A man has had his nose and his life transformed after meeting a cosmetic surgeon in a chance encounter following six years of battling a facial condition.
Conrado Estrada, from Porchester, New York suffered from Rhinophyma, a rare "nasal deformity due to the proliferation of sebaceous glands and underlying connective tissue," per the National Library of Medicine.
Estrada told the New York Post about the challenges the condition gave him, including: "Children would ask their mothers what happened to me — and I would get around it by using a face mask all the time.
"It had reached my lips and whenever I took a bite when I ate that would touch the spoon." The painter and construction laborer also explained that the deformity would cause snoring, breathing difficulties, and speaking problems.
Estrada had spent six years speaking to doctors and skin specialists, with nobody having a solution for the exasperated then 56-year-old.
Back in 2021, Estrada was hired to paint the home of Dr. Thomas Romo, director of facial plastic reconstructive surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital.
Not being able to resist pulling the painter to one side, Dr. Romo revealed that the growth would have kept on growing and that he could help with plastic surgery.
"I introduced myself and offered to correct his facial deformity, to which he happily accepted," Dr. Romo said on Instagram. He also revealed to The Post that he offered to complete the surgery free of charge.
"After removing the excess growth, I re-shaped his nose, and applied sterile bandages," the Instagram post went on. "He was so thrilled and thankful! There is no better satisfaction than being able to use my specialty and skill to improve another persons quality of life."
"You’d think he won an Olympic gold medal," he told The Post. " [His] chest is out, face’s out, he’s a smiley guy. I feel great for him!"
As per News.com.au, there is a chance the glands might continue to grow, but he would not need further surgery for another "50 years at least."
Estrada was naturally emotional about the life-changing surgery, and he deems Dr. Romo an "angel" who had saved his life, and he made that clear to the other patients and nurses at the hospital.
Dr. Romo expressed the importance of listening to health care professionals following any sort of procedure, stating: "This very happy patient did not refrain from sun exposure during his healing process, which led to the brown hyperpigmentation on his nose."
Regardless, it seems that Estrada is incredibly happy with his new nose!
