Nose Fillers

Nose fillers are a popular and effective minimally invasive procedure used to reshape the nose to correct deformities and achieve better aesthetics. Nose fillers are also known as “liquid rhinoplasty” or the “liquid nose job”.

In general, the goal of nose fillers is to alter the shape of the nose, nostrils or the bridge. A smaller, crisper nose tip and a higher nose bridge are generally favourable results for nose fillers, with the strongest emphasis being on creating a higher nose bridge.

(for more control over tip definition and shaping, a surgical Rhinoplasty is recommended)

How Nose Fillers Work

Most commonly, doctors use hyaluronic acid fillers in order to alter the shape of the nose. Hyaluronic acid, otherwise known as glycosaminoglycan polysaccharide, is a naturally occurring substance that can be found in our bodies. Therefore, it has very low antigenicity (chance of causing bad immune reactions) and is very safe when injected into our body.

Before the actual treatment takes place, a numbing cream will be applied to the relevant parts of the nose. This generally takes around 10 to 15 minutes for the effects to fully kick in.

A doctor will then use a syringe and needle on specific areas of the nose in order to alter its shape and create a more appealing look. The actual procedure takes only a short time of around 15 to 20 minutes.

Dr Samuel Ho’s Approach

Dr Samuel Ho regards nose fillers as a prelude to a surgical rhinoplasty so that one can try the look of the nose that one desires. Fillers to the nose tend to “degrade” in appearance over time; nose bridge fillers tend to look very good at the first instance, but repeated use often results in a “filler-nose” appearance, one that is overly wide and high, with an ill-defined appearance.

Dr Ho often performs rhinoplasties on patients who have had fillers done to the nose. If it was recently done, there’s a need to dissolve the fillers 1 week prior to the procedure to return the nose to its original state and minimise the bruising and swelling that occurs after the rhinoplasty. (the agent used to dissolve the filler results in a few days of significant swelling).

Fillers to the nose tip should be used with caution as it is a watershed region, particularly if the nose has been injected with filler multiple times previously or if there was surgery/trauma to the nose before.

Pain and Downtime

In general, the procedure is not painful. The doctor will apply topical numbing cream in order to make the experience tolerable.

For nose fillers, there isn’t any immediate downtime after the procedure and patients can expect to return to action with about an hour’s rest. Some patients report feeling some mild discomfort and sometimes post-operative bruising and swelling is expected. However, within 24 hours, most negative effects will have subsided.

How Long does Nose Fillers Last?

Unlike an actual rhinoplasty, the results of nose fillers are generally temporary and last so long as the hyaluronic acid remains in the tissue. Once the fillers dissipate, the nose returns to its normal shape. This usually takes between six to twelve months. The time it takes for fillers to return to normal may vary from individual to individual.

Hyaluronic acid, unfortunately, slowly dissolves into our skin tissue. Hence, your doctor might require you to come back to get touch-ups done every few months. This is to ensure that your nose continues to maintain its new shape.