Is the fear of surgery holding you back from improving your appearance and increasing your self-satisfaction? Fears can become a barrier for not following through with the decision for personal improvement. Here we discuss the seven common fears with answers and explanations to ease your fears.
“The Seven Fears Prior to Rhinoplasty – Easing Your Worry”
- Fear of the unknown. Anesthesia and surgery
- What will I look Like?
- When will I return to work and the gym?
- Will it be painful?
- What will others think?
- Can I afford the surgery?
- Which surgeon?
1. Fear of the Unknown – Anesthesia and Surgery
Rhinoplasty, an elective procedure, is anatomically- superficial. It’s an operation that occurs is immediately under the skin upon the bone and cartilage. No major body cavity is entered, as in chest, abdominal or brain surgery. Patients are in and out of the surgery center in five hours or less. You must be healthy to have elective surgery. Your personal doctor is charged with examining you and ordering the tests to “clear you”. The confirmation that you are healthy to have this superficial surgery should comfort you and erase some of the anxiety.
Ease Your Worry About Anesthesia.
Beverly Hills Rhinoplasty Surgeon Dr. Robert Kotler says, “here is the key to anesthesia safety: “The surgery should be done in a licensed outpatient surgery center, and the anesthesiologist should be a superspecialist who works exclusively with the same staff, and surgeons. It should be a stable team, performing the same procedure, over and over, which brings consistency, efficiency and therefore safety.”
The surgery is one level above a dentist pulling one or more teeth. Not like open-heart surgery or a kidney transplant. You get a dose of propofol, you fall asleep and immediately we inject local anesthesia. Therefore, there’s no pain during surgery and you’ll just wake up from a nice sleep. One of the glories of Propofol is that there is no hangover, no nausea and vomiting as in the pre-Propofol days. Quick recovery. Lunch or dinner that day.
2. Will It Look Natural?
The fear of looking strange from a bad surgery raises its ugly head. To guarantee great results, “choosing the right surgeon who is experienced, board certified and empathizes with the patients will contribute to attaining the desired results,” says Beverly Hills, Rhinoplasty Superspecialist Dr. Robert Kotler.
Ease Your Worry About the Natural Results of Rhinoplasty.
A common postoperative reaction is to question whether the right choice was made. Adjusting to the results in some cases may take time, but the primary concerns usually fall by the wayside once the swelling subsides, and bandages are removed.
3. How Long Before I Return to Work?
The first ten days are the core period of recovery after rhinoplasty surgery. By the tenth day most of the bruising and swelling is gone and you’ll already look very decent. “When I had my Rhinoplasty, I was back to the office and operating in ten days. My appearance never drew any questions”, notes Dr. Kotler. At ten days, you can return to regular activities including gym and full athletics, except contact sports, such as soccer or rugby. Six weeks for those possible “nose crunchers”.
Ease Your Worry About Returning to Work After Rhinoplasty.
Dr. Kotler feels that seven to ten days is the usual return to work period. With better techniques and drugs to control swelling and bruising, no one should fear looking like they just went 10 rounds with a boxing champ”, comments Dr. Kotler, a former Major, Medical Corps, US Army.
After the tenth day there’s continuous ripening and refinement, such that the nose becomes, “Just like wine, better with time”, he notes… A 100- day process that nature controls.
4. Will it be Painful?
The pain level after rhinoplasty is variable and for most people it’s relatively minor. For others who have a low tolerance for pain, stronger medications will be employed. Pain must be controlled and that’s the first duty of a physician, to provide comfort and pain control. The secondary and important reason is that uncontrolled pain can raise blood pressure. Elevated blood pressure can cause bleeding.
Ease Your Worry About Rhinoplasty Pain.
Because Rhinoplasty is a minimally invasive, relatively superficial operation, most patients achieve pain relief with Tylenol with Codeine, Extra Strength Tylenol, or stronger versions of Aleve or Advil.
5. What Will Others Think?
Today in our culture, Rhinoplasty is increasingly commonplace. It may even come as a surprise to you how many people you know have either had nose surgery or are considering it. Either way, it is an individual decision, and the improvement is yours and nobody else’s. If you’re not happy with your nose it’s your choice. Don’t put the decision out for a vote!
Ease Your Worry About What Others Will Think After Rhinoplasty.
Most people say it’s one of the best decisions they’ve ever made. Other people won’t even remember what your nose looked like before our surgery. And, remember, most are worried about their own appearance.
6. Surgery Costs
The popularity of Rhinoplasty is a testimony to it affordability and value. It is no longer an indulgence of the rich and famous. While the cost is not insignificant, consider improvement in your appearance, your self-satisfaction and your confidence, an investment, not an expense. And, the procedure is yours for the rest of your life. It will far outlive nearly every other purchase you may make.
Ease Your Worry About Rhinoplasty Cost.
Most practices offer financing, accept credit cards and payment plans.
When appropriate, there are lower cost, non-invasive procedures. Permanent non-surgical rhinoplasty or permanent non-surgical nose job may be a better choice than surgery for reasons beyond costs. The comprehensive consultation with Computer Imaging will aid your decision-making.
7. Choosing the Right Surgeon for the Job
This is the single most important factor in achieving satisfaction.
Ease Your Worry About Finding the Right Surgeon.
- Training: Review their training, and always lean towards a ‘superspecialist.’ A superspecialist is a surgeon who specializes in one or two procedures, rather than all procedures under the sun.
- Experience: Experience counts in life. It takes a lot of time to be very skilled in anything we do in life.
- Superspecialists are the doctors at the top of the totem pole. Why not have the most specialized talent? You know the old aphorism: “Jack of all trades, master of none”. You want the master.
- Results: What are the results? Look at a lot of before and after photographs and the doctor’s reviews. The more photos in the surgeon’s gallery and the most 5-Star reviews the better.
- Good Consultation: The doctor needs to spend time with you, answer all your questions, and understand your expectations and concerns. A top-quality consultation has the doctor spending more time with you than anyone else in the office. You don’t go to a consultation for a sales pitch. You go to be educated and have your questions answers.
- Computer Imaging: A consultation without Computer Imaging has little value. After all, shouldn’t you see the predicted result of your Rhinoplasty or Permanent Non-surgical Rhinoplasty? Would you purchase a piece of art without seeing it?
When all questions and concerns are addressed, anxiety melts away.
- Robert Kotler, MD, FACS
