Q: Why didn’t you choose Dr. Anil Shah for your primary surgery?
A: I can’t even begin to describe how I wish I went to Dr. Shah for my first procedure. In fact, that’s the only regret I have with him. For my primary rhinoplasty surgery, I narrowed down my research to surgeons who are operating in the city of Chicago where I resided. Unfortunately, Dr. Shah was practicing in New York City at that time so I didn’t have the chance to include him in my options. However, knowing what I do now and if given the chance to do things over, I would have flown to New York gladly in order to see Dr. Shah.
Q: After your primary surgery, what rhinoplasty complications did you experience?
A: After my first operation, I suffered from two of the most common complications associated with rhinoplasty: the pollybeak deformity and the overprojected nasal tip. Pollybeak deformity is when the tip of your nose bridge (not the tip of your nose) becomes the highest point of your nose. An overprojected tip is when the tip of your nose becomes too prominent or seems like it is drooping. I wrote about these complications in more detail in another post.
Q: Can you share the name of your primary rhinoplasty surgeon?
A: I understand that most of my readers would like to know the name of my first rhinoplasty surgeon. However, after giving it much thought, I decided against revealing his name. After all, the purpose of this blog is not to bash my first surgeon but to guide other patients and help them avoid the mistakes that I committed. What I will reveal, however, is that he is based in Chicago and is a double board certified facial plastic surgeon and otolaryngologist (ENT). He is also considered a “rhinoplasty and revision specialist”.
Q: Did your primary surgeon offer to fix your nose or perform revision rhinoplasty?
A: Yes he did. When my primary surgeon learned that I was completely unhappy with the surgery’s results, he offered to fix it at no charge. An offer of free revision rhinoplasty is certainly tempting, but I was afraid that things can go from bad to worse. Besides, I completely lost faith in that surgeon. If my new nose only required touchups or very minor changes, then I would have considered taking him up on the offer. But the results were not even slightly close to the nose I expected! For this reason, I turned down the offer. I also remembered the old adage that goes: “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me”. If the surgeon botched up the procedure the first time around, what assurance do I have that he won’t botch up the second one? Sure, there’s a chance that he might get it right the second time around, but did I really want to gamble when my nose was on the line? After all, my research has shown me too many horror stories of poor patients who had their original surgeon perform the revision, only to end up with even worse results. To this day, I am glad I did not let my primary surgeon operate on me again.
Q: If you hadn’t met Dr. Anil Shah, who would be your second choice in revision rhinoplasty in the Chicago area?
A: My extensive research prior to my primary surgery led me to meet most (if not all) of the top rhinoplasty surgeons in Chicago. And to be honest, none of them will be my second choice. With all due respect, these top surgeons do have all the right qualifications and experience. But I have learned the hard way that these do not necessarily make a great surgeon. My primary surgeon was a perfect example of that. After my disastrous primary surgery, I vowed to myself that I will never consider revision rhinoplasty until I have found the Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods of rhinoplasty—someone who is in perfect form and at the top of their game. I waited seven long years before making the decision to go for revision rhinoplasty, because this is the time it took to find the right surgeon. I wanted a surgeon who can give me an A+ nose and I didn’t want to settle for anything less.
Q: Are there any red flags that you can share with patients so they can know when to avoid a particular rhinoplasty surgeon?
A: Absolutely! One of the goals of this site, after all, is to educate patients about what kind of surgeons to choose and which ones to stay away from. Looking back, I realize that I did recognize these red flags even from the consultation. But foolishly, I chose to ignore them because I wanted the procedure done so badly. Besides, the surgeon had so many rave reviews online. How can so many reviews be wrong? Apparently, they can be! If you notice any of the same red flags I did, then it’s a sign that you need to move on to your next option:
I felt like my primary surgeon was merely going through the motions with me during our initial consultation. In my gut, I felt like he was reciting a spiel that he has already used on hundreds of patients and I was no different. When talking to a surgeon, ask yourself: is the surgeon treating you like you’re the only patient he has or are you just another paycheck to him?
Another red flag that you should watch out for is the amount of time your surgeons spends with you. If you are indeed just another paycheck, then your consultation sessions are likely to be rushed.
Looking back, my primary surgeon did not seem to care what I wanted for my nose. Since he was the expert, he told me what was “wrong” with my nose and how it needs to be fixed. I felt like what I wanted did not really matter.
Q: Is revision rhinoplasty worth it?
A: For me, absolutely. Yes, the operation wasn’t cheap and I found myself with a swollen face and a badly bruised right eye, but I knew that all the money and pain was worth it. I finally had the cute nose that I’ve wanted my whole life! I know that much of my happiness is because of the fact that I finally found the right surgeon and I am now ready to share my success story. I don’t even wish to think about what would have happened if I did decide to let my primary surgeon operate on me again.
Q: Do you have any advice for patients who are about to undergo the procedure?
A: Selecting the right surgeon to perform your rhinoplasty is without a doubt a tough decision, but once you’ve done your research, then you have nothing to worry about regarding the procedure itself. The first 24 hours after the procedure are certainly difficult and uncomfortable, but after that, I did not experience any pain whatsoever. In fact, I was already going about my normal daily business a week after the surgery. By the second week, both the swelling and bruising were almost gone and I can comfortably go out in public. However, keep in mind that the final results of rhinoplasty do not become evident until after a year from the surgery. So my advice is to be patient instead of scrutinizing your nose in the mirror every hour. The hardest part, I believe, is choosing the right surgeon. Knowing you’re in good hands makes the journey after that much easier.
What is the contact information of your Surgeon?
A. First, I want to preface with a question that I get from time to time. The question is: Do you make any money if I make an appointment with Dr. Shah? My answer is NO; I have not and will not make any money if you decide to have Dr. Anil Shah perform your rhinoplasty. I created this blog because I know how hard it can be to find a great surgeon, who you can completely trust. Having suffered a failed rhinoplasty, I never thought I would get the cute nose I always dreamed about, but thanks to Dr. Shah, I got a 2nd chance. My mission is to help others avoid my mistakes and get the nose of their dreams. I am incredibly thankful to Dr. Shah and after 7 long years of research, he is the ONLY surgeon in Chicago I would operate on my nose. I supposedly “saw one of the best”, and my results were horrible. My results with Dr. Shah are simply amazing. My nose looks 100% better–and I can even breathe better. If you are looking for a Rhinoplasty Surgeon on Chicago, I would absolutely recommend you see Dr. Anil Shah. Again, I do not benefit or make any money if you go see him. I have chose the wrong Rhinoplasty Surgeon in Chicago (who was supposedly the best), and don’t want anyone to make the same mistake. Here’s all his contact information, including a few great resources I found (when I first started researching him).
Dr. Anil Shah, Chicago IL: Patient Reviews
RealSelf Reviews: http://www.realself.com/find/Illinois/Chicago/Facial-Plastic-Surgeon/Anil-Shah
HealthGrades Reviews : http://www.healthgrades.com/physician/dr-anil-shah-ykvj3
Google+ Page Reviews: https://plus.google.com/+DrAnilRShahMDChicago/about
Main Website: http://www.shahfacialplastics.com/
Twitter Page: https://twitter.com/shahmd
YouTube Page: http://www.youtube.com/user/anilrshah
Address: 845 N Michigan Ave #934e, Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: (312) 944-0117 (312) 944-0117