Hello Dr. Hilinski,

Well it has been about a year and a half since my rhinoplasty surgery, and I don’t think that I ever returned for photos, so I wanted to send you my own. Also, I would like to thank you so much for making my dream come true. The surgery has definitely boosted my confidence, and it was one of the best decisions that I have ever made.

P.S. I also recommend a friend who got rhinoplasty from you about 3 months ago.

– Rachel (San Diego Rhinoplasty Patient)

Dear Dr. Hilinski,

Just a note to say Thank You for the wonderful job you did with my mini face lift procedure. I know it has been less than a week but I feel great and the procedure turned out even better than I had hoped. I so enjoyed your cozy office, wonderful staff (especially Tara) and your kind and reassuring manner every step of the way.

I look forward to referring you to others with the utmost confidence. Again, thank you so much!

– Jan (La Jolla Mini Face Lift Patient)

Dear Dr. Hilinski,

Just a quick update. Everything seems to be healing very nicely and my nose looks great! This is the happiest I have been in 6 years! You have truly given me my life back! I know you went out on a limb, but you have changed my life for the better. I can’t believe that I found you – truly divine intervention.

Rich and I were so pleased with you and he was blown away by your credentials and skills. I feel so blessed. I no longer look in the mirror and see a stranger! I see the old Paula – I missed that look for so long. No more depression, anxiety, and obsessing. I never thought I could feel so good again. I can’t tell you how many tears of joy I have cried over the past couple of weeks.

– Paula (Michigan Revision Rhinoplasty – flew to San Diego for surgery)

Dear Dr. Hilinski,

I don’t have the words to express my gratitude for the magnificent job you performed preventing terrible scarring on my son’s face. You are truly a miracle worker. The awful deep jagged cut above my son’s eye was sure to leave a terrible scar. You took sixteen meticulous, unbelievable stitches and the wound healed in less than two weeks – no scar! I am amazed and so thankful!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I know countless children and adults alike will be saved disfigurement and scarring, for as long as you practice medicine.

No words can thank you adequately.

– Kassy (Mother of a San Diego Facial Reconstruction Patient)

Dear Dr. Hilinski,

While I am only 5 days post op, I would like to extend to you my gratitude for the care and treatment I received during the entire process. I did ‘peek’ at the results and am amazed at the wonderful healing process and changes I am seeing.

Today, I was discussing with my husband why I chose you for this procedure. As you well know, changing one’s face is a very scary prospect. I think you should know that I  ’interviewed’ 7 doctors in 8 months. Your education and reputation could have been enough, except there was one particular reason that stood head and shoulders (excuse the pun) above the others. Simply stated, you are a good listener. You never interrupted a single question, nor did you assume what I was going to ask before I asked it. This is a very rate quality.

Also, the honesty and integrity you displayed in helping me to make decisions along the way are what will standout in our relationship. I didn’t know what to do regarding my nose and you sincerely advised me that if I were on the fence, to not do it. This was a very wise perspective. I didn’t want to change what nature gave me, I only wanted to fix what it forgot about it.

I need to thank you also because I stopped smoking. After thirty years of smoking (and hating myself for it) I sat with you and you looked directly at me and said you would not operate if I continued to smoke. I believed you and knew you meant it. I now consider this face lift a gift for quitting.

Your staff treated my husband and me with genuine care and concern. They answered our questions with patience and always returned our calls.

In thinking about this process, I came to the conclusion that if more doctors were to treat their patients in the manner in which I have been treated, more people would not be as reluctant to seek out their doctors and in the process many lives would be saved. I feel very blessed that I found you. Thank you, doctor for a truly wonderful experience.

– Eileen (San Diego Face Lift Patient)

The deviation of my septum was so bad that left my nostril was almost 100% blocked. As long as I can remember I had a problem breathing through my nose. I saw different surgeons and I guess they were not confident enough to fix my problem. I was referred to Dr. Hilinski by my primary physician. He was so confident that he could fix my problem and sure enough he did. He made me able to breathe after 32 years. Visit him and you never want to see any other surgeon.

Trust him, he’s the best.

– Mehrnaz (San Diego Septoplasty Patient)

The deviation of my septum was so bad that left my nostril was almost 100% blocked. As long as I can remember I had a problem breathing through my nose. I saw different surgeons and I guess they were not confident enough to fix my problem. I was referred to Dr. Hilinski by my primary physician. He was so confident that he could fix my problem and sure enough he did. He made me able to breathe after 32 years. Visit him and you never want to see any other surgeon.

Trust him, he’s the best.

– Mehrnaz (San Diego Septoplasty Patient)

Dr. Hilinski,

… if one more person asks me where I got my hair cut! Hey, it’s great… People can’t figure out what happened, but everyone who didn’t know I had a facelift (all three of them!) tell me I look so good… Long story short, I just got asked on a date… I haven’t been on a date in 14 years. Of course, I said I couldn’t, due to the fact that I am old enough to be his mother! But I am so jazzed that someone would even look at me twice now and not think of Depends and walkers! Bless you Dr. Hilinski and thanks!

– Kathy (San Diego Face Lift Patient)

Dear Mr. & Mrs. Hilinski [Dr. Hilinski’s parents]

I am a patient of your son who desires to provide you with what I believe to be an almost universal view of his character and talents: “A kind man who is much more than a brilliant surgeon and sculptor.” That probably the best summation of your son but permit me to elaborate.

Since I was a teen I was overwhelmed by a lack of confidence in personal relationships as a result of my receding chin. My inability to “hide” my profile was a part of my everyday experience. I had little or no confidence in dating, socializing etc. I always tried to sit facing people avoiding mirrors that reflect my profile and any other situation where my profile was highlighted. Then three years ago I saw a program entitled “Extreme Makeovers,” where plastic surgery was done to replace a man’s receding chin. The next week I went to my physician (Dr. Harry Alders, Scripps Rancho Bernardo) who encouraged me to wait five months until “the most talented, effective plastic surgeon I’ve ever known returns to San Diego.” How fortunate I became, to meet your son.

Upon meeting him I was touched by his kind manner and the care he took to be certain I understood what my procedure would entail. I left his office walking with two feet off the ground (I am still there). The sculptor did his work and “Oh how well he did it.” It is all like a wonderful dream. I date, I like to have people sit next to me, love three way mirrors and am comfortable in all social situations – a whole new existence for me. I know mine is only one instance of what he does for others but I believe mine to be typical.

His ability as a sculptor may be matched by someone somewhere but when you combine that with his kind, caring approach to patients he has no match. Thank you for raising him to be such a fine person.

I am certain you, as parents, know any imperfection that may be his but for his patients I can only say “we are still searching” and to you (and the Lord) we say thank you – A job well done.

– Tom (70 years young)

I started doing research for ear surgery about 20 years ago. I had a consultation with a surgeon and she recommended otoplasty, but I knew that’s not what I wanted. When I asked about making my ears SMALLER, she said it wasn’t possible. I lost hope and shelved the idea until last year when I started researching again, and after 20 years, and I happened upon Dr. Hilinski’s practice. I was amazed at what I saw. Not just otoplasty, but macrotia surgery to reduce the size of ears. I looked at his gallery and my mouth dropped. Where has Dr. Hilinski been my whole life?

Fast forward to the day of surgery, you wouldn’t have even known I was having surgery. Dr. Hilinski, Andrew and I listened to country music, chatted and laughed the whole time and I just had such a wonderful, fun experience. I felt comfortable and knew I was in great hands. Everything was explained in depth, from the initial consultation, to the pre-op, during surgery and even after. No question or concern went unanswered. His entire staff, Nicole, Ariana, and Andrew are just wonderful.

Today I had my post surgery appointment and after Dr. Hilinski removed the bandages, I cried tears of happiness. I couldn’t believe my eyes. My hair was up, and even though my ears were moderately swollen and bruised, I could see beyond that and that my ears were beautiful! I am so happy with the results, it’s an understatement. For the remainder of the day I couldn’t stop staring at my ears. I kept thinking, “So THIS is what it’s like to have normal sized ears…”

My new, “designer ears” will go perfectly with my designer shoes, ha! I can’t wait to fully heal so I can experiment with all sorts of updos, something I’ve never been able to do, but have always dreamed of.
Dr. Hilinski has changed my whole life and it’s only 3 days post-op. It was like waking up on Christmas morning, and what I imagine Cinderella felt like after the proverbial Bippity Boppity Boo… Only at the stroke of midnight my ears will still be fabulous.

I’m eternally grateful to Dr. Hilinski for working his magic as well as to his entire staff who are just SO pleasant and put up with my million plus questions. I’ve waited my whole life for this.. THANK YOU Dr. Hilinski for not only making it possible, but for making my dreams come true.

– Diana H.