Why I did nose surgery, Comedian Zicsaloma details his rhinoplasty journey

Nigerian comedian and skit maker Isaac Aloma, better known as Zicasloma, has opened up about the reasons behind his recent decision to undergo rhinoplasty surgery, offering his fans insight into the process and his recovery journey.

In a video shared on YouTube on Friday, the content creator opened up about his insecurities and the judgments he’s faced throughout his life due to the appearance of his nose.

Zicasloma said he has always felt self-conscious about his facial features, and explained that his decision was driven by a long-standing desire to alter what had bothered him since childhood.

He said, “I’ve always had a very flat nose and right from childhood I’ve felt that if I could do my nose, I would reconstruct it. I’ve been constantly ridiculed because of my nose. My siblings would always insult me saying, ‘Your nose is too ugly. Your nose is too big.’ I carried my papa’s nose in excess.”

He noted that despite his nose becoming smaller as he grew older, he had always taken after his father’s appearance, unlike his siblings who inherited their mother’s more pointed nose.

“Some of you think rhinoplasty is a death sentence. People do rhinoplasty for different reasons. For some people, they don’t like the shape of their noses, like in my case. Some have breathing issues, but in my case, it’s for aesthetics,” Zicsaloma clarified.

The comedian also tackled the stigma surrounding cosmetic surgery, particularly in Nigeria, saying that many people remain judgmental about altering one’s appearance.

He also pointed out the contradiction of societal standards by comparing the criticism he faced with the common use of makeup and braces.

Zicsaloma continued, “I have always thought of doing a nose job to make it smaller. You can call it inferiority complex but I believe that we all have insecurities. For some, they always wear caps because they don’t have a hairline.

“Some ladies can’t wear some kind of dress because they have big stomachs or “K-leg”. You wear some kind of dress because of your insecurities. For some people, it’s because they are short. If we have a choice, that insecurity will be corrected.

“They’ll say you don’t like how God created you, but ladies wear make-up. Is that how God created them? Why do you do braces to correct your teeth? Leave it the way God gave you your teeth.”

He further argued that the reluctance to address personal insecurities often stems from the inaccessibility of procedures, financial limitations, or fear of public perception, and emphasizes that the inability to make such changes should not give anyone the right to criticize others who choose to do so.

“You’re thinking of how people will perceive you; you know we live in a very judgemental country, Nigeria. The fact that you don’t have the mind or money to correct your insecurities doesn’t mean you should judge another person,” Zicsaloma said.

The comedian also addressed misconceptions about rhinoplasty, reassuring his followers that the procedure was not as risky as some had claimed.

“People said it is cancerous, it’s not. Some said it was my final look. No, it takes about one to two years for the final results to appear,” he clarified.

“Right now, my nose is still swollen. It will still become smaller. After about a year, you’ll see the final look. This is three weeks after my rhinoplasty, and I like what I’m seeing already. My face is less swollen and it will still go down. Once it heals completely, some may not even realise I did a nose job.”

Zicaloma further that he did not personally pay for the rhinoplasty procedure, describing the arrangement as a collaboration between him and the hospital.

“I didn’t pay for the procedure. I won’t call it free, but it was a collaboration between me and the hospital. I only did my visa and booked my flight to Turkey. I did a nose job and he also did a slight eye lift,” he said.

He recalled how the hospital caught his attention and assured the readers that he did his personal which was offered due to his large social media following.

“The hospital caught my attention among others I had seen on my Instagram and TikTok feeds because I saw that they did it for a black person. After I messaged them to ask how much, they said I have a lot of followers and they’d like a collaboration.

“Before I agreed on the collaboration, I made inquiries on their website and the doctor. I did my research first because it’s a life-changing surgery, so I had to be sure. I had a list of surgeons who had done unsuccessful surgeries and my doctor’s name was not there. I read reviews, I almost did not see any bad reviews. There was no complaint of botched nose,” he said.

Zicsaloma also detailed the costs involved, explaining that a consultation would typically range from $300 to $400, adding that the rhinoplasty itself costs between $5,000 and $6,000, while the eye rejuvenation and temporary facelift would cost about $2,500 each.

He added, “I didn’t pay for consultation. During the consultation via a video call, my doctor said I would look definitely better with a nose job. I asked a lot of questions about my fears and insecurities.

“He told me about the risk of infection and bleeding, which is one in a thousand cases. The worst that will happen is that the person will go for a revision to do another one. I said I didn’t want it too pointy, and he said he would give me ethnic rhinoplasty that would make me still look African.”

Zicsaloma shared that his appointment for the rhinoplasty was on January 24th, and he travelled to Turkey the day before, January 24th.

He added that during a physical examination, the doctor asked if he smoked or drank to which he clarified that he has never smoked or drank in his life.

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“He asked if I smoke or drink. I have never smoked in my life, I have never drunk in my life. I think those who drink and smoke stand a risk of more complications. I don’t even womanise. I also told him I don’t have any chronic disease, I’ve never been admitted to the hospital before, and this surgery was my first time,” Zicasloma said.

“You see that I’m better than some of you that judge me. Morally, I am better than most of you, the comedian said throwing a jab at his critics.

The comedian then recounted his surgical experience, recalling that the surgery lasted over four hours under general anaesthesia.

He recalled, “When I changed for my surgery, they injected me once and I didn’t even know what happened. It was like I just closed my eyes and opened them to see a lot of bandages. But I think my surgery lasted for more than four hours. I was so weak from the general anesthesia and I wasn’t feeling pain.

“There were lots of plasters on my face and I was feeling a lot of discomfort. I was taken to the recovery room where I stayed overnight. I didn’t go with anybody so I wasn’t willing to go to the hotel. The weakness was for about two days.”

Zicaaloma however noted that the only time he felt pain was during the recovery process saying, “The only time I felt pain was when they were taking my cast off, removing the nasal packing in nose and the non-dissolvable stitches. It was not so painful.”

Despite some harsh comments from his followers, Zicaaloma said he remained unfazed, stating that he found humour in most things rather than anger.

“I posted the second day after my surgery, I couldn’t laugh so much because of the discomfort. Some comments were harsh and rude but it didn’t get to me as people think. I find a lot of things funny than angry, except comments from people wishing me death.

“Anytime I wanted to laugh, I remember that the doctor told me not to laugh. I don’t want to come back for a revision. My eyes were swollen. I couldn’t talk or eat well. Everything felt tight and stiff but gradually, I felt free.”

Addressing critics who focused on other aspects of his appearance, like his forehead or mouth, Zicaaloma firmly stated, ” I have no issues with my forehead, I don’t have issues with my mouth. If you feel it’s too big, na you sabi. I like my mouth like that. Do you know how many people go for lip filling to get full lips like mine? The only issue I had was my nose. I did not like my side profile in my videos because of my nose, and it has changed now. I can never get addicted to surgery, I’ve changed what I wanted to change.”

He also dismissed concerns about his children’s future appearance, responding to those who questioned how his decision might affect them. “What about my children? They may like their nose; they are not me. Let them come with the old nose na. What if they’re okay with it? Do you even know if I want biological children or if I want to adopt them? Leave my children out of it.”
Zicsaloma nose surgery

Concluding his video, Zicsaloma encouraged others considering plastic surgery to prioritise their happiness.

He said, “My advice for anyone who wants general plastic surgery is to do what makes you happy. Everybody wants to enhance their looks.

“Somebody did a video judging me, saying, ‘How can a man do this?’ but he was wearing nose rings and earrings. We all have or do something that can be judged. So, whatever makes you happy. I love my result so far.”