It has been 2 weeks since I had a columella skin graft and nasal reconstruction surgery..!! (A review about saving one person)
After 3 nose surgeries, the silicone started protruding outward, my nose gradually became seriously upturned.. and it became a severe contracted nose, an extreme nose, so I went through a really hard time for a year. As the columellar retraction became severe, my columella had completely disappeared.. While looking into revision rhinoplasty, I went to about 8 hospitals, and doctors said the surgery would probably be difficult, or honestly said they weren’t confident... I even went to a university hospital, but after hearing about a forehead flap surgery, I honestly became more and more scared.. When I searched forehead flap surgery online, I felt I absolutely couldn’t do that.. Some places suggested trying stem cells, but I couldn’t really trust it, and the thought of getting several more injections in my nose was psychologically terrifying. So I kept going to consultations. Then, during the consultation here, the director said that because the columella skin and overall condition were so bad, immediate revision rhinoplasty would be difficult, and that I would likely need to do a columella skin graft first, then have revision rhinoplasty about 6 months later. I trusted the director, and I had gone there knowing that he performs many difficult surgeries, so although it would take a long time, I thought this was my last chance.. and trusted him and had the surgery.
I really have so much I want to write that I don’t even know where to start, but I had blood tests, and because I had anemia, before surgery I received iron supplements and nutritional injections through IV fluids, and they continued managing my condition while preparing for the columella skin graft surgery.
I had been living so carelessly that I didn’t even remember when I last took nutritional supplements, but while preparing for surgery, I took supplements consistently, worked hard to take care of my body, and had the columella skin graft surgery. Ah, the skin graft was a surgery where they made an incision in the bra-line area of my back and grafted that skin onto the columella. (The incision area isn’t long, about one finger joint? Maybe a little less, and since it’s on my back, I don’t really care about it.)
At first after the skin graft, it looked black, so I was very shocked, but after about 2 months, I could see it gradually returning to a skin color, which was really fascinating! And after 6 months, the skin graft had taken well, so for the second surgery, I had <AlloDerm, autologous costal cartilage, scalp skin graft, nostril correction> surgery.
After the surgery, I had a splint on, so I was really worried whether it had gone well, but on the day I went to the hospital to have the stitches removed, they removed the stitches and showed me a mirror, and I thought, this is my nose? I was looking in the mirror and couldn’t believe it.. And I held the director’s hand and cried without even realizing it ㅠㅠ From the first consultation until now, I had cried so much in front of the director and the manager that I tried not to cry, but on the day the stitches were removed, I couldn’t not cry after seeing my nose.... I told the director I was truly grateful.. Those were the only words that came out... I had only hoped to have a normal-looking nose, so I never imagined the shape of my nose would come out this pretty..ㅠㅠ
They are taking care of me and telling me that I’m still in the recovery process, so I need to follow the treatment wellㅠㅠ They also taught me a method called downward taping? so I still tape my nose often! I’m going to recover diligently and be very careful! My family and friends around me saw it and asked if it was really me... haha Everyone was amazed and said the director has godlike hands haha
I think it would have been truly horrible if I had done forehead flap surgery.. The director is really the best ㅠㅠㅠ At first he was a little scary, but the more I saw him, the more he was like a tsundere, and he took care of me like a dad, so I don’t think you should judge a person by first impressions.. haha He even squeezed my acne at every treatment ㅠㅠ I also took the supplements he recommended consistently for more than half a year, and received nutritional injections at the hospital, so my acne disappeared a lot and my skin improved so much ㅠㅠㅠ He is a real, genuine doctorㅠㅠㅠ
It feels like all the hard times I went through are being compensated forㅠㅠ I still can’t completely relax, but I’m going to focus on recovery and take good care of myself. I hope everyone succeeds, and if possible, please don’t touch your noseㅠ Please make sure to research hospitals well before surgery, and I hope none of you experience failure
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