Chris’s Rhinoplasty

“Dr. Lee told me his goal wasn’t to create the perfect nose…just the perfect nose for me.”

Sometimes a photograph can be more ruthless than a mirror. Chris remembers her college graduation picture displayed in her grandparent’s living room. “I would say “Look at that Italian nose!” My whole life I joked about it because I was self-conscious.” Chris describes it as a “witch’s nose…pointy and with a little hump.” But soon Chris was married with children and cosmetic surgery was far from first on her “to do” list. “It would have been difficult to justify on my teacher’s salary. At the time I wouldn’t have spent the money on myself—my family took priority.”

Now, years later, Chris was at a social event with friends and was introduced to Mike—who turned out to be Dr. Michael Lee. “We became friends and as I listened to him speak about plastic surgery, I was captivated by his love of the specialty. Meeting him exposed me to the personal side of aesthetic surgery from a surgeon’s point of view.” Dr. Lee’s excitement was contagious and soon Chris found herself—at 46—reconsidering what she couldn’t justify at 26.

Chris studied Dr. Lee’s credentials online and learned he was Double Board Certified in both Otolaryngology (Head and Neck surgery) and Plastic Surgery. These credentials put him in the elite of the specialty for challenging procedures such as rhinoplasty where knowledge of both form and function play a critical role. “I didn’t consider anyone else. His super specialization in rhinoplasty and being Double Boarded was a bonus.”

Despite knowing Dr. Lee in a social setting, Chris admits she was nervous at the consultation. “I couldn’t believe I was there getting ready to do this.” She was impressed by the way Dr. Lee quickly put her at ease during the examination. “He said he wouldn’t change who I was. I wouldn’t look totally different. Rather, he was there to remove the things I didn’t like.” According to Chris, Dr. Lee was intent on listening to what she wanted. He explained there is a formula that considers all the lines and angles and contours for the ideal nose, but the purpose of the consultation was to get the patient’s interpretation of how they defined “their ideal.” The bottom line? “He told me his goal wasn’t to create the perfect nose…just the perfect nose for me.”

Chris had her surgery in July of 2016. She felt well prepared. “Megan, Dr. Lee’s patient coordinator was very available to me for any questions and would check in with me. It made me feel taken care of before, during and after the surgery.” Recovery wasn’t as uncomfortable as Chris imagined. “I took oral medication the first day, then moved to Advil.” A fair-skinned redhead, Chris thought she might be black and blue for a while but that wasn’t the case. “I had very little bruising—just a little yellow under my eyes.” Aside from the tip being tender, some swelling, and feeling tired the first week, Chris went out in public after the 5th day without feeling self-conscious.

The result was as “perfect” as Chris had hoped. The change was so subtle, no one commented on her “nose job” or having something “done.” However the way Chris feels about her appearance has completely changed. “I am so happy I did it. I have no regrets at all. In fact, my husband and I recently vacationed in Mexico. One evening I was all dressed up and pulled my hair back—something I never would have done before. For the first time in my life, I felt like my nose was not the focal point of my face and I felt comfortable enough to try a new hairstyle. I sent a picture to Dr. Lee.”

Chris highly recommends Dr. Lee. She is also a fan of “making an aesthetic investment in yourself.” “Now, my favorite picture of myself is my profile. I’m glad I used some savings to do something nice just for me. I’m even happier I am friends with Dr. Lee. The credit goes to him.”