(Picture taken week before surgery)

High School Musical star Ashley Tisdale had a rhinoplasty procedure on Friday in Los Angeles, the actress confirms to PEOPLE exclusively.

“Growing up I always knew I had a deviated septum on the right side of my nose, which caused trouble breathing,” a bandaged Tisdale told PEOPLE on Monday from her Los Angeles home. “The older I got, the worse it got. I went to get it checked out, and the doctor told me the septum was 80 percent deviated and that I had two small fractures on my nose.”

The recuperating 22-year-old adds: “I’m not feeling great today. It’s uncomfortable and I hope this is the only time I ever have to go through something like this.”

Tisdale’s mother, Lisa, was by her side during the five-hour procedure. Still, Tisdale says, every step of the way “I was completely scared. I wasn’t looking forward to the surgery at all. I actually had trouble sleeping for a week before.”

A role model for young girls, Tisdale says she’s not an advocate for plastic surgery and wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.

“I didn’t do this because I believe in plastic surgery. I did this to help my health. I literally almost could not breathe out of the right side of my nose,” says Tisdale, who’s openly discussing the procedure because “I want my fans to know the truth. I’m not someone who is going to act like I had nothing done. I just want to be honest because my fans are everything to me.”

Tisdale is expected to fully recover by the time High School Musical 3 begins filming early next year.

Source