I had decided to be public about my nose job long before I went under the knife. If something went wrong, then it would all be documented. I wanted to be open about it not for the attention, but to help remove the stigma attached to elective surgeries. As someone who has a relatively large social media presence, hiding it also seemed like an inconvenience. The few other people I know who have had their noses done have gone to great lengths to hide any evidence of their previous noses, as if it's some secret past life that must be buried. Personally, I didn't want to dig through over seven years of my Facebook archive in order to delete every photo where you may be able to see my past nose, so instead I took my followers on my journey with me. I posted before and after pictures, as well as graphic images of my bruising face, on Twitter , Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Tumblr, and Tinder. Even when I felt groggy, I knew I had to keep posting. I had committed to this.I never expected the positive feedback and support that I received from my friends, coworkers, and acquaintances, especially considering the stigma attached to elective plastic surgery. I received an influx of Facebook messages, as well as direct messages on Instagram and Twitter, from close friends and even people I had never met. People were genuinely curious about how my recovery was going, asking me about nitty-gritty details that aren’t always available online (for example, the new mouth-breathing technique I was forced to adopt and the new meaning Q-tips took on in my life). Surprisingly, many people even confided in me that they want to someday get nose jobs. I felt a sense of unanticipated relief in posting my photos. If I was the first one to make fun of my swollen eyes, bloody nose tip, and complete inability to talk without sounding like I had a cotton ball in my throat, then what else could anyone else say? At times, my posts were raw and gross — as plastic surgery recovery is — but, I always tried to keep a level of humor about it. I never wanted to be pitied as, after all, this was my choice.People often talk about how crucial it is to have autonomy over one’s body, but why is that same thinking not extended to one’s choice to change an element of their appearance? We’re allowed to change our hair color, so by the same logic we should be able to alter our noses if our natural ones displease us. This fear of ridicule and shame was greatly echoed in my conversations with others who were considering surgery. By keeping plastic surgery such a no-go topic, those who wish to get surgery are left with few places to turn. My best friend for finding out information was Reddit, but I wished that I could have a real-life nose buddy to tell me not to freak out about the blood-soaked gauze that would sit under my nose for a week, or the fact that recovery feels like the most intense sinus infection, ever. Instead, it was just me, the Internet, and my doctor. It was lonely, but it shouldn’t have been, especially considering the fact that nose jobs have been the most popular plastic surgery for at least five years.We need to remove the stigma. We should be able to alter whatever we please, free of the judgment of others. It’s already a huge and calculated decision to undergo the risks of plastic surgery without the added fear of ridicule. No one should be shamed for the decisions they make with their own body. I will never be shameful of my nose job. The relief of not spending every day fixating on a singular feature was worth the blood, tears, and pain. Because it’s my body and my choice.Deciding to go under the knife is no easy feat. It’s something that people often meditate on for years before even telling anyone, meaning that when they do finally open up, they’re only looking for your support. Even if you are personally against surgically altering yourself, it doesn’t mean you should always share it, especially if someone has already made this difficult decision.One of my biggest pet peeves is when someone makes comments like, “That girl's nose is definitely fake.” Although you may think the surgery looks botched, there is a chance that the individual is actually pleased with the outcome. One of the scariest elements of my rhinoplasty was the fear that I still wouldn’t like how my nose looked after. Luckily, I loved it right away, but there is always the chance that it'll take a while to get used to (especially given the initial swelling). The best way to talk to a coworker or friend who has gone through this experience is to compliment them on their bravery, even if you don’t personally believe in plastic surgery. Who doesn’t like to hear that they look nice?