Could non-surgical rhinoplasty spell the end for the traditional nose job?

With cosmetic surgery becoming more and more popular in the UK, it’s no surprise that innovation in the industry is rife. For those looking to restore their piece of mind, and regain control of their self-image, this is extremely welcome news. One of the most helpful new evolutions in the sphere of cosmetic dermatology is a variety of new, non-surgical alternatives to popular procedures. These non-surgical treatments ensure that a patient get the results that they so dearly desire; shoring up dented confidence with minimal disturbance to the patient’s person. In other words, if you’re not confident about the idea of surgery, but feel that you would benefit from a cosmetic dermatology treatment, the industry can now, in many cases, cater to your needs.

Non-surgical Rhinoplasty is one such procedure, providing patients with a much less daunting, yet equally safe and effective, path to the nose that they have always wanted. Statistics gathered on cosmetic surgery by the Guardian during 2013 show that rhinoplasty was the most popular cosmetic surgery for men that year, and the fifth most popular cosmetic surgery for women. According to the Guardians figures, a combined total of 4878 rhinoplasty procedures were carried out in the UK; so it seems like many patients could have benefitted from a less time consuming and invasive procedure!

Different means to the same end

While there are a few similarities between surgical and non-surgical rhinoplasty, they are ultimately very different means of attaining the same result. Large procedural differences are apparent even before the surgery has begun; surgical rhinoplasty will generally require the patient to be fully sedated, whereas non-surgical rhinoplasty will only require a topical, fast-acting anaesthetic. This difference alone dramatically reduces the amount of time that the non-surgical procedure takes to complete, as patients completely bypass the downtime associated with emergence from general anaesthesia.

The fast, uncomplicated nature of non-surgical rhinoplasty is also readily apparent in the procedure itself; and the reduction in possible post-procedure side-effects when compared to the surgical alternative. Due to its invasive nature, surgical rhinoplasty will leave extensive swelling and bruising, generally lasting for several weeks after the procedure, and can potentially even leave scarring, though these scars will generally be located within your nasal cavity. Non-surgical rhinoplasty is a much simpler, less invasive procedure, relying on the injection of dermal fillers to facilitate a cosmetic change to a patient’s nose. There are minimal side effects to a non-surgical rhinoplasty procedure, though sometimes a degree of temporary swelling can occur. So ultimately the injection of dermal filler is far less traumatic to the body than a series of surgical cuts and manoeuvres, and the procedure takes far less time.

But non-surgical is still not a perfect alternative

Unfortunately, non-surgical rhinoplasty is still not a perfect alternative to surgical rhinoplasty, as the injection of dermal filler is not able to achieve absolutely every outcome required of rhinoplasty procedures. A free consultation with a botonics cosmetic specialist should be able to decide exactly which rhinoplasty procedure is best able to solve your problem; but as a rule of thumb, procedures that require the narrowing of the dorsal base, or the retraction of the columella, will require surgical intervention. Procedures that involve other areas of the nose may well also be suitable for solely surgical rhinoplasty, but a consultation is the only way to decide with absolute certainty.

This unfortunately means that between 20-30% of patients that request non-surgical rhinoplasty are turned away, and will be left with the equally effective, yet more expensive and time consuming, option of surgical rhinoplasty as their sole recourse. So, no, non-surgical rhinoplasty will not be replacing surgical rhinoplasty anytime soon, though it does often provide a more convenient alternative.