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Changing Faces: Non-Surgical Nose Job and Ethnic Rhinoplasty

 

As patient demands and population change, so too do the methods of cosmetic surgeons to meet an ever changing client base.

The nose job is still one of the most popular of all cosmetic surgeries. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) 152,434 rhinoplasty procedures were performed in 2008, and was the most popular cosmetic procedure for teens in 2009. Rhinoplasty has changed over the years however as many ethnic patients pursue this surgery looking for a different outcome than traditional nose jobs, and new methods of non-surgical rhinoplasty become available.

Dr Alexander Rivkin Non Surgical Nose Job Before and After
Actual Results of Dr. Alexander Rivkin's Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty


Dermal fillers now have several longer lasting options that can be effective for a year or more. With non-invasive procedures such as Zerona and Zeltiq on the rise, it's no surprise that patients have demanded a non-surgical rhinoplasty option. Dr. Alexander Rivkin a Los Angeles cosmetic surgeon has performed over 1,000 non-surgical nose jobs and has trained other physicians in this technique. The procedure begins with a topical numbing cream and then the physician injects the fillers Radiesse or Restylane to smooth out any sharp angles or even to change the angle of the tip of the nose. The procedure takes a total of about 15 minutes with a much lower price tag than a surgery, but while the outcome is impressive, it isn't quite as dramatic as surgical results.

Fillers do have another use and are sometimes utilized to help even contours following surgery. In an article published in the Aesthetic Society Journal, authors detailed the use of fillers to correct the imperfections often found after rhinoplasty. "Injectable fillers allow surgeons to correct post-surgical imperfections without the expense, anesthetic risk, or recovery downtime involved with additional surgery," said one of the authors Dr. Steven Dayan. As with all injectable filler treatments, technique is critical to success. The authors say that limiting the use of fillers to the top and sides of the nose while generally avoiding the base and tip, and proper depth.

As more ethnic patients seek out rhinoplasty, their goals are different than other patients. Rather than a desire for a celebrity nose, they look for features more commonly found in other family members. Dr. Julius Few, along with several other physicians, presented information on these procedures at the ASAPS annual meeting last year in Las Vegas. He said, "It is vital to preserve the ethnic heritage of the given patient and understand that ethnic rhinoplasty is more about balance of the face and not assuming the look of another racial or ethnic group - a fear that many African American patients still have."

The methods physicians employ must also change along with patient demands and population in order to stay current with the needs of the society. Fillers make for a faster procedure that spares patients downtime and surgical procedures are being changed to suit the demands of a growing minority client base.