Twenty-seven year-old Yasmine Baddoura loves posing in front of the camera with her 18-month-old son. But not long ago she would have shied away. When Baddoura was 17, a swimming accident left her with a severely fractured nose. It was 1997 and she was living in Qatar, her native country. Baddoura immediately went to an emergency room at a nearby hospital. “They manually adjusted my nose, without surgery,” says Baddoura. This hurried procedure left her nose crooked and misshapen.
In 1999, when she was 19, Baddoura moved to Canada and soon began seeking out treatment options for her nose, which was fast becoming much more than an esthetic issue. “I was having trouble breathing and it was really bothering me,” says Baddoura, who now lives in Mississauga, Ont. “I saw several doctors, and it was determined to be both a medical and a cosmetic problem. So the doctors said they would perform only the part of the procedure covered by provincial health coverage, and then I’d have to have a separate surgery to deal with the rest.” Baddoura had no interest in undergoing painful surgery and recovery twice, so she decided to find a cosmetic surgeon who could both repair and reconstruct her nose.
After a great deal of research and several consultations she chose Dr. Philip Solomon, MD, FRCSC, a otolaryngologist (head and neck surgeon) who specializes in rhinoplasty and cosmetic facial plastic surgery. “I chose Dr. Solomon because I really felt comfortable talking to him. I also saw his work online and read some testimonials. He just seemed like the right doctor for me.” Baddoura felt confident that Dr. Solomon could perform the complicated revision rhinoplasty surgery she required.
“Her nose was collapsed and had a severely deformed nasal bone from the prior surgery,” says Dr. Solomon. “Revision rhinoplasty is always difficult, but Yasmine’s was even more difficult as she had limited tissue left to work with in her nose.
The surgery involved complete reconstruction of her nose with cartilage grafts and bone remodelling.” Baddoura’s surgery, which took place last August, lasted about two and a half hours. When it was done, she finally began to put nearly a decade of discomfort and embarrassment behind her.
“It took me about three weeks before I could go out, but I was just finishing maternity leave, so I didn’t have to miss work. Pain wasn’t an issue at all. I still have some very minor bruising that can be covered with makeup, but it’s all beginning to fade.” The most difficult part of her recovery, says Baddoura, is that she was unable to play with her young son. “My mother came to help my husband and me. It was so hard because I couldn’t pick him up or play with him when he wanted me to. We’re much happier now that I’m healing.” Baddoura has followup visits with Dr. Solomon every three months and will continue to do so for a year or more.
“She has had a very good result, so far, and is still healing,” says Dr. Solomon. “The final result from this surgery will be apparent after the first year.” Baddoura has already noticed a difference. “I’m happy with it so far. I used to turn my head away from the camera, but I don’t have to do that anymore. You don’t see the bump on top of my nose – that was the part that really bothered me. It was worth all the recovery, just to feel so much better about myself and the way I look.” Baddoura is also pleased with her choice of doctor. “I felt so comfortable with Dr. Solomon. He took everything into consideration.”
Cost: Revision rhinoplasty ranges from $6,500 to $8,500.
May 30th 2017