stay strong, everyone. I hope you all have your removals done well, recover well, and that your wounded hearts become healthy again!!
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