Rhinoplasty without surgery

Image: The graphic above shows some of the indications for rhinoplasty without surgery using hyaluronic acid. The small blue syringes represent the areas to be filled.

It is not yet generally known that a nose correction does not always have to be accompanied by an operation. In the following article, you can find out in which cases rhinoplasty is possible without surgery and in which cases it is not.

Information on surgical correction of the nose can be found here: surgical nose correction.

How does rhinoplasty without surgery work?

Nose correction without surgery can be performed with the help of fillers. The most popular filler today is hyaluronic acid. As with wrinkle injections, this is injected under the skin after the area to be treated has been anaesthetized. A good anaesthetic is achieved with an anaesthetic injection or, more simply, with an anaesthetic cream applied a few minutes before the procedure. Subsequently, certain nasal deformities can actually be corrected and / or reduced without surgery, just by filling.

The result is visible immediately after the injection and can last up to 18 months, depending on the hyaluronic acid used.

Rhinoplasty with hyaluronic acid is a restorative procedure! A significant difference to surgery is that rhinoplasty without surgery cannot lead to a reduction in the size of the nose. It is always a reconstructive technique! More details on this later.

In terms of profile correction, fillers can also be used to simultaneously correct the nose and chin for chin augmentation in the case of a receding chin. This combination is becoming increasingly popular, especially when performed surgically.

What options does hyaluronic acid injection offer for rhinoplasty?

There are various ways of correcting the nose without having to undergo surgery. The most common are presented as follows:

• How can a nasal hump be concealed?
  Rhinoplasty without surgery
  can never achieve a true removal of the nasal hump. The hump can only be concealed. Hyaluronic acid is injected above the hump so that it is no longer recognizable as a hump.
• The correction of a saddle nose:
  A saddle nose can be observed more frequently in Asians and less frequently in Africans. In Europeans, it is usually the result of injuries/accidents. It can also occur as a result of radical rhinoplasty. The saddle nose is characterized by a sometimes very strong curve in the lateral profile or an almost complete absence of the bridge of the nose in the middle and upper third. The surgical nose correction of this nasal deformity is relatively complex and involves building up the bridge of the nose with the patient’s own tissue or a bridge of the nose implant. The latter surgical method is more common in Asia. In contrast to the surgical procedures, rhinoplasty without surgery offers an improvement in appearance with significantly less effort. After anesthesia, filling the saddle with hyaluronic acid only takes a few minutes.
• Indentations on the tip and bridge of the nose:
  Indentations in the middle of the tip of the nose, which can extend into the bridge of the nose, can also be easily treated with hyaluronic acid without surgery. Incidentally, these indentations are caused by the wing cartilage that appears here.
• How do you conceal a long nose without surgery?
  A long nose can also be concealed with hyaluronic acid without surgery. If the distance between the bridge of the nose and the upper lip (nasolabial distance) is not too small, a little hyaluronic acid can be injected into the bridge of the nose. This lowers the bridge and makes the hooked nose less prominent by reducing the angle between the upper lip and the bridge. Of course, this does not reduce the length of the nose. A reduction and shortening of the long or hooked nose is only possible with surgery.
• How do you correct a broad bridge of the nose?
  A broad nasal bridge is predominantly found in Africans and Asians, but rarely also in Europeans. Surgical rhinoplasty is not possible without chiseling. Those who shy away from surgery also opt for hyaluronic acid here. Similar to the saddle nose technique, the material is placed on the bridge of the nose and shaped so that it appears narrower. However, you have to accept that this will raise the bridge of the nose slightly.
• How can slight asymmetries of the nose be corrected without surgery?Slight asymmetries can often be improved without surgery. Here too, hyaluronic acid is injected into the less developed side to adapt the underdeveloped side to the other. However, major deformities cannot be improved without surgery. This can only be achieved with surgical rhinoplasty.

What costs should I expect for rhinoplasty without surgery?

The cost of a nose correction without surgery with hyaluronic acid in Germany is usually in the same price range as wrinkle treatment with hyaluronic acid. The price depends on the amount of material used. In order to achieve a permanent result, a new injection is necessary after approx. 1-1.5 years. Therefore, in the long term, surgical rhinoplasty is the more cost-effective procedure. However, especially when it comes to smaller corrections or if you want to experience the possible result live before a follow-up operation because the computer simulation is not sufficient, then rhinoplasty with hyaluronic acid is a good procedure without the expense of surgery.

When is hyaluronic acid treatment of the nose the most suitable procedure?

The procedure is suitable under the following conditions:

• A long-term result is not targeted.
• Fear of surgery and / or anesthesia.
• Fear of a 2-3 week downtime. However, bruising can also occur during rhinoplasty without surgery.
• Aim for a constructive correction and not a reduction!
• Aiming for a small correction.
• The result should be visible immediately.
• Acceptance of the temporary effectiveness of hyaluronic acid treatment without surgery.

How is the follow-up treatment for rhinoplasty without surgery carried out?

The follow-up treatment for rhinoplasty with hyaluronic acid is significantly less complex than for rhinoplasty.

• Beware of malleability!
  Please be careful with the areas that have been filled with hyaluronic acid. You should assume that they will remain malleable for at least 7-10 days. Massages should be avoided in the affected areas. If necessary, glasses should not be worn during this time as they can leave marks on the bridge of the nose.
• Swelling and redness
  Immediately after the procedure, the tissue swells and may become slightly red. With good cooling, these changes disappear within a few hours.
• Pain
  These are usually so harmless that no painkillers need to be taken.

What complications can occur during treatment with hyaluronic acid?

• Infections
  Infections are a rarity when injecting hyaluronic acid with adequate disinfection.
• Bleeding and bruising
  Minor bruising can occur after the treatment as the nose is very well supplied with blood. This also applies to other injection procedures, such as wrinkle injections with hyaluronic acid or Btx treatment. Larger bruises are possible in principle, but are extremely unlikely without surgery.
• Cosmetically unsatisfactory result
  If the desired result is not achieved without surgery, rhinoplasty should be considered. If you want to reverse the result in the short term, this is possible with the help of an enzyme that breaks down the hyaluronic acid within approx. one day.
• Allergies
  There are no known allergies to hyaluronic acid. Nevertheless, allergic reactions can occur during rhinoplasty without surgery. You may react to the anesthetic or to the local anesthetics that are often added to the hyaluronic acid.

A short summary

Nose correction without surgery using hyaluronic acid is a rewarding procedure that requires little effort for correcting minor and possibly moderate nasal deformities. Larger deformities of the nose cannot be corrected without surgery. The procedure is also unsuitable if structures of the nose or the entire nose are to be reduced in size. Nose correction with hyaluronic acid is also unsuitable for those who are aiming for a long-term result.

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