You’re at the store and you’re about to make a big-ticket purchase. Perhaps it’s a car? A house?
A potentially life changing decision.
Like most people, when faced with an important decision, you probably spend a lot of time doing your homework because you want to make the right choice and pick the best option for you.
A high octane sports car might be a great choice for a car aficionado, but not if you’re looking for a car to chauffeur a family of five to soccer games.
In a lot of ways, the choice between having a liquid rhinoplasty and a surgical rhinoplasty is similar. Like that sports car with only two seats versus the minivan, both serve an important purpose. But which one is BEST? That’s entirely up to preference, risk tolerance, lifestyle and – most critically – nose physiology and the result you want to achieve.
Comparing a liquid and surgical rhinoplasty is a bit like comparing a minivan to a sports car. Which one is better? Well, it depends. Do you need to fit a car seat?
If you’re considering a liquid or surgical rhinoplasty, understanding the differences is key.
The biggest difference between a liquid rhinoplasty and a surgical rhinoplasty is that in a liquid rhinoplasty you’re adding material to the nose (additive), and in a surgical rhinoplasty you’re reshaping by taking things away (reductive). That difference alone might tip the preference for one procedure over the other. The second big difference is that a liquid rhinoplasty is temporary (~1-2 years), and a surgical rhinoplasty is permanent. If you like the result of a liquid rhinoplasty, you’ll need to have the procedure repeated.
A liquid rhinoplasty is performed by injecting one of the firmer, higher weight hyaluronic acids (high G’ Prime) into the midline bridge of the nose. The tip and sides can also be injected but comes with a substantially higher risk of vascular occlusion, which is where filler is accidentally injected into a vessel and subsequently blocks blood flow. In a worst-case scenario this can lead to necrosis (death) of facial tissue and blindness, so having an expert injector is key. Dr. Linkov avoids injecting the tip and sidewall because of the risk. Patients who have previously undergone nose surgery are also more likely to suffer an adverse effect from filler injection due to potential changes in the location of the blood vessels and scar tissue postop.
When to consider a liquid rhinoplasty?
A liquid rhinoplasty could be a good procedure for someone who overall is pleased with the size and shape of their nose but is bothered by bumps or irregular contours in the midline. In these instances, hyaluronic acid can have a really nice effect and make a noticeable improvement.
However, in instances where a patient wants the size and shape of the nose significantly changed, or there are functional issues (such as breathing), surgery is the better option. A liquid rhinoplasty is also not a temporary way to ‘test drive’ a surgical nose job. The results just won’t be comparable.
If you’re still interested in seeing what’s involved in a liquid rhinoplasty and how it’s performed on a good candidate, head over to Dr Linkov’s video here.
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Written by
Kristi Charish
Edited by
Dr. Gary Linkov
The content of this newsletter is for entertainment and educational purposes only. This content is not meant to provide any medical advice or treat any medical conditions. Patients must be evaluated by an appropriate healthcare provider on an individual basis and treatment must be tailored to meet that patient’s needs. Results and particular outcomes are not guaranteed.
