RhinoplastyCroatia6 min read
Did Blanka Vlašić have a nose job? Yes, and she explained why
In 2008 the Croatian high jumper and world champion Blanka Vlašić had an operation to correct a deviated septum that made breathing hard during training, and agreed to a small change in the shape of her nose at the same time. She explained it herself in an interview with Gloria. Below is what she said, where it was published, and what the operation involves for anyone considering it today.
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The main points in 30 seconds
- In a 2008 Gloria interview, Blanka Vlašić said she had surgery for a deviated septum that made breathing hard during training.
- She agreed to refine the shape of her nose at the same time, but said she would never have done it for looks alone.
- Rhinoplasty is done under general anaesthesia, takes 1.5–3 hours and needs one day in the clinic.
- Breathing usually returns in 1–2 weeks; full healing takes about 4 months.
- At City Medical Centre rhinoplasty costs $4,200 and rhinoseptoplasty $5,000; the first consultation is free.
Key facts about the procedure
- Operation time1.5–3 hours
- Stay in clinic1 day
- AnaesthesiaGeneral
- Price
$6,000from $4,200
Profile
Blanka Vlašić
- Country
- Croatia
- Who
- Croatian high jumper, world champion and Olympic medallist
- Year of operation
- 2008
- Quote source
- Gloria, 12 November 2008
I planned to fix a deviated septum that made breathing difficult, which bothered me as an athlete, but when the surgeon suggested he could also refine the nose a little, I thought: why not, since I'm already under anaesthesia. I would never have had the operation for aesthetic reasons alone.
What did Blanka Vlašić say about her nose operation?
The Croatian high jumper spoke about it herself in an interview with the magazine Gloria, published in November 2008, about six weeks after the operation. She explained that she had planned it long before and was only waiting for the right moment between competitions.
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WhatsAppThe main reason was medical: “I planned to fix a deviated septum that made breathing difficult, which bothered me as an athlete.” When the surgeon suggested refining the shape of the nose at the same time, she thought: “Why not, since I’m already under anaesthesia?” She added that she would never have had the operation for aesthetic reasons alone, and that she could have lived with her “old” nose for the rest of her life.
She also described how it felt. She compared the procedure to a visit to the dentist, said the worst part was having the nasal packing removed a few days later, which was more unpleasant than painful, and that she was back in training two days after surgery. “I no longer remember what my nose looked like before. It’s still my old nose, just straighter,” she told the magazine. In 2023 the Croatian portal Dnevnik.hr recalled the same story: in 2008 she had surgery for a deviated septum and corrected the shape of her nose at the same time.
That is all this article relies on. The details of her own recovery are her experience in 2008, not a standard for everyone. Where the text below explains septorhinoplasty and recovery, it describes the operation in general, not her treatment.
Why her explanation matters
Her story is a clear example of a very common situation. Many people who come for a nose operation have two goals at once: to breathe freely and to change something about the shape. A deviated septum, the wall that divides the nose into two passages, can block airflow on one side, disturb sleep and limit performance in sport. When it is corrected, the surgeon can often adjust the outer shape during the same operation, under the same anaesthesia.
More on this topic: Rhinoplasty in one day, Closed Rhinoplasty, Revision Rhinoplasty, Rhinoplasty for Patients from Singapore, Rhinoplasty in Melbourne.
She was open about both parts of the decision: breathing came first, the cosmetic change was a secondary choice. That honesty is useful for anyone weighing the same question. Nothing in this article judges anyone’s appearance; the point is how the decision was made.
Rhinoplasty abroad: choose a city and clinic
Prices, the clinic and a free online consultation for each city:
Septoplasty, rhinoplasty or both
A modern rhinoplasty is performed under general anaesthesia and takes 1.5 to 3 hours depending on complexity. The surgeon works either through incisions inside the nose (closed technique) or with an additional small incision on the columella, the strip of skin between the nostrils (open technique). When breathing and shape are treated together, the operation is called rhinoseptoplasty.
Septoplasty
- What it changes
- Straightens the inner wall of the nose
- Typical reason
- Blocked breathing on one or both sides
Rhinoplasty
- What it changes
- Shape of the bridge, tip or nostrils
- Typical reason
- A hump, a wide or drooping tip, asymmetry
Rhinoseptoplasty
- What it changes
- Breathing and shape in one operation
- Typical reason
- Both functional and aesthetic goals
Revision rhinoplasty
- What it changes
- Corrects the result of an earlier operation
- Typical reason
- Unsatisfying result or new breathing problems
Which option fits, and how much needs to change, is decided by the surgeon after an examination and imaging, not from a celebrity story.
Who is a candidate and how to prepare
The operation is considered by adults who have breathing difficulties, a crooked nose after an injury, a hump, a wide tip or asymmetry. The optimal age range is 18 to 45, and older patients can be operated on if their health allows. Athletes are advised to plan the date around their competition calendar, as she did.
- Preparation starts about three weeks before surgery.
- Tests: complete blood count, biochemistry, a coagulation panel, infection tests, an ECG, a chest X-ray and an X-ray or CT scan of the sinuses.
- Medicines and habits: blood-thinning drugs are stopped with the doctor’s approval, alcohol and smoking a week before, and you do not eat or drink for 6 hours before the operation.
What recovery looks like
After surgery the patient stays one day in the clinic’s inpatient unit. For the first few days you breathe through your mouth because of the splints in the nostrils, and swelling and bruising are normal. Full breathing usually returns within 1–2 weeks. The internal splints come out around day 7, the external splint stays for up to 14 days, and stitches are removed on day 14. For a month you avoid sport, sauna, swimming pools, hot baths and sun.
The first visible result appears after about two weeks, full healing takes about 4 months, and the final shape settles in 1–1.5 years. The timeline below shows the usual stages.
How recovery after rhinoplasty usually goes
- Day of surgeryGeneral anaesthesia, 1.5–3 hours in theatre; you stay one day in the inpatient unit.
- Days 1–3Breathing through the mouth, splints in the nostrils; swelling and bruising are normal.
- Day 7The internal nasal splints are removed.
- Weeks 1–2Full breathing usually returns.
- Day 14The external splint comes off and stitches are removed; first visible result.
- About 4 monthsTissues have largely healed.
- 1–1.5 yearsThe final shape of the nose is settled.
Rhinoplasty at City Medical Centre
City Medical Centre performs primary and revision rhinoplasty and rhinoseptoplasty for patients from other countries. The first consultation is free and can start online; a personal coordinator stays with you from the first message to recovery. Current prices: primary rhinoplasty $4,200, revision rhinoplasty $5,400, rhinoseptoplasty $5,000 and reconstructive rhinoseptoplasty $4,700. The exact cost is set after the in-person examination and fixed in the contract.
More details are on the rhinoplasty page. You can also simply write to us on Telegram with your questions.
To be clear: City Medical Centre has no connection with Blanka Vlašić or her treatment. Her story is simply a well-known example of an athlete who talked openly about the operation.
Frequently asked questions
Why did Blanka Vlašić have nose surgery?
She told Gloria that the main reason was a deviated septum that made breathing difficult during training. When the surgeon suggested refining the shape at the same time, she agreed, but said she would never have had the operation for aesthetic reasons alone.
When did Blanka Vlašić have the operation?
In 2008, during a break between competitions. Her interview with Gloria was published in November 2008, about six weeks after the surgery.
What is the difference between septoplasty and rhinoseptoplasty?
Septoplasty straightens the inner wall of the nose to improve breathing. Rhinoseptoplasty does this and also changes the outer shape of the nose in the same operation.
How long does recovery after rhinoplasty take?
You stay one day in the clinic, the splints come out within 7–14 days and breathing usually returns in 1–2 weeks. Full healing takes about 4 months and the final shape settles in 1–1.5 years.
How much does rhinoplasty cost at City Medical Centre?
Primary rhinoplasty costs $4,200, rhinoseptoplasty $5,000 and revision rhinoplasty $5,400. The exact price is confirmed after an in-person examination and fixed in the contract; the first consultation is free.
Sources
What the article says about the celebrity is based only on these public statements.
- Gloria, 12 November 2008
- Dnevnik.hr, 22 September 2023
Medical background and further reading
General information about the procedure from health authorities and medical societies. It is not advice for any individual patient.
- PubMed / NCBI — Reporting Outcomes and Outcome Measures in Open Rhinoplasty: A Systematic Review (Aesthet Surg J, 2020)
- PubMed / NCBI — Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Functional Rhinoplasty Outcomes with the NOSE Score (2017)
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons — Rhinoplasty
- World Health Organization — Safe surgery
How we prepare and review medical content · Medical disclaimer
Considering the same operation? Get a free consultation
Message a coordinator on Telegram: we reply right in the chat, and you can send photos and questions there too.
- The first consultation is free, online consultations are available
- The doctor names the cost after the assessment, and it is fixed in the contract
- A personal coordinator guides you from the first message to recovery
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