Rhinoplasty, also known commonly as a nose job, is one of the most performed plastic surgical procedures. It helps change or enhance the shape, size, alignment. And the functionality of the nose.
Traditionally, this procedure was done surgically, but more and more people are considering non-invasive surgical procedures where nose fillers, a type of dermal filler, are used for liquid rhinoplasty.
That is a non-invasive rhinoplasty meant to smooth the bumps on the nose, make a nose larger, or elevate the nose tip. However, before considering liquid rhinoplasty, it is best to look at the pros and cons of both methods to see whether it’s a worthy alternative or not for your needs.
Pros And Cons Of Surgical Rhinoplasty
Pros
Permanent and drastic results
This is one of the main reasons why some people still consider surgical rhinoplasty procedures over non-surgical ones. Once you have gone for your first procedure, you do not need to go in for follow-up sessions to keep the procedure’s results visible.
Surgical rhinoplasty is good for someone who wants to make a total transformation of their nose. Because the surgeon can reach all the muscles and tissues of the nose, they can achieve any amount of change.
You can combine it with other surgical procedures
One of the most common procedures that people combine with rhinoplasty is chin augmentation. Not only will you have them done in one session, but you do not need to take multiple breaks for the recovery of each procedure.
You can use it for medical purposes
A surgical rhinoplasty procedure allows the doctor to correct a variety of tissues in the nose cavity. That way, not only will the procedure change how the nose looks, but also improve how you breathe through your nose.
This is mostly helpful for people who have had small nostrils or congested nasal cavities that made it hard for them to breathe.
Cons
Long procedure and recovery time
This is the main reason why people opt for non-invasive procedures. When in the surgeon’s office, the procedure takes hours, depending on the extent of surgery you want. Also, you are not allowed to leave the hospital until the anesthesia wears off.
It also takes about a year to recover from the procedure and see the full results fully. That not only makes it uncomfortable but also limits the things that you can do during that time.
Also, if you get results that you are not happy with, you have to wait until you fully recover from the first surgery, and you also have to wait for another year to recover from the revision rhinoplasty fully.
Higher risk
Since you are undergoing surgery and will have open wounds, you are at high risk of infections and other complications like bleeding or reaction to the anesthesia.
Depending on how the surgeon does the procedure, you might also experience numbness on some parts of the nose or the whole nose area.
Costly
According to a recent survey, the average cost of having a surgical rhinoplasty is around $5,350. You might also need to incur additional costs for medication after the surgery. However, one advantage is that this is a one-time payment.
May leave scars
While surgeons work to minimize scars by making incisions at certain places, you will still experience scarring at the incision point. They will fade during the recovery period but will not be invisible, and sometimes you have to work to conceal them with some makeup.
Pros And Cons Of Liquid Rhinoplasty
Pros
Immediate, natural-looking, and reversible results
Unlike the surgical rhinoplasty method, where you have to wait for months until you start seeing results, you see the results of a liquid rhinoplasty as soon as the doctor is done with the procedure.
When undergoing a surgical rhinoplasty, you cannot change the results of the first procedure unless you have fully healed, and the correction also has to be surgical.
However, with a liquid rhinoplasty, the doctor can tailor the results in the office to meet your needs. Also, if you go home and don’t like the results, or if a complication happens, your doctor can use hyaluronidase injections to dissolve the filler.
That way, you can try out different nose looks and see which one works best for you with minimal complications.
No downtime
This is one of the main advantages of getting a non-invasive rhinoplasty. First, the procedure takes around 15 minutes. Also, you do not have to wait for a year until the swelling subsides. You can go back to work and resume your normal routine the same day after the procedure.
Fewer complications
Since there will be anesthesia applied or open wounds in the procedure, you do not face complications of having reactions, infections, or bleeding. There are also zero chances of getting scars.
Affordable
Since there are no anesthesia fees, facility fees, or costs of taking time off your job, this is an affordable alternative to the traditional surgical procedure. The average cost of having a liquid rhinoplasty is between $600 and $1,500.
Cons
Temporary results
This is one of the main reasons why many people don’t like this type of rhinoplasty. Relaxers and fillers look great for the first few months, but they start fading with time. After some time, your nose will be the same as it was before you got the procedure.
To prevent this, you have to get a regular liquid rhinoplasty procedure, which to some people is not only tiresome but also inconvenient. It could also cost more than a surgical procedure because although an individual procedure is cheap, the combined costs build up.
Limited scope
Unlike a surgical rhinoplasty that patients can use for cosmetic and medical reasons, this is strictly for cosmetic reasons. They also do not fix complicated structural complications of the nose like;
- Deviated septum
- Reduction of the nose or part of it
- Twisted nose
- Heavily drooping or plunging nose
- A bulbous tip
- Re-alignment.
Unrealistic expectations
Sometimes, patients may have unrealistic expectations of what the liquid rhinoplasty will do to their nose, especially because of what they see on social media. While it delivers natural-looking results, there are some that people can only get from a surgical procedure.
