Your nose is often the first thing people notice upon meeting you. If you are self-conscious about the appearance of your nose ­– whether you have an unsightly bump or the size of your nose simply does not fit the rest of your face — you could be a candidate for Rhinoplasty.

Rhinoplasty (nose job or nose reshaping) is a procedure to reshape the nose and improve its appearance. Rhinoplasty is also performed to correct breathing problems. Generally, this is a surgical procedure that involves making incisions inside, and sometimes outside, of the nose to fix various problems.

However, with the increase in popularity of FDA approved injectable tissue fillers to temporarily correct facial wrinkles, plastic surgeons in Denver, Colorado have started injecting these same fillers in the nose to alter the shape. This is referred to as “Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty”. Hyaluronic acid fillers such as Restylane®, Juvederm®, and Perlane® can be used to camouflage aspects of the nose. The longer acting filler Radiesse® is also a popular filler for this purpose. Some people even elect to take excess fat from their bodies and inject it into the nose to correct certain defects.

So, which is better—Surgical or Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty?

The answer depends on what type of results you hope to achieve.

An advantage to Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty is that it can be performed in the office, with minimal recovery time. Injecting filler helps hide a small bump on the bridge of the nose or improve the definition of the tip. The results of Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty are not permanent and will require touch up in 6-12 months. This is typically the time it takes most hyaluronic acid fillers to dissolve. Radiesse may last several months longer and may leave behind some persistent volume. Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty is ideal for candidates who want an instant result from a minimally invasive procedure. This could also be a smart option for those who are afraid to make a permanent change to their nose.

Some other patients who are good candidates for non-surgical rhinoplasty are those who have already had a rhinoplasty and need a small tweak or revision such as adding height to the bridge, defining the tip a little more, or filling in a soft tissue depression that came about after surgery.

Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty cannot alter the length or width of your nose, so if this is your main concern, or you are looking for a permanent result, the surgical option may be right for you. Another disadvantage to Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty is that choosing this option can make a later surgical rhinoplasty more difficult because of scar tissue development as a reaction to the injectable filler.

Surgical Rhinoplasty candidates are those who want significant changes to the appearance of the nose, as surgery can change the entire shape of your nose and correct nasal asymmetry. Also, any breathing problems would need to be corrected using the surgical option. Surgical Rhinoplasty is permanent and, like any surgery, carries with it greater risks, but it is still a very safe surgery in the hands of an experienced surgical team in Denver, Colorado.

Dr. Manish Shah, a Denver, Colorado plastic surgeon is well-versed in both types of Rhinoplasty. Dr. Shah pays careful attention to individual facial features and does not use a “one size fits all approach”. During your consultation, he will help you determine which Rhinoplasty option is best for you. Call TODAY at (303) 708-8234 and schedule your free consultation with Dr. Shah, and you’ll be on your way to a beautiful and shapely new nose. Or, visit us on the web at www.drmanishshah.com.

Tags: Colorado, Denver, filler, M.D., Manish H. Shah, Rhinoplasty, surgical vs. non-surgical

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 27th, 2009 at 12:33 am and is filed under Facial Plastic Surgery Denver. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.