Thinking about my first nose surgery + consultation review

Lately I’ve been going around to several clinics while preparing for my first nose surgery, but I don’t have a clinic that really draws me in. The more I go, the more I feel that the hardest thing is finding a clinic where the doctor’s skill, the aesthetic sense that matches me, and the attitude of the consultation manager all line up. For now, I’ve gone to about seven consultations, and if I had to organize the two clinics I liked the most, it would be like this: ▶First clinic (1) This clinic’s director gave an explanation that fit my case of a short nasal bridge perfectly. Because my nasal bridge is very short, septal cartilage and costal cartilage came up, but after checking, they said my septal cartilage would be insufficient for my current nose condition and excluded it entirely. They also said, “For a nose like this, you absolutely need autologous costal cartilage. Donor costal cartilage is not an option.” and said it very firmly. A friend who came with me wasn’t short-nosed, and they explained separately to that friend that donor costal cartilage would be fine too, which made it feel like they were really judging each person differently. My face shape is a bit long, and they said that if I raise the nasal bridge in that state, it could look even longer, so they suggested naturally lengthening only the short nose and filling the bridge just a little with about 3 mm of thin silicone (this part is what I liked). They said to trust their aesthetic sense and leave it to them, and that confidence felt good. They also said osteotomy was necessary and explained the reason in a way that made sense. But I personally felt the consultation manager was not great. It wasn’t blatantly rude, but there was some subtle condescending feeling?? Maybe it was because they didn’t take my questions and concerns seriously and just seemed to brush them off. Of course, the obvious pressure to book right away was burdensome... When I hesitated, I even heard, “Mr./Ms. XX, you’re really frustrating~” In the end, I said I’d think about it and get back to them, and as I left, I also awkwardly noticed and felt bothered by the stifled laughter from the staff at the desk. The consultation itself was good, but because of the consultation manager, the clinic’s image felt strangely off overall. But I did like the director, so I keep thinking, “Should the consultation manager’s attitude affect my choice of surgeon??” and I’m still torn. ▶Second clinic (2) Here, the consultation manager was really kind. The response was neat and communication was easy, so the overall atmosphere was very comfortable. I was there for more than 3 hours total, but actual conversation time was about 2 hours 20 minutes, and there was around 40 minutes of waiting in between, but the consultation quality was so good that I had no complaints at all. The director had a different opinion from the first clinic’s director. They said that if osteotomy were done, the nose itself would become slimmer, but the thickness of my nasal bones wasn’t actually that severe, and that it could instead make my cheekbones look more prominent, and compared things by showing before-and-after photos of actual osteotomy cases. From what I remember, the osteotomy case photos also included women, so it didn’t seem to be only a male issue. Anyway, after hearing that explanation, I also thought, “It’s probably right not to do osteotomy.” And earlier, I had once had a consultation at a clinic famous in this community for surgery without implants, and when I showed that consultation content and the expected before/after photos to this director, they got really angry. They asked what clinic it was, said that for a short nose like mine, there was no way it would ever stretch that far based on experience, or that I should go ask that clinic whether they would guarantee a 100% refund if, after n months, the nose didn’t come out at the same angle as in that photo. They said the clinic would probably say yes at first, but once the surgery was done they’d say they could only lengthen it this much because of the person’s skin condition, and so on. I had actually been thinking a bit about going there, but after hearing that, all lingering feelings toward that clinic disappeared. The one thing that does bother me is that this clinic is known for glamorous lines in reviews and surgery cases from this community. The photos they showed during consultation also felt very unnatural to me personally, with a strong artificial look. At first they said the bridge between the eyes would use almost 5 mm silicone, but when I said that felt excessive, they adjusted it with something like, “Then let’s bring it down to 3 mm,” though even so, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the clinic fundamentally pursues a glamorous nose. Honestly, I was very satisfied with the consultation quality, but I’m hesitant because I’m worried I might regret the results of a clinic famous for glamorous results when what I want is something natural. ▶Conclusion In conclusion, I still don’t have full confidence that “this is definitely the clinic.” For clinic 1, the consultation manager and the osteotomy are bothering me, and for clinic 2, the consultation was good but I’m not sure whether the result will match the natural look I want. What I want is a “natural, balanced male nose.” I still haven’t found a clinic that completely matches that image, so I’m still deliberating over it. If anyone has had a similar concern, please give me some advice on what to look at first. ----------------- Below is just the content I took to the consultation because I couldn’t clearly and briefly express the nose I’m aiming for. (This was what made me feel like I was being a difficult patient.) No overly glamorous nose x No sharpness or artificially rigid feeling x Absolutely no artificial look x No feeling that the tip of the nose and columella were cut straight with a knife x A little softness that is not a perfect sculpture, plus clear structural definition o A line that is natural and follows the overall facial line smoothly, slightly leaning toward straight o But not too feminine, with an appropriate amount of structure o Especially important is the natural connection from the bridge of the nose to the glabella and forehead Not just a pretty nose, but overall harmony with the face o (overall proportions first) -----------------