But in my late teens, I was suddenly spending hours scrolling through Instagram and everyone’s picture-perfect features — I thought mine didn't match up.

No matter which filter I used, I was told my nose would "still look big and ugly."

That was the turning point for me. Today, I truly believe that having my nose tweaked was one of the best things I've ever done. But there are so many things I wish I'd known before.

Nose jobs aren't meant to completely change your face — good plastic surgery should make it impossible to tell whether you've even had a procedure.

I was in love with my new look but hardly anyone noticed the difference. It taught me that other people's perceptions of your appearance are incredibly different from yours and sometimes, we're a little too harsh on ourselves.

The pain was no worse than a leg wax. But that won't stop people from working you up. Walking into surgery, I was so scared beforehand. But on exit, I laughed at myself because it really wasn't that bad.

I was almost shocked when the differences started to appear. Every day for a year, I noticed slight differences.

I don't really remember the pain or black eyes, but I do remember crying over how my nose looked after the cast had been removed. Did I even look better than before?

It can take up to a year (sometimes longer) for your nose to assume its final shape. As time went on, the swelling began to subside and my nose finally looked like it belonged on my face.

Before my nose job, I'd make comments about it to break the ice. My straighter nose gave me a new-found confidence, but it changed nothing about how I was treated by others.

No nose will be perfect, but I convinced myself I'd be an exception. I am happy with my result, but the perfectionist jumps out sometimes.

"You didn't need a nose job in the first place," is something you'll probably hear. But the fact that I no longer shy away from cameras is, in my opinion, so worth it.