Liquid Rhinoplasty
Liquid rhinoplasty is an alternative to a surgical rhinoplasty. This minimally invasive procedure can enhance the appearance of the nose without the required downtime of surgery. With a liquid rhinoplasty, dermal fillers are injected into targeted areas to reshape and enhance in multiple different ways. Often referred to as a no-surgery nose job, liquid rhinoplasty can be performed in minutes, is relatively painless, and requires only a few days of downtime due to swelling (like other fillers).
Before and After Liquid Rhinoplasty
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After View Liquid Rhinoplasty Photo Gallery
What results can liquid rhinoplasty provide?
Liquid rhinoplasty can help to correct a variety of cosmetic issues with the nose such as an unwanted dorsal hump, minor asymmetries and tip position. The procedure provides immediate results; the effects of the filler injections become apparent right after treatment.
What types of dermal fillers are used for liquid rhinoplasty?
Liquid rhinoplasty can be performed using a number of different hyaluronic dermal fillers including Restylane and Juvederm products. Some favorite fillers at Westlake Dermatology include Juvederm Voluma and Juvederm Volux due to their strong ability to reshape the nose while not migrating readily from their injection sites.
How is liquid rhinoplasty procedure performed?
Liquid rhinoplasty procedures are relatively painless as a topical numbing cream can be used at the start of the procedure. To perform a liquid rhinoplasty, a skilled injector will inject dermal fillers into the deep tissues of a patient’s nose, immediately on or above the underlying cartilages and bones. During the procedure, the doctor might attempt to even out bumps, improve symmetry, or even sculpt a different shape for the nose. The results can be seen immediately after the procedure concludes, though swelling can occur quickly after injection. At the conclusion of the procedure, some injectors will tape the nose to help minimize swelling and stabilize the filler overnight.
Is it painful?
Liquid rhinoplasty procedures are relatively painless as a topical numbing cream can be used at the start of the procedure. Also there is lidocaine anesthetic in the filler so as the injections progress the nose becomes more and more numb. Any discomfort is only felt during the injections. At the end of the injection session the nose is completely numb and stays numb for several hours. Over the next 48 hours the nose will become more and more sore. Acetaminophen can be taken and ice can be used to minimize the soreness if it occurs.
Who is an ideal candidate for liquid rhinoplasty?
Any individual who has a bump on their nose, an asymmetrical nose, or a very low bridge are good candidates for liquid rhinoplasties. However, it is important to note that liquid rhinoplasty cannot address severe issues or make the nose appear smaller.
How long do liquid rhinoplasty results last?
Although the nose will look good after the initial 48 hours, the results of the injections will not be fully seen until the filler completely integrates with the surrounding tissues. This can take up to one month for the thicker fillers like Voluma or Volux. The results of liquid rhinoplasty with these fillers typically last 12 months or longer.
Liquid rhinoplasty vs. surgical rhinoplasty (benefits and drawbacks)
Liquid rhinoplasty and traditional (surgical) rhinoplasty can both be extremely beneficial when it comes to altering the shape of the nose for aesthetic reasons. The major benefits of liquid rhinoplasty stem from its non-surgical nature: liquid rhinoplasty is less painful and less expensive compared to rhinoplasty surgery. Liquid rhinoplasty also involves little to no downtime, while surgery can require many months for full recovery (see our Rhinoplasty webpage for more information).
However, liquid rhinoplasty provides a less dramatic result compared to what is possible with surgical rhinoplasty. Also, the results of liquid rhinoplasty are temporary so individuals who would like a permanent result will need to undergo surgical rhinoplasty. Finally, liquid rhinoplasty is also limited in the types of cosmetic issues it can effectively address. For example, liquid rhinoplasty will not make the nose smaller, address large humps or bumps, and correct dramatically asymmetrical noses. The procedure also will not address any breathing issues. Patients with those concerns should consider a functional rhinoplasty procedure.
Does liquid rhinoplasty require downtime (recovery time)?
Liquid rhinoplasty requires very downtime! While patients may experience mild swelling or bruising pos-injection, they are able to return to their normal daily activity the day after treatment. Intense physical activity such as aerobic exercise can begin 48 hours after injection. The lack of required downtime is a huge benefit of liquid rhinoplasty, as surgery would require 1 week of intense downtime and longer before the swelling subsides enough for exercise, travel and other desired activities. Our webpage on Rhinoplasty can provide more detailed information.
Are there risks or side effects?
Some patients may experience slight irritation, redness, swelling, bruising, or sensitivity in the treated area of the nose following injection. These issues typically resolve themselves without any intervention within 1-2 days of injection.
There are some unique risks to injecting filler in the nose. In the upper 2/3 of the nose, the skin is looser so filler can more easily sculpt the contour. However, lateral injections in these areas could risk filler being injected directly into arteries or veins, causing vascular occlusion of the blood supply to the skin. Blindness has been reported from injecting fillers into the face in rare instances.
When injecting into the tip, the skin is tightly adherent to the underlying cartilage so it is more difficult to change tip contour. Additionally, the lateral tip is at particular risk for vascular occlusion of the blood supply to the skin. Finally, injecting filler into a patient who has had previous rhinoplasty is risky since the incidence of untoward events increases dramatically.
All this means that you should take great care in selecting your injector. It is wise to select an injector experienced in liquid rhinoplasty. Fortunately, at Westlake Dermatology we have many such skilled injectors to choose from!