Growing up, I hated the way my nose looked. Coming from a Middle Eastern background, I was destined to have a big nose. However, I didn’t know it would become a real problem for me later in life. When I was 12, I started to realize my nose was crooked, big and had a huge hump. In high school, my nose started becoming a medical problem, and I decided to go to an ENT specialist. There I found out I had a deviated septum and a growth in my right nostril that was making it hard for me to breathe. So, I finally got the courage to get my nose fixed.
The term for getting your nose fixed is called a rhinoplasty. I mainly decided to get a rhinoplasty because of my breathing problem, but I decided to fix everything else I didn’t like as well. Not only did I get this major surgery, but I also did it in another country.
Photo courtesy of imcmedical centre via Flickr
Now, when people hear that someone got cosmetic surgery from another country, they think it’s dangerous. However, the country I got my rhinoplasty, Iran, is considered the nose job capital of the world. Persians, or Iranians, typically have big noses with a huge hump and strong deviation. Because of this, rhinoplasty has become popular in Iran since so many people had either breathing problems or didn’t like the way their nose looked.
In America, the best rhinoplasty surgeons are Persian as well. I decided to get my nose done there since I am Persian, my mother got her nose done there, and I trust the surgeons there because they have the most experienced in the world. I wanted to fix my nose while also having it looked natural, which I knew I would get in Iran.
Photo courtesy of Shawna Zamiri
When I first thought about getting a rhinoplasty, I had high expectations, which was a mistake. One thing I realized is that no matter what doctor you go to, even if the surgeon is the best in the world, your nose won’t necessarily be 100% perfect. I’ve been to six surgeons (two in America and four in Iran) where they said I will see an 80%-90% difference in my nose. This was upsetting to me because I wanted my nose to be perfect. However, I realized if every doctor says it can’t, then I shouldn’t expect a perfect nose.
Photo courtesy of Shawna Zamiri
Thinking about getting rhinoplasty can be a hard decision. Before getting a rhinoplasty, you should do a lot of research into the surgeon you want and to not only make sure they are reliable but also to make sure you are comfortable with them. You also shouldn’t have high expectations because in some cases you can’t get exactly what you want. This is a major surgery that is on your face, and you will have a long recovery until you see the final result of your nose. Even though I had a long recovery, I knew I made the best decision of my life.
Photo courtesy of Shawna Zamiri