Surgical rhinoplasty, aka a “nose job,” can fix the things that make you feel self-conscious about your nose, such as its size, a bump, or the projection of the tip. Surgery requires a fair amount of commitment on your part, though. You have to find the time for the procedure itself and carve out time in your schedule for recovery. You’ll also have to wait for the final results, typically several months to a year.
Non-surgical rhinoplasty can provide many of the benefits of a surgical procedure without the waiting and discomfort. Non-surgical rhinoplasty also often costs a lot less than surgery, although it is not permanent. If you’re not happy with the way your nose looks, learn more about a non-surgical nose job to see if it can give you the results you want, without surgery.
What Is a Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty?
Non-surgical rhinoplasty is a cosmetic treatment that temporarily changes the size or shape of the nose. During the procedure, Dr. Vitenas injects hyaluronic acid fillers, such as Juvederm or Restylane Silk, into various areas of the nose to change its contours, enhance its size or smooth out bumps or humps on the bridge. The procedure can also minimize the look of a bulbous nasal tip or make a narrow tip look larger or more elevated.
How Do the Results Compare to Surgical Results?
One significant difference between the results from a non-surgical nose job and the results from a surgical rhinoplasty is how long it takes for them to appear. Results are visible and final immediately after non-surgical rhinoplasty, though a small amount of swelling may be present that will subside quickly. You can see the difference in the way your nose looks before you leave the surgeon’s practice.
Results take considerably longer to emerge after surgery. During the first few days or weeks after surgical rhinoplasty, you’re likely to be wearing a splint and have bruising and swelling that can mask the changes made to your nose during the surgery. The bruising will fade and the swelling diminishes, but it can be months before you can clearly see your new nose after your surgery.
Another difference between surgical and non-surgical rhinoplasty is the type of results you can get from the procedure. Non-surgical rhinoplasty is admittedly more limited in what it can do. It can enhance the size of your nose but it can’t make the nose smaller, for example.
A non-surgical rhinoplasty typically only treats cosmetic concerns. It can improve the way your nose looks but won’t correct issues that affect its function, such as a deviated septum or other changes on the inside of the nose.
How long the results will last after a non-surgical rhinoplasty is also different. The results from a surgical rhinoplasty are often permanent. The results from a non-surgical rhinoplasty are temporary and can last anywhere from three months to more than a year. If you like the results, you can repeat the process.
In some instances, people try non-surgical rhinoplasty to see how they feel about the way their nose looks and before committing to surgery. If you like your results, you might decide to go forward with a surgical procedure to make them more long-lasting and cost-effective long-term.
What Are the Benefits of a Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty?
For the right candidate, a non-surgical rhinoplasty offers multiple benefits over surgery. The procedure is very quick, for one thing. It often takes 30 minutes or less, meaning you can schedule it over lunch or at the end of your workday. No downtime is needed, so you can resume your regular activities right away.
Non-surgical rhinoplasty also doesn’t require the use of anesthesia. You might feel a few pinpricks from the small needle used to inject the filler into your nose, but overall, people describe the treatment as comfortable. No anesthesia means that you don’t have to wait for the effects to wear off.
Non-surgical rhinoplasty also usually costs less than surgery. Even though you might need to repeat the treatment to maintain your results for the long term, you are likely to find that it’s easier on the wallet than surgery, at least upfront.
Another benefit of non-surgical rhinoplasty is that it’s reversible. If you have the treatment and realize soon afterward that you just don’t like your results, the surgeon can inject an enzyme into the treated area. The enzyme dissolves the hyaluronic acid, erasing any changes made to the nose.
Is a Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty Right for You?
What non-surgical rhinoplasty can do is slightly different for each patient. If you’re curious to learn more about the treatment or to see if it’s the right option for you, your best bet is to schedule a consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon.
Dr. Paul Vitenas uses a technique at his Houston practice that can make minor to moderate changes to the nose’s shape or size. Call 281-484-0088 or book a consultation online to learn more.