The nose is the focal point of the face, so when you have concerns about the size or shape of your nose, it’s common to feel self-conscious. A nose job (also known as “rhinoplasty”) is a great option to help you change the areas of your nose causing your insecurities.
When you do your research, you may come across the term ‘non-surgical nose job’. In this article, we explain some of the differences between the two to help you begin to make your decision. However, if you’re seriously considering rhinoplasty treatment, booking a consultation with one of our surgeons is the best way to get tailored advice and information.
Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty
The treatment
We do not offer non-surgical nose jobs at Manchester Plastic Surgery as we don’t believe they are an appropriate solution for someone who is genuinely unhappy with their nose. A non-surgical nose job (also sometimes referred to as a “liquid nose job” or “15-minute nose job”) is marketed as a less invasive treatment that can be used to correct insecurities regarding the size and shape of the nose.
It involves injecting small quantities of dermal filler into targeted areas of the nose to change the shape of the nose, create smoother lines, or enhance volume. The treatment is fairly quick and simple, requiring a topical anaesthetic that will be applied to the nose and surrounding area. However, since non-surgical rhinoplasty affords the surgeon much less access to your nose, not all areas of concern can be corrected and the results are not permenant.
You should also be aware of potential side effects which can include bruising, swelling, nausea, or filler migration (where the injected ingredient moves to other areas of your nose or beneath your eyes).
Surgical rhinoplasty
The treatment
Surgical rhinoplasty is carried out under general anaesthetic and typically takes one to two hours to complete, depending on the complexity of the treatment.
Typically, we will carry out the rhinoplasty from within the nose, using a treatment technique known as “closed” rhinoplasty. However, in more complicated cases, we may need to perform an “open” rhinoplasty. This will be discussed with you during your consultation to make sure we take the appropriate approach to achieve your desired results.
During the treatment itself, incisions are made on the inside of the nostrils and at the base of the nose. Through these incisions, we will carefully shape and sculpt the cartilage and bone into shape from within your nose. If one of the goals for your treatment is to remove a hump or straighten a deviated septum, we will use a chisel or rasp to remove excess bone before trimming the cartilage to reshape the tip of the nose. We will then bring the nasal bones together to form a narrower and straighter bridge.
If you’re concerned about the shape or size of your nostrils, we can address this during a surgical rhinoplasty by making small incisions in the crease of the nostril and repositioning them as appropriate.
Once treatment is complete and we’re happy with the final shape, we will apply a splint to your nose to help it maintain its new shape.
The recovery time
Surgical rhinoplasty has a longer recovery time than its non-surgical alternative.
You will be required to stay overnight in one of our private suites at our facility in Spire Manchester Hospital where you will be taken care of by our expert aftercare team. We will prescribe the appropriate pain killers to help ease your discomfort before discharging you.
You should ensure you have someone ready to collect you from the hospital and take care of you for a couple of days post-treatment. This will give you the time to rest and recover, ensuring you achieve the best results.
You may develop swelling and bruising around your eyes and nose for the first few days post-treatment, usually reaching a peak after two or three days before it begins to subside. You will receive specific advice from Mr James Murphy, our surgical rhinoplasty specialist, post-treatment to help minimise your bruising and discomfort, though you’ll typically be instructed to apply cold compresses and ice packs to reduce swelling.
We will help you remove your cast after about one week and we will remove any stitches within two weeks.
You will be able to return to your typical place of work within two weeks post-treatment, depending on how physically strenuous your job may be and you will be given tailored advice about when you can return to physical exercise.
The risks
Like any cosmetic treatment, rhinoplasty surgery does have a few risks you should be aware of ahead of treatment. The most common complications include infection, nosebleed, or a potential reaction to the anaesthesia.
The scarring
In most cases, where rhinoplasty can be performed inside the nose, there is no visible scarring to worry about. However, if the treatment requires a more “open” approach, there will be small scars at the base of the nose and potentially around the nostrils. These scars typically fade over time and we can provide further advice on minimising scarring post-treatment if this is a concern of yours.
