With aesthetic enhancement procedures having reached their peak of popularity in recent years, it seems that more and more everyday men and women are turning to cosmetic medicine, in order to achieve their ideal appearance and improve on what mother nature gave them naturally. While surgical enhancement or plastic surgery has become quite popular, many individuals are still relatively uncertain about going under the knife, just for beauty – leaving many to seek less invasive alternatives, that more often than not, will fall far short of their surgical counterparts. However, one such procedure that has garnered much fanfare in recent years has got to be the liquid rhinoplasty, or nose job – a non-surgical alternative to the traditional rhinoplasty. While the Rhinoplasty, often referred to as a nose job, is by far one of the most popular and most commonly requested procedures around today, as we mentioned, there are still countless men and women, who are in need of nasal reconstruction who are not yet ready to go under the knife. In fact, according to research, more and more people are looking for a less invasive way to reshape their nose – for both cosmetic issues as well as functional. Like the surgical alternative, it still smooths out bumps and contours the nose, and does so with a far shorter, less painful recovery time. Plus, the results aren’t as permanent, meaning if one isn’t happy with their results, they can easily revise their results, without having to undergo constant surgeries. The best part for most is that they don’t have to deal with the long, drawn out recovery period associated with a traditional nose job – from things like pain, swelling, redness, to the inability to properly breath from the nose at first, and the need to wear a bandage on at all times for months on end. Despite how valuable of a procedure the liquid rhinoplasty can be, many are still fairly uneducated on all that it has to offer, today we will cover the procedure and compare the pros and cons of liquid rhinoplasty versus surgical rhinoplasty.

What is the Liquid Rhinoplasty?
Liquid rhinoplasty is the nonsurgical option to traditional rhinoplasty. It’s used to temporarily address issues like a dorsal hump (small bump), a drooping nasal tip, and asymmetry. With this procedure, a surgeon injects fillers into a patient’s nose to improve the contours and reshape it. This is usually done with hyaluronic acid (HA), the same type of filler commonly used in cheek and lip fillers. Over the years, HA has gained a reputation for being safe, effective, and a good alternative to surgery. Juvéderm and Restylane are popular HA brands. In 2016, a research paper found that HA gel was able to fix nasal issues that traditional rhinoplasty couldn’t address. It was also shown to correct minor post-rhinoplasty issues.

The Benefits of the Liquid Rhinoplasty

• The procedure only takes around 15 minutes. This is a lot quicker than the 1 to 4 hours that it takes to complete a rhinoplasty.
• Results are immediate, and there’s very minimal recovery time. You can have the procedure done and return to work the same day.
• Since there’s no anesthesia, you’re awake and conscious during the entire procedure. Some surgeons even let you hold a mirror during it, giving you more control.
• It’s reversible if HA is used. If results aren’t what you wanted or a serious complication occurs, the surgeon can use injections of hyaluronidase to dissolve the filler.

Who is a Good Candidate for Liquid Rhinoplasty?
Aesthetically speaking, the ideal candidate for liquid rhinoplasty is someone who has small nasal bumps and slightly droopy tips. This also means that asymmetries along the nose can be effectively corrected with injections. Much of the success depends on the individual anatomy as well as the extent of the required correction. The ideal candidate must be able to take recovery steps and recognize complications and be ready to treat them. In addition to these more specific qualities they should be in overall good health and wellness.

The Procedure
In essence, the procedure itself, can easily be broken down into these 6 simple steps.

• The treatment begins with the patient either sitting or lying down.
• The nose may be cleaned with a solution made up of 70 percent alcohol.
• Ice or numbing cream is applied to numb the skin, minimizing pain. Neither will be needed if the filler used already contains a local anesthetic.
• Small amounts of the HA gel are carefully injected into the area. Adding too much can negatively affect results.
• The filler is then smoothed out, not massaged, to prevent pressure.
• The procedure takes around 15 minutes. However, it could take longer if a numbing agent is applied, as it takes around 10 to 15 minutes to kick in.

Post-Procedure
A major plus to liquid rhinoplasty is that there’s very little downtime after the procedure. Patients are advised to avoid pressure on the injected area 1 to 2 weeks after treatment. They may also have to gently massage the area for 1 to 2 weeks. Unlike surgical rhinoplasty, liquid rhinoplasty is temporary. Results typically last 6 months up to 2 years, depending on the type of filler used and the individual. Some patients found that they didn’t require follow-up treatment after even 24 months. You’ll have to repeat the procedure to maintain results.

For more information on the liquid rhinoplasty and more cosmetic treatments, be sure to contact Alluring Image today.