Guest Post By: Sarah Webb
My friends say I'm silly for thinking about getting a nose job. They say I'm too self-conscious, but I've never liked my nose. When I look in the mirror it seems a little too big for my face, even though I never thought a stranger would say I have a big nose.
Until one did just that. I was at a party a couple of years ago and this guy I'd just been introduced to said I would be very pretty if my nose wasn't so big. Sure he was drunk, but still.
I guess that's when I started researching online about rhinoplasty. I quickly learned that I'm not alone as far as being insecure about the appearance of my nose. I discovered that rhinoplasty is the most common facial cosmetic surgery performed on both women and men, according to the
American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Among women,
statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons� show that only breast augmentation is more popular than nose jobs. I guess having big breasts and a small nose is the ideal combination.
I wanted to learn all I could about the procedure before scheduling any consultations with plastic surgeons. My research led me to a couple of conclusions, which are actually related. First, rhinoplasty is probably the most difficult cosmetic surgical procedure to perform correctly. Second, I'm going to think long and hard about going through with this and make sure I find a facial plastic surgeon who specializes in rhinoplasty if I decide to have the surgery.
During my research I found a website called RealSelf, an amazing online forum where patients describe their experiences and ask questions that plastic surgeons answer. One guy asked if his nose was ugly and if it could be fixed with rhinoplasty. He looked fine and I was curious about what kind of answers he would get. I was pretty surprised when I saw this
"Just because we can do something, doesn't mean that we should do something," one surgeon
answered. "As one guy to another, I would say that your nose looks good on your face, balances well with your other features, and adds (doesn't detract) from your appearance. If it were up to me, I would leave it alone. That is my honest answer. I don't see anything to be insecure about."
Wow. At first, I thought that kind of honesty was a little shocking, but I was actually very impressed by it. I went to the doctor's blog and saw a
post that seemed directed to me called, "Know When to Say 'No' About Your Nose." The surgeon, a rhinoplasty specialist in Denver, wrote that patients should know that rhinoplasty "is, without a doubt, the most difficult of all the facial plastic surgery procedures."
He also said that "changing a good nose to a slightly better one is really, really hard." It seems like the key with rhinoplasty is having realistic expectations and understanding that it's all about small changes. I wish the answer for me was a little more black-and-white, but I'm starting to realign my expectations to a more "gray" position.
I still haven't made up my mind. I've decided to go ahead and schedule some consultations so I can hear what surgeons have to say after looking at my nose. They are all board-certified surgeons who specialize in facial procedures, and I'm prepared with a long list of questions about their experience and how many nose jobs they do each year.
If I do go through with it, I'm confident that my due diligence will result in finding the best surgeon for the job. If I see several top-notch surgeons who tell me not to bother, I'll know I can trust them. Wish me luck!
Author Note: Sarah Webb is a health & beauty blogger who loves everything related to looking your best. She is a mother and wife who loves staying fit by chasing her little kids. As she has become older she is not opposed to a cosmetic enhancement here or there, but the specifics remain in the vault. 
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