Injectable Rhinoplasty, or NSNJ Allows You to Try Your New Nose Shape Before Committing to Nose Job

“Injectable rhinoplasty”, also called “liquid rhinoplasty”, also called a “nonsurgical nose job” or “NSNJ” is a tried and true method of reshaping the nose. The results of this procedure can meet or exceed the results of traditional rhinoplasty surgery. It is a relatively easy, pain-free, and safe procedure that confers instant results with minimal downtime. For all these reasons it has become one of the most popular procedures we perform at the Zelken Institute for Aesthetic Medicine. It is also popular nationwide as seen on Instagram, TikTok and other social media platforms. We can use a number of fillers for the nose ranging from calcium hydroxyapatite to hyaluronic acid. The most common fillers we use are Restylane Lyft, Voluma, and Radiesse. While Dr. Zelken and his staff prefers to use a cannula for injection, for both safety and precision, needles may be used instead or as well. The procedure is typically performed after 20-30 minutes of topical numbing and patients tolerate it very well. On average, 1 cc of filler is used. In many cases, less is necessary. Revision rhinoplasty is safe on most patients, however risks do increase after previous rhinoplasty, and especially after multiple previous rhinoplasty surgeries.

The most important yet subtle nuance of injectable rhinoplasty is patient selection. Also, setting patient expectations. Patient should understand that the procedure, by definition, augments the nose. We are adding volume to the nose. Unlike surgical rhinoplasty where we typically “taketh away”, injectable rhinoplasty is defined by the injection of filler into the soft tissues of the nose to make it bigger. As awful as that sounds, many patients desire larger noses. This is particularly true for Asian patients wherein augmentation rhinoplasty is more popular than reduction rhinoplasty. And all patients with a round or downturned tip. Ideal candidates also include patients who have smallish noses with a visible hump or under-projected tip. The secret to this procedure is strategic injection of filler above and below the nasal dorsal hump to make it fade away. In addition, augmentation of the tip and fortification of nasal projection by augmenting the columella (line between your nostrils) will confer projection, a better dorsal shape, and a better side profile.

The procedure is typically performed in less than 20 minutes. Although it is precise, fine tuning is often performed by massaging of the filler once it is complete. Dr. Zelken- in particular- tries to avoid massaging and relies on precise injection of the filler in the first place. Also by avoiding as many puncture sites as possible, bruising is minimized and the patient’s result is more predictable in the long-term. For all patients, and this depends on what fillers used, results can last anywhere from 9 months to 2 years. This depends on the filler that is used, the amount of filler that is used, and the patient’s response to the injections. If you are interested in rhinoplasty, and can tolerate a small amount of volume in your nose, you should try injectable rhinoplasty. In many cases this allows patients to reversibly “try on a nose for size” prior to committing to a surgical procedure. Of course, a definitive surgical procedure is permanent where as this is, by definition, temporary in most cases.