She had never seen this. In Scotland, an aesthetic clinic recently published its intervention on an almost extraordinary case: a man whose nasal protuberance covered his mouth, it was so developed. A man who had also endured the gaze of others for years, to the point of fleeing them.
A nose covering his face
Gerard McAliece, a 68-year-old grandfather, had started to notice changes in his nose 6 years earlier. This one never stopped “to grow and grow”like a Pinocchio hungry for lies…
The man, not knowing what is happening to him or who to confide in, decides to ignore the problem. Until the tissue on his nose expanded so much that it covered his mouth and much of his face. Suffering visible to all.
“People started staring at me, and some turned away. In retrospect, the younger ones were the worst.” he testifies today. Especially since his family doctor offers nothing and considers this problem simply unsightly.
So little by little he sinks into depression, moves away from his grandchildren, no longer manages to kiss his wife and no longer sets foot outside…
It’s a peak! It’s a cape!… No, it’s a rhinophyma
However, Gerard is suffering a lot. And not just in the eyes of others. Its disease even has a name, rhinophyma.
“Rhinophyma (or strawberry nose) is a severe form of rosacea which results in a thickening and progressive deformation of the skin of the nose, often with redness, nodules and enlarged pores. The affected person sees their nose take on a rounded, irregular and bulky appearance, which can cause significant aesthetic discomfort, sometimes even nasal obstruction or breathing difficulties in advanced cases. The diagnosis is clinical and must be made by a dermatologist. explains Dr Gérald Kierzek, medical director of True Medical.
© Photo Ever Clinic
An operation saves the poor man
Tired of seeing her husband disfigured, Carol, his wife, puts her nose into her affairs and decides to open the door of the Ever clinic in Glasgow, after hearing about their other successful cases of rhinophyma. The team accepts the challenge, although the unprecedented scale of growth is a “real shock to them”. During a complex four-hour surgery carried out by rhinophyma specialist Dr Cormac Convery, Gerard’s excess skin is removed and his nose made more proportional to his face.
“It is in fact possible to modify the appearance of rhinophyma through surgery or specific aesthetic techniques: laser interventions (CO2 laser), electrocoagulation, decortication or surgical excision of skin growths make it possible to reshape and improve the appearance of the nose” underlines our expert.
Medical treatment (antibiotics, retinoids) can also be offered to control inflammation, “but surgery remains the preferred solution in serious cases or when the discomfort is major”. Specialized care allows good results to be obtained, both aesthetically and functionally.
Since then, Gerard has been breathing again, literally and figuratively. In the photos, the man retains an imposing nose, but much more on a human scale. “The result is fantastic. My life has completely changed. Carol says I’m back to being the man I used to be. I can now chat to people, have a pint and dine out, which we haven’t done for years.” the man rejoices. Much lighter in the end.