Woman Has Rhinoplasty, She Can’t Believe What She Notices...

By Lucy Notarantonio

Senior Life and Trends Reporter

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A woman has shared the moment she removed her nose cast after a rhinoplasty—and she never expected the results.

Inna, 29 (@inna.victoriaaa), told Newsweek that she was “shocked” when she saw her new nose. In the Instagram video, which has 13.8 million views, Inna can be seen moving through emotions like “denial” and “disappointment” as she takes the cast off.

The text layered over says: "Taking the cast off at home, not knowing I was about to face major disappointment". She appears with dark bruising around her bloodshot eyes and a swollen nose.

In 2024, rhinoplasty accounted for 2 percent of cosmetic surgery procedures, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). The ASPS reports that the average cost of a rhinoplasty is $7,637. However, Inna—who is from Virginia—paid $3,000 for the procedure in Varna, Bulgaria, where she currently lives.

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“I was shocked because my face changed dramatically, and it was surprising to ‘wake up with a new face,’” Inna told Newsweek. "My nose is changing every single day, and the final result won’t be visible until a year after the surgery."

But nose-shaping results aren’t instant. The ASPS notes that most swelling goes down within a few weeks, but it can take up to a year for the final shape of the nose to fully settle. As healing continues, subtle changes are common as the nasal contour gradually refines into a permanent result.

Inna said she chose to have rhinoplasty because she had a deviated septum. Johns Hopkins Medicine explains that the nasal septum is a thin wall of cartilage and bone that separates the two nasal passages. When the septum is off-center or tilted to one side, it’s known as a deviated septum, which can cause nasal blockage, breathing difficulties, or persistent drainage.

The most common symptom is trouble breathing through the nose, often worse on one side. In some cases, a deviated septum can disrupt normal sinus drainage, leading to frequent or recurring sinus infections.

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Inna told Newsweek that she was aware of bruising and swelling but the recovery process has been much tougher than she anticipated.

She said: "Society puts enormous and unrealistic expectations on women, and no one shows the real side of plastic surgery. Everything hurts — from your shoulders to your head.

"Your nose aches for months, the swelling lasts forever, and the recovery is much harder than people think. These sacrifices are not worth trying to fit into beauty standards that were never ours to begin with."

Instagram Reacts

So far, the clip is captioned: “It’s been a week and I am starting to get used to my new face and liking it, however the first reaction wasn’t what I have expected.”

“It’s still swollen. Give it time,” one user commented. Another reassured her: “I had the same reaction and now I just love it. Be patient—it will take some time.”

"I was SWOLLEN for a year after my surgery and years until I had full feeling around the scar area!!" said a third user.

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