I Got Fillers to Fix the Bump on My Nose—and It Was Bizarre and Incredible
I am my own harshest critic when it comes to my physical flaws. I don’t think that’s uncommon—we all see parts of ourselves that others are blind to. My large, hooked nose has always bothered me. While I’ve learned to appreciate its size, I’ve never grown fond of the large bump. Additionally, at the ripe young age of 28, I have significantly more forehead wrinkles than anyone else my age. Yes, I wear sunscreen, but I’m also a very expressive person, particularly when it comes to my eyebrows. My expressiveness has also manifested in prominent crow's feet.
While I’m not opposed to aging and think wrinkles and crow's feet are attractive, it’s bizarre how many I have considering I’m still in my twenties. I also know these things only get worse over time. I will say without shame that I don’t want to have a withered and leathered face by the time I’m 40. Because of this, I decided to make an appointment with Dr. Jessie Cheung, a board-certified dermatologist specializing in aesthetics, hormones and sexual health, and regenerative medicine.
When I arrived for my appointment, Dr. Cheung warmly greeted me, her face glowing like a cherub. She ushered me into her office and asked what I’d like to get done. It’s a bizarre question, when you think about it. The essence of what she was asking was: How can I change your face?
After explaining that I’d like to get rid of my wrinkles and maybe add a little lip for fun (I have zero upper lip), she said she could do that without a problem. Then, she asked if she could make a few suggestions. This was the moment that I learned I'm actually not my own harshest critic.
It turns out, the left side of my chin is larger than the right side. My cheekbones have sunken in and my jawline could be stronger. There was more, but I’ll save you from hearing it all.
It’s wild: I’ve looked at my face tens of thousands of times and had never noticed these things. Even when she pointed them out, I didn’t really see them. Dr. Cheung then said that with a few fillers, she could straighten the bump on my nose—it sounded too good to be true.
After all of her suggestions, I had a bit of an internal panic attack. It wasn’t because I was becoming more aware of my flaws or, perhaps we should say, the areas of my face that could be improved upon. It was more that I was worried that my face would look completely different— and I like my face. I didn’t want someone else’s face. I wanted mine, just a little smoother.
So, I expressed my reservation and repeatedly asked if all this work would look natural. Clearly, I wasn’t the first person Dr. Cheung had seen with reservations, because she took my questions in stride. Even with her reassurance, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d come out looking like Donatella Versace. But then, when she said we could start with less and add more, I said, “Screw it. I’m here, load my face up.” Besides, it only lasts roughly 4-6 months. So, if I didn’t like it, I figured I could just become a shut-in during the cold winter months. Not the end of the world.
First, she numbed my face. Then, she started poking me with a syringe and loading me up with various fillers. I’ll admit, it hurt a bit more than I thought it would. However, you can take breaks and the pain shouldn’t deter you if you want to get this type of work done—it’s not that bad.
She stuck me for about an hour, hitting almost every part of my face. Throughout, she’d stop and show me what she was doing, asking if I wanted more. Sometimes I said yes, other times I said no—especially when she worked on my lips. I knew that big, plump lips would make me look like a clown and, personally, I just don’t care for that fake lip look.
Finally, I was done. When I looked in the mirror, it was scary. My face was so numb that I could barely move it. There was also some blood and injections swell for a few days before going down, so I liked really puffy. But, I will say, the bump on my nose had vanished. It was absolutely bewildering and incredible. As someone who has been self-conscious about my nose for years, it was exhilarating to see a change so quickly.
The first two days after all the injections was hard. It was tough to eat because it hurt to clench my jaw. But each day the pain lessened and by day three, nearly everything had settled. By day five, I looked how I look now—and let me tell you, I’m damn stunning. Most of my wrinkles are gone and my face is far more symmetrical than it was before. When I take a photo, my cheekbones hit the light and pop. And don’t even get me started on my nose!
Here’s the thing: Most folks can’t even tell I’ve gotten work done, which is what I hoped for. Some friends who have either gotten their own work done or who want to get some done could tell—and they gushed over the results. And, of course, a few friends say, “Why did you do that? I loved how you looked.” The answer is, I didn’t do it for them—I did it for me. I did it to feel more comfortable in my skin.
All in all, I don’t see much downside in getting fillers. I loved it—which means I am going to have to go back to Dr. Cheung every 4-6 months. I see it as a small price to pay for the confidence it gave me.
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