Scotsman Alan Findlay has lived in seclusion since he developed rhinophyma. A illness disfigured his nose, causing people to start calling him the "elephant man". In late 2022, the 56-year-old underwent surgery to repair the anomaly and regain his self esteem.
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“It is an incredible transformation. When you compare the before and after, it's absolutely life changing for me," said the "former elephant man" to Daily Record.
The man's condition began in 2018. The Scotsman's illness caused tissue to grow out of control around his nose. Therefore, doctors from the public health service in the United Kingdom, the NHS, were reluctant to operate on it.
'Elephant Man' tried treatment early in illness
“I started noticing a difference in my nose around 2018. The creases started to appear on the right side”, recalled the Scotsman. According to him, over the course of a year, there was tissue growth, but nothing too abnormal.
“I went to my family doctor and was referred to a dermatologist and then a plastic surgeon. That query was pretty scary. I was told that it would be a difficult procedure and that I would need a lot of time off work. They also said I would have to wait a long time to do this.”
The extreme picture made the man look for another specialist. With him, he had laser sessions to remove excess tissue around his nose. Little by little, the rhinophyma regressed and Alan was able to have his nose original back.
More self-esteem
After the surgery, the man was able to spend the holidays with his family. In the past, he preferred to spend Christmas alone, as his illness got worse and everyone called him the “elephant man”. “I'm more confident I'm going out to socialize this year,” he said.
What is rhinophyma?
Rhinophyma consists of masses or lumps in the nose. Normally, tissue growth is slow, but there are more extreme cases, such as the “elephant man” case. In situations like this, in addition to aesthetic discomfort, the patient may also have nasal obstruction.
The best-known treatment for the disease is surgery to reshape the nose. In mild cases, patients have had good results with drugs against acne.
Graduated in Social Communication at the Federal University of Goiás. Passionate about digital media, pop culture, technology, politics and psychoanalysis.