鈥淲hen we look at someone, our natural inclination is to be drawn to their eyes鈥攁nd their nose is supposed to be the gateway,鈥 said Dr. Michael Brandt, a facial plastic surgeon at in Toronto. 鈥淏ut it can also be a distraction.鈥
For those who feel that way about their noses, going under the knife and shelling out an average of $12,000 to $18,000 can make a nose job unfeasible. But lately, a non-surgical alternative is growing in popularity: liquid rhinoplasty.
The cosmetic procedure, also called injectable rhinoplasty or a non-surgical nose job, involves injecting into the nose to change the appearance of things like minor asymmetries, a droopy tip or a bump that鈥檚 visible in profile. 鈥淏y using filler to improve shadows and contours, we can rebalance the nose to fit the face,鈥 said Brandt.
The results can be quite transformative, and with more people seeing there鈥檚 been an uptick in requests for the procedure. But not just anyone can race off to score a new filler-built nose.
鈥淔or some people, surgery is the best option and filler is a waste of time, and vice versa,鈥 said Dr. Ashlin Alexander, a facial plastic surgeon at Toronto鈥檚 . 鈥淢any experts would also argue that the nose is the riskiest part of the face to inject because the anatomy is intricate and sometimes unpredictable.鈥
Rather than booking the practitioner that gives you the best deal, it鈥檚 important to choose someone who makes liquid rhinoplasty a focus of their practice so they can help you understand what鈥檚 possible, then give you the best results with the least amount of risk. Here鈥檚 what you need to know if you鈥檙e considering a non-surgical nose job.
Who is a liquid rhinoplasty best for?
There are two main scenarios that suit an injectable rhinoplasty: people who have a prominent bump on the bridge of their nose, called a dorsal hump, and those looking to correct a droopy tip. A liquid rhinoplasty can sometimes correct small asymmetries when looking at the face head on, but it鈥檚 not a fit for every situation. 鈥淚f you have a really large nose, there鈥檚 no amount of filler that鈥檚 going to make it look smaller,鈥 said Alexander. The same goes for major crookedness, where adding a ton of filler for balance will end up looking unnatural.聽
What happens during a liquid rhinoplasty?
Your practitioner should first do a consultation to ensure that the results you鈥檙e after can be achieved using only injectables. Then, you鈥檒l sign consent forms and have your nose cleaned and disinfected before injection begins.
聽The procedure itself takes only a few minutes and involves using very small needles to inject what鈥檚 called a 鈥渉igh G prime鈥 hyaluronic acid filler鈥攐ne that can mimic cartilage鈥攊nto strategic places on the nose. 鈥淭his type of filler has a lot of lift, and not a lot of spread,鈥 said Brandt. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 want it moving and we want it to last a long time.鈥
This will technically add volume, thereby making your nose slightly bigger, but it will appear more balanced with the rest of the face and, paradoxically, look less prominent.
聽Your injector may also choose to use a neuromodulator like Botox or Dysport in the muscle where the base of the nose meets the upper lip. In some people, that muscle can pull the tip of the nose down; relaxing it should cause the tip of the nose to lift.
聽Before heading out, you should wait 10 to 15 minutes at the clinic to ensure that you have no adverse reactions.
Is a liquid rhinoplasty painful?
This procedure tends to be minimally painful because the needles are tiny, only a small amount of filler is injected, and it contains a numbing agent (such as lidocaine).
The pain level is on par with injecting filler into your cheeks or chin and is less painful than lip or temple injections. For some people, the tip of the nose may sting a bit more.
Is there downtime?
You may have some minor swelling or, in rare cases, bruising. For the rest of the day, you should avoid exercise, drinking alcohol, wearing makeup or heavy glasses, and massaging your nose. By the next day, you can go back to regular life.
Results are immediate for correction of a dorsal hump or minor asymmetries. The lifting of the tip with a neuromodulator like Botox will take around two weeks to take full effect. At that point, your injector will probably want to see you again to assess the results and do touch-ups if necessary.
What are the risks of a liquid rhinoplasty?
There is no risk-free area of the face to inject filler but the nose in particular is considered a high-risk zone. 鈥淚 have a number of very experienced injector colleagues鈥攐ther MDs鈥攚ho refer their injectable rhinoplasties to me because they don鈥檛 feel comfortable doing it,鈥 said Alexander. The same is true for Brandt.
Alongside typical filler risks like swelling, bruising and over- or under-correction, there can be more serious complications because of the nose鈥檚 intricate anatomy. 鈥淚f the filler were to compress or obstruct the blood supply to part of the nose, then the tissue could get damaged,鈥 said Alexander.
鈥淭here have even been reports of blindness.鈥 But the risk is still very low, particularly when you choose an experienced injector with knowledge of nasal anatomy, like a rhinoplasty surgeon.
If you鈥檝e already had a surgical rhinoplasty and want to get touch-ups with filler, your risk of complications increases again. Because the blood supply to the nose has been surgically altered, it is more difficult to avoid blood vessels. The skin will also be less resilient to manipulation.
Surgery itself has its hazards, too: 鈥淭here is a risk of compromising the function of your nose and your breathing afterwards,鈥 said Brandt. It鈥檚 also possible that you won鈥檛 like the way your new nose looks postsurgery, which would be harder to correct than filler.聽
How often does a liquid rhinoplasty need to be redone?
Unlike a traditional nose job, injectable rhinoplasty is not permanent. Hyaluronic acid fillers last at least nine months. Neuromodulators, which can sometimes be a component of a liquid rhinoplasty treatment, wear off in three to four months. Alexander said his patients usually come in for treatment once per year, while Brandt says it may last 18 months or more.
Both surgeons note that there may be some filler buildup, which means you may need less product at subsequent appointments or may be able to go longer between visits. If, at any point, you don鈥檛 like the way the filler looks, you can have it dissolved.
How much does a liquid rhinoplasty cost?
Unlike other injection areas that are charged by the number of syringes or units of filler used, a liquid rhinoplasty usually has a flat rate of $1,200 to $1,500.
The price goes up by $200 or $300 for anyone who has had a previous surgical nose job.
Should I go for a traditional nose job or non-surgical rhinoplasty?
If you have a very large or crooked nose, surgery will be your only option. Ditto if you have breathing issues or you鈥檙e after a permanent fix. Otherwise, the answer will depend on your goals and budget.
Liquid rhinoplasty has many pros: it鈥檚 an incredibly quick procedure with immediate results, it has virtually no downtime, and it鈥檚 reversible. It also has a lower cost upfront, so it鈥檚 great for people who don鈥檛 want to shell out $12,000-plus at once or want to test drive the effect before going under the knife.
Surgery, on the other hand, is not reversible, and any revisions mean going under the knife again. It requires taking time off for recovery鈥攍ikely one or two weeks鈥攁nd you may not be fully healed for a year. It also has a high upfront cost, though in the long run, surgery could actually be the more affordable option. The cost of 10 to 12 liquid rhinoplasties is equivalent to one surgical nose job.
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