Not too long ago, if you wanted to change something about your nose, your only option was surgery. Rhinoplasty has been available for centuries, and it can permanently change the size, shape and other features of the nose. Although rhinoplasty remains popular to this day, some people simply aren’t comfortable with choosing surgery. That’s not surprising since there are tradeoffs involved with any cosmetic surgery.
If you choose to have a surgical rhinoplasty, you’ll need to devote at least a week to the recovery process. You’ll also need to make changes to your daily life for a few weeks after that. Plus, there’s a considerable amount of prep involved before the surgery. For many people who’d like to change their nose, the value offered by rhinoplasty just wasn’t worth the time commitment and other requirements.
Fortunately, these days, there’s an alternative to surgery for people who want to make certain changes to their nose. A non-surgical rhinoplasty, also known as a “15-minute nose job,” can accomplish some of the same goals a rhinoplasty can, in much less time and without the lengthy recovery. Let’s take a look at the procedure so you can see if it’s the right pick for you.
What Happens During a Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty?
Non-surgical rhinoplasty replaces the incisions and interior changes made to the nose during a traditional rhinoplasty with injectable dermal fillers. Just as those fillers are often used to fill in lines and wrinkles on the face, they can also be used by a trained facial plastic surgeon to fill in divots or indentations on the nose and to make it look as though a structural change has taken place.
Since the treatment doesn’t involve surgery, you will be awake during the procedure. Your surgeon will most likely use a numbing cream on the nose before treatment so that you don’t feel the pinch of the needle.
One benefit of a non-surgical rhinoplasty is that you can see the changes that are happening to your nose in real time. As the surgeon injects the filler, you can see indentations getting filled in or your nose magically becoming straighter. Usually, the treatment takes only a few minutes.
What Can a Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty Do?
A non-surgical nose job can make some of the same changes as a surgical nose job, at least on a temporary basis. With that said, there are also some things a non-surgical rhinoplasty can’t do. It’s not going to fix issues on the inside of the nose, such as a deviated septum. But it can do the following:
- Correct a drooping tip
- Smooth out bumps, humps or indentations
- Straighten a crooked nose
How Long Do Results Last?
How long the results from a non-surgical nose job will last depends in large part on the type of fillers used. Hyaluronic acid fillers provide results that last for around eight months, while fillers made of heavier substances, such as Radiesse, can provide results that last for around a year and a half. There are fillers that can produce permanent results, but these aren’t typically used in the nose.
How Do You Prepare for a Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty?
Although a non-surgical rhinoplasty doesn’t involve the time commitment required by surgery, it’s not a procedure you want to rush into. You’ll still want to schedule a consultation with a surgeon to talk about your options, what you hope to get from the procedure, and which filler might be best for you. Scheduling a consultation also gives you a chance to ask the surgeon questions and get to know what their experience is with rhinoplasty and non-surgical rhinoplasty.
It’s important to choose a provider who understands the anatomy of the nose and facial anatomy as well as someone who’s well-versed in both surgical and non-surgical rhinoplasty techniques.
What Happens After a Non-Surgical Nose Job?
While it can take up to a full year to completely recover from a surgical nose job, recovery after a non-surgical rhinoplasty is much quicker. You’ll most likely be able to get back to your usual activities within a day or two. You might have some mild side effects, like bruising or redness, but these typically resolve quickly. Even better, you won’t have to wait to see the results, as they will appear instantly during and after treatment.
Dr. Shervin Naderi specializes in performing rhinoplasty and non-surgical rhinoplasty at his practice in Virginia. To learn more about non-surgical rhinoplasty and to see if it’s the right choice for you, call 703-481-0002 (Herndon, VA Office) or 301-222-2020 (Chevy Chase, MD). You can also contact us online for more information.
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