A TikToker explains 8 things they don't tell you before getting a nose job — a plastic surgeon weighs in on the rhinoplasty advice

• TikTokers have been sharing their plastic surgery experience and advice on the platform.
• Recently, a TikToker shared eight things she wasn't made aware of before getting a nose job.

TikTok is abound with users sharing their plastic surgery experiences and advice.

And as the medical aesthetic procedures continue to become increasingly accessible, these online anecdotes will start to bear more weight.

A recent TikTok by creator Jillian Gottlieb, or @jilliangottlieb on the platform, summarizes eight things she was not made aware of before getting her nose job. The video has amassed 1.6 million views as of April 20.

"I wish somebody told me that you need to sleep elevated, like sitting straight up," Gottlieb noted as her first point.

She moved on to share how she couldn't breathe out of her nose for two months, four times the duration she was told to expect.

Her third point was to buy a wedge pillow that would help with points one and two.

"Number four, your nose is going to drip," she shared that her nose leaked constantly even after two years post-surgery, and she always carried tissues and Q-Tips in her purse. She shares that picking or blowing a post-surgery nose is not advisable, and that sneezing was also off the table.

Her second to last piece of advice was not judge your face for a year. "My nose looked stupid on my face for over 10 months, around month 11 is when it started to settle and look normal," said Gottlieb.

The creator's eighth and final point was that post-surgery noses are fragile, and little bumps in car rides made her nose hurt for the first week post-surgery.

To find out how common her rhinoplasty experience was, Insider spoke to Terence Goh, a Singapore-based plastic surgeon.

Goh is a Ministry of Health-accredited surgeon who specializes in aesthetic and reconstructive microsurgery at AZATACA Plastic Surgery.

"Elevation of the nose helps to reduce swelling and promote healing," Goh said in response to Gottlieb's first point.

But regarding Gottlieb second point on taking two months before she could breathe through her nose, Goh said that it's uncommon, though it depends on the surgery she has undergone. "One to two weeks is a normal time for the obstruction to last," he said.

As for her leaky nose, Goh told Insider that while nasal discharge is expected after surgery and can last for weeks, "it would be unusual to continue dripping for two years, especially if it wasn't present before surgery."

But Gottlieb was on the nose for her points on no picking or blowing the nose. Goh also added that violent sneezing should be avoided, though "most patients are fine with controlled sneezes," he said.

The duration of which the nose would be swollen post-surgery varies between individuals, and can last for a long period of time, usually six months, Goh said.

"During the early period of recovery, the nose can be tender. Sudden, quick, and forceful movements can cause pain," Goh said. He explained that recovery times vary depending on the surgery, but that the pain is usually manageable with oral painkillers.

Patients should also be prepared for the recovery period and follow both pre- and post-operative instructions to ensure the best possible outcome, Goh said.

"Plastic surgery is like any surgery or medical procedure — there can be complications," he told Insider. "Make sure you take the time to weigh the risk and benefits."