Liquid Rhinoplasty Vs. Surgical Rhinoplasty
If you are considering a nose job, you may be wondering if a liquid rhinoplasty is the right option for you. This type of procedure uses injectable fillers to reshape the nose, while surgical rhinoplasty requires surgery. Here’s what you need to know about the differences between these two procedures.
What is Liquid Rhinoplasty?
Liquid Rhinoplasty is a non-surgical nose job. It is an alternative to the traditional rhinoplasty surgery wherein your doctor injects dermal fillers under the skin of your nose. Using these fillers, your doctor can even out bumps, create symmetry, and change the shape of your nose. There is no recovery time and the results are immediate. It is also much more cost effective, costing thousands of dollars less.
What can a Liquid Nose Job Do?
A liquid rhinoplasty is great for making small changes to the appearance of your nose. Doctors predominantly use the filler to lessen the appearance of bumps or make a nose look straight. It is also a good solution to fix the results of a surgical nose job where the desired look was not fully achieved.
Since you are awake during the quick procedure, you can ask your doctor to adjust filler placement until you are happy and can achieve the look you want. If you want to change the placement of the filler, your doctor can even dissolve the filler in some places. A liquid nose job cannot make a nose smaller like a surgical nose job can, and it cannot correct breathing issues.
What is Traditional Rhinoplasty?
A traditional rhinoplasty is a surgery that changes the shape of the nose – whether it be making it straight, getting rid of bumps, making it smaller, making it bigger, or opening up the nasal airways to improve breathing. It can be for aesthetic reasons or to fix breathing problems.
Rhinoplasty can change bone, cartilage, and/or skin, and recovery takes roughly 6 weeks.
Benefits of Liquid Rhinoplasty
There are many benefits to this non-invasive procedure. A liquid rhinoplasty usually takes only 15 minutes, unlike a traditional rhinoplasty, which can take up to 4 hours. Results of a liquid rhinoplasty are immediate, and you are awake during the procedure, so you can work with your doctor to achieve your desired look. There is very minimal recovery time and you can continue with your life and work the same day as the procedure.
Lastly, it is completely reversible. If you change your mind or want filler in a different place, that is completely doable by taking out filler and injecting it into different areas until the desired result is complete.
Risks of Liquid Rhinoplasty
One of the main downsides of a liquid nose job is that the results are not permanent. Fillers last around a few months to a year, and then your body absorbs them. However, you are welcome to have new fillers injected to replace anything that has worn off. It is advised by doctors to not partake in this procedure too many times, as it may damage the skin and blood vessels. Treat liquid rhinoplasty as a way to “try out” a nose job and figure out your ideal results before taking the invasive and financial plunge of a surgical rhinoplasty.
There can be some complications with blood vessels or damage to the skin on your nose or surrounding areas, so make sure to check in with your board-certified doctor before, during, and after the procedure.
Benefits of Traditional Rhinoplasty
Although traditional rhinoplasty is costly, invasive, and has a relatively long recovery time, there are a few benefits. On top of the nose job, you can get other surgeries done at the same time, such as a chin augmentation, to achieve your entirely desired facial look.
Additionally, it is not just a cosmetic procedure – it can completely reconstruct the nose or correct breathing issues, and the results are permanent.
Risks of Traditional Rhinoplasty
Since it is an invasive surgery, there are more risks involved than there are with a non-invasive procedure like liquid rhinoplasty. You can experience bleeding, infection, or numbing of the nose. The surgery is also quite costly, and final results can take up to a year to be seen after swelling settles.
Lastly, if you don’t like the results of your rhinoplasty, you won’t know until your recovery is fully finished. You will have to wait around a year to have another surgery to fix anything you dislike.
How Long Does the Liquid Rhinoplasty Procedure Last?
A liquid rhinoplasty is a temporary procedure, however your results can still last a relatively long time. Results typically last from 6 months to 2 years, depending on the filler used. You can repeat the procedure to maintain results, but some patients found that they didn’t require follow-up treatment for years afterwards.
How can I Find a Credible Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty Surgeon?
It’s best to find a board-certified surgeon, like Dr. Pavlou, to perform your procedure. They will have a full understanding of nasal anatomy and will have your best interests in mind – being both aware of your medical history and your desired results. Often, you will have to meet with several surgeons before finding the right one, asking questions such as:
- Are you board-certified?
- What experience do you have with liquid rhinoplasties?
- Can I see results photos from previous clients?
- What will the cost of this procedure be?
Dr. Pavlou is here to save you from searching relentlessly for the right surgeon. If you are looking for a non-invasive option for rhinoplasty, look no further! Dr. Pavlou and his extremely credible team are here to assist you in understanding liquid rhinoplasty and what steps you need to take to receive the procedure. Contact us today.