PERMANENT NON-SURGICAL RHINOPLASTY
Permanent non-surgical rhinoplasty cannot claim that name without merit. The medical grade silicone, like other silicone “implants”, e.g. heart valves, artificial joints, heart pacemakers, internal stents or tubes, are made of the same material, just in solid form. The advent of silicone, in solid and liquid states, is one of the great triumphs of modern biotechnology. Microdroplet injections of minute amounts 1-3/100 of a CC (5 CCs to a teaspoon) into multiple locations is hardly noticed by the body and remains undisturbed.
This technique of non-surgical nose job, also known as liquid nose job comprises 25% of Dr. Kotler’s facial cosmetic surgery practice. And the number of patients is growing as more patients disinterested or dissatisfied with temporary fillers, dubbed “a life sentence” seek a permanent and final solution to their dissatisfaction, particularly if they have one or more surgical rhinoplasties.
TEMPORARY NON-SURGICAL RHINOPLASTY
Temporary, absorbable fillers achieved success and fame to plump lips and replace the loss of fullness that occurs in mid-life. Historically, surgeons found it helpful for use in correcting imperfect rhinoplasties and correcting some structural deficiencies as a substitute for a surgical rhinoplasty. But the biggest negative, of course, is the limited longevity of the temporary fillers. The popular temporary fillers, Restylane®, Juvéderm®, Voluma and others are not considered permanent because they are destined to be dissolved by the body. Other fillers have some elements destined to thrive longer than four to six months, often lasting up to a year. All these require periodic “refill.”
Many patients will consider temporary nonsurgical nose jobs and have a change of heart when comforted by surgeons like Dr. Kotler that use computer imaging to showcase results before a permanent non-surgical nose surgery. Over time, temporary nose fillers are a more costly type of non-surgical rhinoplasty because every year the procedure must be performed again.
They are safe, when properly injected and do satisfy patients, particularly initially. But, as time goes on, many patients become disenchanted with the lack of permanency and the cost. “A life sentence” is what one patient described it. “Filler fatigue” is a more common title.