I had surgery last July, and 9 months later, on April 13, I had the removal; 8 days have passed. My nasal bridge was high and I had a bulbous nose, and I had my nasal tip done with septal cartilage and cartilage tying. My skin is thick too, but they built it up with septal cartilage, so from the side my nose looked completely like Pinocchio, and from below it looked like the nostrils had been pulled into an 11-shape. The alar area looked totally pinched, and on top of that my nose looked upturned, with the nostrils looking uneven. It was a mess. Now that I think about it, it's surprising I endured that state for 9 months. The reason I removed it was partly the shape, but I think the bigger reason was that the septal cartilage went all the way to the nasal tip, making the tip as hard as touching an elbow, so I couldn't tolerate the foreign-body sensation. Among the people who send me private messages, some ask whether I didn't know before surgery that I wouldn't be able to make a pig nose and that it would become hard, and why I removed it despite that --- Before surgery, you think it only matters that the shape gets prettier, and it's not like you usually need to make a pig nose... But once you actually have surgery, it is extremely uncomfortable and unsettling. Not being able to make a pig nose doesn't simply mean the nasal tip won't lift when you push it up with your hand..... You also can't stretch the philtrum. It bothers you so, so much when kissing too. The nose needs to move naturally, but because it is fixed firmly with septal cartilage, if someone comes close to your face or even tries to touch it, you get startled. Anyway, because of these various discomforts and because I disliked the shape, I had it removed. They removed the septal cartilage and also removed the cartilage tying; I had absolutely everything taken out. The clinic where I had surgery removed it for free. For the 9 months until removal, I think I went to that clinic more than 10 times just for removal consultations. I went under the name of consultation, cried, and vented..... Still, maybe I was lucky, because the consultant and director didn't say anything unpleasant and removed it for me. Before septal cartilage removal, I was so, so worried it might collapse or that my nose might become completely upturned..... In the end, it's okay. The swelling still hasn't fully gone down, and they say contracture will come soon, so I can't state anything definitively. As of now, I think it's about halfway between my old nose and my post-surgery nose. I don't know how to explain it, but I like the shape much better after removal. From the side, originally the nasal tip had been extended with septal cartilage so it was extremely long, but after removal it became shorter, while the shape still has a slight semi-beoseon curve from when it was operated on. And from the front, it is a bit more upturned than my original nose, but it has come down compared with after surgery, when my nostrils were plainly visible. From below, the nostrils also used to look like an 11-shape as if they had been pulled, making it obvious to anyone that I had surgery, but the long nostrils have become somewhat rounder and, to my eyes, have returned naturally. If I had known it would return this quickly, I think maybe I should have removed it earlier... But I comfort myself that because I waited a long time and removed it after the nose had loosened to some extent, it was removed without severe side effectsㅠㅠㅠ The foreign-body sensation in the nasal tip has gone away a lot. Before, when I tapped the tip of my nose (;;), it was so hard that it made a sound like tapping bone, but after removal it has become soft. Of course, if contracture happens it will become hard again, but I believe time will resolve it. I'm managing it in my own way by eating meals properly, taking medication, sleeping with a humidifier on, and using steam. Before surgery, I thought the world would change once I had surgery.... During the nightmarish 9 months, I painfully realized again what truly precious values are..... I became socially avoidant, stayed only at home, didn't exercise, only gained weight, and it was so mentally hard... But after removal, I feel like I'm gradually finding my old self again, so I'm very happy. Even if I don't return perfectly to my old appearance, I'm going to live satisfied just with having escaped the artificial look I had after surgeryㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ My heart aches so much when I see posts from people worrying about removal, and since I went through it too, I wanted to be a source of strength, so I'm writing this.
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