Investing a significant sum on a nose surgery, one woman candidly revealed the challenging recovery process and the emotional journey of embracing a ‘new face.’

Inna Victoria, a 29-year-old from Bulgaria, has grappled with insecurities about her nose since childhood.

“From my mother and stepfather to friends and classmates, everyone commented on how large my nose was, often making jokes at my expense,” she shared in an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail.

Although she had “always dreamed of undergoing rhinoplasty,” the high cost made her come to terms with her natural appearance.

However, after being diagnosed with a deviated septum that led to breathing difficulties, persistent headaches, and frequent sinus infections, her doctor advised surgical intervention.

‘Since I was going to get surgery on my nose [anyway], I decided to make my old dream come true and get a septorhinoplasty,’ she shared.

A septorhinoplasty is a combined surgical procedure that involves correcting both the internal structure and external appearance of the nose. 

In November, Victoria went under the knife, spending roughly $3,000 on the procedure.

Inna Victoria, 29, from Bulgaria, is seen before (left) and after (right) she got a nose job

She underwent a septorhinoplasty in November, spending roughly $3,000 on the procedure, and said the recovery period was gruesome and painful

But she never expected how ‘severe’ the aftermath would be, both physically and mentally. 

The recovery period was gruesome and painful.

‘I couldn’t breathe with my nose at all. I had to sleep with my mouth open,’ Victoria recalled.

‘And the first three days blood was coming out all the time so I also had to sleep with my head lifted up. Everything was hurting from my shoulders up, even my neck was in pain.’

But worse than the physical pain was the impact it had on her mental health, as she struggled to come to terms with ‘seeing a totally different person in the mirror.’

‘I didn’t know what to think but it felt like a stranger looking at me from the mirror,’ she said.

‘I was swollen, uneven, there was bruising – that’s fine, I knew my nose would be changing. But the shock of such a dramatic face change was surprising for me.’

She began to feel regret as she asked herself, ‘Why did I have to change my whole face? Why, to gain confidence, did I have to become a totally different person and go through post op hell?’

But worse than the physical pain was the impact it had on her mental health, as she grappled to come to terms with ‘seeing a totally different person in the mirror’

Now that she’s recovered, Victoria said she is happier with the results and doesn’t regret going under the knife, however, she does not recommend it to others. She’s seen after the surgery

Victoria documented the first moment she took off her bandages and saw her new nose, which she shared to her Instagram, where it went viral.

The footage showed her removing the cast from her face and looking at herself in the camera as she opened her mouth wide in disbelief. 

As she examined the results, a clearly distraught Victoria shook her head in disapproval before she covered her face with her hand.

‘Taking the cast off at home, not knowing I was about to face major disappointment,’ she wrote in a text overlay. 

Victoria explained to the Daily Mail that she decided to post the fiercely honest look into her disappointment because she felt like ‘no one shows the real, physical struggle and emotional confusion you have during the process.’

Now that she’s fully recovered, Victoria said she is happier with the results and doesn’t regret going under the knife, however, she does not recommend it to others.

‘I feel like women have so many expectations from society. We have beauty standards that aren’t reachable,’ she reflected.

Victoria said she has been self conscious about her nose ever since she was a child. She’s seen before the nose job

‘People still make fun of me in the comments [of my videos about] my new nose, so you can never reach the point of being perfect. 

‘Plastic surgery for beauty in my opinion is very destructive. I do not recommend going through this struggle to anyone else.’

‘Unless you have medical reasons or reasons that will improve your quality of life, don’t do it,’ she urged. 

‘The post op is very painful and difficult, it’s not worth it to change yourself so someone else will be happy with your face. 

‘It’s important to first work with self acceptance and understand that your value isn’t in your nose, eyes, hair, etc.

‘You are important and valuable as you are. Your value doesn’t change from someone else’s perception of beauty.’