I visited Dr. Harnick's office during the prime of my life when I naturally looked my best with the only thing holding me back or having me feel self-conscious was a nose too long and out of proportion to my small face and features, and some obvious broken capillaries/blood vessels in the visible area of the nostrils. I learned of Dr. Harnick through a gym where I used to workout and some models who also worked out there. I have no idea if they received complimentary care from Dr. Harnick in exchange for their leads or if they themselves had any procedures done by this doctor. They told me to go to Dr. Harnick. What they failed to tell me was that he was NOT board certified and did not graduate from an American medical school, he was simply affiliated with some of the top hospitals in NYC. The wording at his website at the time and the prominent hospitals to which he has an affiliation (whatever that means), and the impressive property where his office had been located which at the time happened to be the same address as the office of an internationally prominent and renowned cosmetic surgeon, all provided a misleading impression.
I was so unbelievably psyched when I went in for my surgery. During the surgery under local anesthesia, I even heard the surgical nurse who assisted him suggest that he take down a bit more, but he disregarded what she had to say. She had referred to the side that has the bump which was supposed to be some kind of "optical illusion" that he has mentioned in the consultation as a means to make the nose look smaller, but in fact there is no illusion, it just resembles a bump!
After the rhinoplasty, my nose was swollen for far longer than was suggested as the amount of time it would take to heal and it also looked crooked. I started to avoid mirrors, and dismissing what I could see, a swollen and crooked nose anytime I did see my reflection.
In my post-surgical visits to his office, Dr. Harnick deliberately did not take photos of the front or right side views which would have shown that the nose looked crooked and swollen and as if there was a bump on the side and profile. He had only taken a photo from the most flattering angle. On this note, I had flattering angles before the nose job!! The point of the rhinoplasty was to feel natural and comfortable, that I could smile freely from any angle and feel beautiful.
Many, many years later when the swelling finally seemed to sufficiently come down due to aging (we lose fat in the face with age) and creams meant to diminish fat and swelling, I was left with an obvious bump on my profile and a crooked look to my nose with uneven, too large nostrils. The only thing which somewhat improved it was nose reshapers and face yoga. The front view no longer looks crooked as a result, but the nostrils are still asymmetrical and when smiling flare in a way which is unflattering at the front and profile views, there's excess visible cartilage in the right nostril, there's an obvious bump on the right side of the nose, and a bump on the profile that returns within hours of face yoga, all of which have occurred as a result of the surgery by Dr. Harnick.
Instead of correcting the problems with my nose, the point of cosmetic surgery, I was left with another set of problems in their place. What's worse is that at least before the surgery it would seem as if I was comfortable in my own skin to embrace my nose rather than have surgery, but for people to be able to tell that you had surgery, suggest that you went to the wrong doctor, and you need to get it fixed, is just downright embarrassing.
The method Dr. Harnick used to treat the broken capillaries visible at the nostril area did not take at all, and when I had refused to pay for this specific procedure, he replied, "I did the procedure."
Dr. Harnick did offer to redo my nose if I was willing to pay for the operating room costs and the treatment that didn't not work to eliminate the broken blood vessels. This didn't seem fair or just to me since the rhinoplasty and treatment for the blood vessels had not been done right in the first place.
The supposed "optical illusion" of leaving a bump on my nose in order to have it appear shorter and smaller was not done properly or simply is not an illusion. The bump he created that's supposed to be an illusion is visible and my nose still appears too long and out of proportion. The nostrils are uneven from both front view and when my chin is up, and when I smile, they spread and look even worse where excess cartilage is visible at the front and the nostril is too wide on one side. I didn't have any such issues before the surgery. My issue was a nose that was very straight which emphasized it's length and projection on my small face against my delicate features.
I had consulted with other surgeons before and after having the rhinoplasty and they said that the aesthetic concerns I had regarding my nose were considered common in rhinoplasty and could be fixed.
A host of reality tv shows exposing top surgeons in the US has made the subject of cosmetic surgery much more widespread and the work of renowned cosmetic surgeons clear. Perhaps Dr. Harnick can provide a reasonable repair for someone who has a hole in his nose due to coke, but that was not my situation. My concerns were related to common cosmetic concerns related to a more ethnic looking nose.
Anyone who schedules cosmetic surgeries and watches reality tv knows that the point of a cosmetic surgery is to have your nose look natural, but more like Middle America than identifiable with any particular ethnicity.
I had hoped to be comfortable in front of the camera for broadcast journalism, on the red carpet, and for charitable, social, and professional events. My nose doesn't look right in the mirror when posing, so how on earth can it look right in an
Dr. Marissa Purcelli Lafer, MDOtolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Plastic Surgery9 Years Exp | ROLLINGWOOD, TX