New York painter with rare deformity gets new nose for Christmas
The doctor likened the appearance of Estrada's nose to a male appendage
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A New York painter who suffered from a rare facial deformity has gotten a new nose for Christmas thanks to the generosity of a plastic surgeon who operated on him free of charge.
Conrado Ramos Estrada, 57, who is originally from Guatemala, had a large, disfigured nose caused by rhinophyma. Its causes are not known, but it’s been classified as a type of skin inflammation.
Conrado Estrada suffered from a rare facial deformity called rhinophyma. (Dr. Thomas Romo)
Dr. Thomas Romo, a plastic surgeon at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, likened Estrada's nose to a "male appendage." He told Fox News that Estrada caught his attention in late August when the 57-year-old was working on the doctor’s Bronxville home.
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"I’m looking at him in the yard, and I’m going, ‘what the hell is that on that guy’s nose over there?’" Romo said. "I walked over there and instantaneously knew that it was rhinophyma."
Conrado Estrada after his surgery. (Dr. Thomas Romo, provided)
Estrada told The New York Post that the condition made simple tasks like eating and breathing difficult as the nose would hang over his mouth.
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Romo, who runs the Little Baby Face Foundation, which provides facial surgery to underserved children, said he decided to help Estrada free of charge.
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"I see this guy and I just told my staff … ‘We’re going to take care of this guy.’ I said ‘book him. We’re not going to charge him,’" Romo said.
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Dr. Thomas Romo is a New York-based plastic surgeon who runs Little Baby Face Foundation. (Dr. Thomas Romo, provided)
Romo and his team operated on Estrada about a month later after clearing the necessary paperwork. He said Estrada’s transformation was phenomenal.
"It was impressive to be within his presence," Romo said. "I could just see from looking at him, his stature, his smile – all the things that you didn’t see before. Here’s a guy who has been transformed."
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Reached by Fox News, Estrada gave thanks to both Romo and God for his transformation.