Breaking Down Top Trends: Liquid nose Job vs Rhinoplasty


When it comes to correcting the appearance of your nose, you have options. Depending on your needs, you may be able to choose between traditional surgery and the non-surgical alternative. We’ll help you to compare liquid nose job vs. rhinoplasty to make the best choice to meet your expectations and needs. Then, when it comes time to search for a “plastic surgeon near me,” you will know what procedure to ask for.

What Is a Liquid Nose Job?

A liquid nose job uses an injectable filler to reshape your nose. Common fillers used contain hyaluronic acids (HA) such as Juvaderm and Restylane. These fillers may also help improve the contours of cheeks and lips.

This in-office procedure requires the skilled hands of a trained professional to get the best results. Depending on the type of injectable used for the liquid nose job and the patient, the results may last several months up to two years. Therefore, if you want to have lifetime results, you may need to schedule future liquid rhinoplasties or more permanent nose surgery.

Liquid Nose Job Patient Results

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What Is Rhinoplasty Nose Surgery?

Rhinoplasty involves the physical shaping of the cartilage and bone of the nose to achieve permanent changes. The surgeon will use a series of incisions to access the interior of the nose and make the necessary changes. As a surgical procedure, you will need sedation such as general anesthesia to keep you still and pain-free during the operation. These are not requirements for a liquid nose job. One of the most frequently asked questions regarding rhinoplasty is “Does nose surgery hurt“. The short answer is no for most people. 

Rhinoplasty Patient Results

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What Are the Positives and Negatives of Liquid Nose Job vs Rhinoplasty?

When choosing between a liquid nose job and surgery, you must consider the advantages of each. For instance, liquid nose jobs have the following benefits over surgery:

  • In-office procedure
  • Takes 15 minutes
  • See results immediately
  • Recovery takes a day or two
  • Reversible procedure in case of dissatisfaction with appearance

While these benefits may make a liquid nose job vs. rhinoplasty a simple decision, consider the disadvantages of a liquid nose job.

Though you can get immediate results, a liquid nose job may not be the best option if you want something that lasts the rest of your life. The results from a liquid rhinoplasty may only last for about two years.

Also, if you have a major structural defect in your nose, such as a broken nose or a large defect, a liquid nose job may not provide enough change that you need to get the results you want.

What Advantages and Disadvantages Does Rhinoplasty Offer?

Nose surgery may require more recovery time, but the results will last much longer than a liquid nose job. If you want a permanent change to your appearance that does not require regular touch-ups, you may want to have surgery instead of a liquid nose job.

Another consideration is the type of change that you want. For instance, if you need help to breathe better due to a misshapen nose, surgery can help while a liquid nose job will not. Also, if you need to make a dramatic change to your nose’s appearance, rhinoplasty will provide the results you need.

If you want to have multiple surgical procedures on your face at once, you may prefer to have nose surgery. You can then schedule other surgeries for the same time to go under the knife once instead of multiple times.

Rhinoplasty surgery, though, is not perfect. The swelling may last for up to a year. Plus, until the swelling completely disappears, you may not get to see the results of the surgery. Also, as with all surgeries, rhinoplasty costs more than in-office filler injections. However, since the results last the rest of your life, you may eventually see a balancing of the cost with getting repeated liquid nose jobs.

Some side effects that may happen after a rhinoplasty include dry mouth, numb lip, and swelling. While complications rarely occur, they may include infections and bleeding. These do not happen with a liquid nose job.

Who Might Need a Liquid Nose Job?

Commonly, those who have minor defects in the shape of their nose and do not want surgery may benefit from a liquid nose job. For instance, asymmetry, a drooping tip, or a small bump on the top of the nose can have a correction from the use of injectable fillers. Fillers don’t require preparation before and minimal care after. Plus, they have FDA approval as a safe way to improve the appearance of the face.

Who Gets Better Results from Rhinoplasty vs Liquid Nose Job?

While liquid rhinoplasty works well to fix minor issues, if you have a significant problem that needs changing, you may get better nose surgery results. For example, for those who have crooked noses, bulbous tips, large bulges, misshapen nostrils, or similar structural problems that stem from the shape of the bones or cartilage, rhinoplasty surgery may correct the issues with better, longer-lasting results.

What Preparation Do You Need for Liquid Nose Job vs Rhinoplasty?

The amount of preparation that you will need to make before either a rhinoplasty or a liquid nose job differs. First, a liquid nose job requires no preparation before the procedure. You may need to avoid wearing glasses or sunglasses for one to two weeks to prevent displacing the filler. Since the procedure takes place in the office with no anesthesia, you can return to work immediately after.  You don’t even have to plan to take off from your job to have this procedure.

For rhinoplasty surgery, you will need to talk to the surgeon about the medications you take to determine if you need to discontinue any before the operation. Additionally, you need to take off from work because you will have general anesthesia for the procedure. Also, the recovery process happens in stages over several months after rhinoplasty. Therefore, you will have to reschedule strenuous exercise sessions or contact sports until at least six to eight weeks after the surgery.

Set Up a Consultation to Find Out Which Service Would Work Best for You

If you still have concerns about a nose job or what to know if our practice suits your needs for a “plastic surgeon near me,” contact us at Charlotte Plastic Surgery with your questions. On the other hand, if you feel prepared to take the next step toward improving your nose’s appearance and want a consultation with one of our surgeons, set up your appointment today.