By Elamangai Pasupathi, BMedSc., medical writer

A patient, who has chosen to remain anonymous, has been kind enough to share her experience of getting a rhinoplasty done after deliberating for 7-8 years.

“I was not happy with the way I looked. My nose was my main area of concern, and this has been my feeling for years now. So, I decided to do finally something about it.”

On how she came across Dr. Soma, she says she started off by doing a google search. “I narrowed it down to 3 or 4 surgeons based in Kuala Lumpur and had consulted them as well. At the end, I felt that Dr. Soma was the most understanding. He made me feel more comfortable, so I went with him.”

Speaking about her thought process, she says that she had done a lot of research prior to deciding to go through with it. “I had been wanting this for more than 6-7 years now. I’ve read up on a lot of other people’s experiences. My thought process was that I needed to be clear about what I wanted. But also, to be realistic about what I can get done. Of course, another thing is to be in the hands of a surgeon that will ensure my safety as well. You hear a lot of cases of cosmetic surgeries ending badly. So that was a big point in my search for a doctor.

She further went on to elaborate her state of mind a few days before surgery. “Running up to the surgery, I was very nervous. I tried to keep as healthy as possible. I stopped smoking and drinking alcohol a few days before as instructed by Dr. Soma. I also got extra gauze, just in case,” she laughs. “The surgery was nerve-wracking. It was my first surgery where I had to go under general anesthesia. I was extremely anxious, but the surgery went smoothly and was over quick.”

Speaking on her post-op recovery, she shares that she was still able to take care of herself and didn’t require much assistance except for when it came to driving. “I live in Bangsar, which is nearby but it’s still quite a drive. For the first 2-3 days, I needed to be driven around. Thankfully, I had my family for that. Apart from that, in terms of wound care, I was able to manage it all by myself.”

“My recovery was as the doctor predicted. I did not experience any pain or bruising. There was some swelling but that was about it. It was a painless recovery. In fact, the only time there was any pain was when it was time to remove the stitches.” she quips.

Talking about how it’s been something she had been deliberating on for many years, she affirms that the surgery has helped her achieve the look she was going for. “I was going for something that retained a natural look yet was different. So far, based on my recovery, I would say that I have achieved the look that I wanted. But then again, I’m only 10-12 days post-op. According to Dr. Soma, my nose is still very swollen, and that it will progressively go down. But I would say I’m already quite pleased with it.”