Non-Invasive Rhinoplasty

There are many features that people are dissatisfied with when it comes to their body.  From a nip here to a tuck there, cosmetic procedures are a big industry.  When a person has a nose job, it is known as having Rhinoplasty.  Many people choose not to have the procedure because they do not want the recovery time involved with surgery.  There is a Rhinoplasty option that does not involve having a surgical procedure.  This option has less recovery time and is known as non-invasive Rhinoplasty. Non-invasive Rhinoplasty gets around this with fillers that add some volume in certain parts of the nose.  The fillers can also change the shape of the nose in a way that gives a pleasing difference without having surgery.

ADVANTAGES

Non-invasive Rhinoplasty can be done in the office without anesthesia.  Another advantage over nose surgery is that a patient will have little to no recovery time.  It is a great alternative to surgical Rhinoplasty, giving some improvements without as much of a time commitment.

IDEAL PATIENT

If somebody has a low dorsum of the nose that needs to be built up, non-invasive Rhinoplasty works quite well for him or her. It can mask a subtle hump by filling above and below the hump in order for it to look like a straight line. It can also give someone a little more projection.  It is not a helpful procedure for someone who has an extremely large nose that wants to make it smaller or a wide nose they want to make narrower.  It is more about the contour as opposed to the size of the nose.

DIFFERENT FILLER TYPES

There are a number of fillers available for the procedure, such as Radiesse or Juvederm.  One of the fillers is hyaluronic acid and it is easy to mold.  Patients usually do not have negative reactions to it so it is a much smarter choice. Although it is possible to use permanent silicone filler, the risk makes it not worth it.  If the patient’s body has a negative reaction to silicone then the area can get bumpy and it is virtually impossible to fix that once it happens. Other types of fillers used for soft tissue filling are not as easy to work with or as moldable.

COST

Normally, fillers are used for closed Rhinoplasty and the cost of the procedure depends on what kind of filler is used. A hyaluronic acid filler with one syringe can run anywhere from $500-$800. The more expensive fillers run closer to $1500.

MISCONCEPTIONS

The most common misconception is that it is an equal trade.  In other words, a patient assumes to get the same result from non-invasive Rhinoplasty as from surgical Rhinoplasty. This is not true and it is important to be realistic.  In fact, for any nose surgery it is important to know what to expect from the procedure. Open Rhinoplasty is generally more involved and is used to dramatically change or correct the shape and contour of the nose.

RISKS

In extremely rare cases, there are reports of the filler causing tissue necrosis, which is like having an open sore on an area of your nose.  It is a rare occurrence and necrosis does not happen inside the nose but on the skin.  What happens is the filler gets absorbed in the body and blocks the blood vessels. The more common and realistic risk is a chance of bruising and swelling.

RECOVERY

For most people, recovery is very minimal since they do not get bruising and swelling.  Patients should just take it easy for the rest of the night after the procedure is performed. If some bruising does happen, it will go away after a week.  There might be some swelling the first night but it usually will be fine by the next day.  A long recovery would be a week but most people go back to work the next day.

RESULTS

The amount of time the fillers last depends on the patient. It typically last about nine months to a year.  Once the products get reabsorbed then a patient can have the procedure again.  There are no long-term problems because the hyaluronic acid is a material that is already found in the human body.

FINAL THOUGHTS

The desire to improve one’s features is held by most people.  There is always some part of the body that a person feels can be improved.  With Rhinoplasty, the choice to have a non-invasive procedure is an opportunity for many who do not wish to have a surgical procedure.  Potential patients should consult with an experienced, and skilled surgeon to see if they are an ideal candidate for non-invasive nose job.

Written by Cosmetic Town Editorial Team- MA

Based on an exclusive interview with Michael Horn, MD, in Chicago, IL