NON-SURGICAL
RHINOPLASTY

A major component of facial beauty is how the nose harmonizes with the remainder of the face. Imperfections of the nose, such as a drooping tip or a large hump, can draw unwanted attention and detract from other beautiful facial features like the eyes or smile. At Sharma Facial Plastic Surgery, we offer nonsurgical techniques for nose reshaping that can help you achieve immediate, flattering results.

What is a Non-surgical Rhinoplasty?

A non-surgical rhinoplasty – also called an “injection rhinoplasty” or “liquid rhinoplasty” – involves the careful injection of dermal fillers under the skin and over the bone and cartilage of the nose. Fillers are typically compounds of hyaluronic acid, a natural protein which exists in your skin and joints. With judicious placement of filler, the nonsurgical rhinoplasty can create minor changes to the nose to soften bumps, fill indentations or improve the definition of the nasal tip.

WHO IS A CANDIDATE FOR A NON-SURGICAL RHINOPLASTY?

If you’re interested in changing the shape of your nose without undergoing surgery, or if you have minor irregularities which do not warrant a surgical correction, you may be a good candidate for a non-surgical rhinoplasty. Common nasal features which are corrected with a non-surgical rhinoplasty include a large hump, a drooping nasal tip or minor asymmetries along the framework of the nose.

It’s important to understand that a non-surgical rhinoplasty cannot correct every imperfection of the nose. For patients who require more complex changes of their nasal framework to achieve their desired refinement, or patients who have a very large nose to begin with, injection rhinoplasty may not be an appropriate treatment. In these cases, a traditional surgical rhinoplasty may be necessary to achieve your goals. Additionally, some patients who have previously undergone one or more surgical rhinoplasty procedures may not be good candidates for non-surgical rhinoplasty. This is because of increased scarring and alterations in standard anatomy which can occur after surgery.

Dr. Sharma will carefully evaluate your nose and discuss your candidacy for non-surgical rhinoplasty based on your anatomy and prior medical and surgical history.

TREATMENT PROCESS

A non-surgical rhinoplasty can be performed the same day as your consultation. After Dr. Sharma evaluates your nose and discusses a treatment plan with you, a topical numbing cream is applied to your nose for approximately 20 minutes. The treatment process itself takes 10 to 15 minutes to perform, and is associated with minimal discomfort. As filler is injected in your nose, you and Dr. Sharma will continuously re-evaluate the shape of your nose in a mirror so you can measure your progress towards your goal.

RECOVERY

There is minimal downtime after a non-surgical rhinoplasty. Minor swelling and bruising can occur at the points of injection, which typically resolve within 3 to 5 days. You can drive yourself home or return to work the same day of your procedure. Patients are advised to avoid exercise or strenuous physical activity for the remainder of the day after your treatment.

DURATION OF RESULTS

Non-surgical rhinoplasty results last for approximately 1 to 1.5 years. The injected hyaluronic acid filler is gradually broken down and absorbed by your body. The majority of filler will be absorbed by 1 year, at which time a repeat injection or touch-up procedure may be necessary. While 100% of injected filler is never absorbed by the body, you can expect your nose to look close to its original shape after 1 to 1.5 years. If you prefer to reduce filler in certain areas or if you want all of your filler dissolved after a nonsurgical rhinoplasty, an enzyme called hyaluronidase can be injected underneath the skin. This can be done safely by an experienced injector.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What are the benefits of a non-surgical rhinoplasty?

Nonsurgical rhinoplasty is an excellent way to create subtle changes to the nose to improve its harmony with the rest of your face. This is a procedure which is quick to perform, offers immediate results has zero to minimal downtime. If you wish to have filler removed, the treatment is partially or fully reversible with injection of hyaluronidase. This treatment is also an excellent option for patients who are not ready to commit to a permanent (surgical) rhinoplasty.

What features does a non-surgical rhinoplasty fix?

A non-surgical rhinoplasty is an excellent treatment to address a hump along the bridge of the nose, a drooping tip, or minor asymmetries or depressions along the framework of the nose. A non-surgical rhinoplasty cannot create extensive changes to the framework of the nose, cannot correct a deviated septum or improve nasal breathing. During your consultation, Dr. Sharma will evaluate and discuss your candidacy for treatment.

What types of fillers does Dr. Sharma use?

While many different dermal fillers can be used to perform a nonsurgical rhinoplasty, Dr. Sharma most commonly uses Juvéderm Voluma® (Allergan), Restylane® or Restylane Lyft® (Galderma), or RHA-3® or RHA-4® (Revance). These are all hyaluronic acid based fillers which offer beautiful, and natural-looking results. It is very important to have a non-surgical rhinoplasty performed by an expert injector who understands the properties of the specific filler being used and who understands the potential variations in nasal vascular anatomy.

How much pain will I have with a non-surgical rhinoplasty?

Injection rhinoplasty is associated with minimal discomfort. We routinely apply a topical anesthetic cream to the nose for 20 minutes before your treatment to ensure you are comfortable. This medication fully wears off within a few hours. Most patients tolerate the treatment very well and report no significant pain.

Will a non-surgical rhinoplasty make my nose look bigger?

Fillers are commonly used to refine and camouflage minor irregularities (e.g. nasal hump) or correct minor asymmetries of the nose. When performed by an experienced injector who understands the anatomy, indications, and contraindications for treatment, a nonsurgical rhinoplasty will not result in a larger-looking nose. A symmetrical and more balanced nose blends in better with the rest of the face. In fact, many patients comment that their nose appears smaller after nonsurgical rhinoplasty.

How much swelling and bruising can I expect after non-surgical rhinoplasty?

For most of Dr. Sharma’s rhinoplasty patients, there is very minimal swelling and/or bruising which clears within 3 to 5 days after treatment.

Can I have a surgical rhinoplasty if I have had filler in my nose before?

For most patients, Yes. While the majority of filler naturally resorbs within 1 to 2 years, there is always some leftover filler which does not resorb. If your nose filler was placed less than 2 years before your rhinoplasty, the filler can be safely dissolved by Dr. Sharma in the clinic with small injections of hyaluronidase solution. This is a relatively quick procedure (less than 10 minutes) and has minimal discomfort. Filler is dissolved at least 2 weeks prior to surgery so that Dr. Sharma can properly plan for your surgery.