Rhinofiller, a guide on the non-surgical nose correction

«The typical patient is the person who has always been conscious of their nose, and with rhinofiller they achieve the visual effect of a smaller and aesthetic nose»

Luca Grassetti, plastic and aesthetic surgeon based in Ancona

The nose is one of the most aesthetic parts of the face, together with lips, eyes and cheeks. And it is also one of the parts that people often do not like of themselves: maybe because it is asymmetrical, maybe because it shows a little bump, maybe because it is too large. In the USA, cosmetic surgeries such as rhinoplasty are up to 220,000, and it goes a long way to show the importance it has for people’s self-esteem.

Even if rhinoplasty is sometimes a hard, complex surgery, there is a simpler way to improve the nose aesthetics: rhinofiller. Luca Grassetti, plastic and aesthetic surgeon based in Ancona, explains what is this non-surgical nose correction, how long does it last and who is rhinofiller perfect for.

Rhinofiller, what is it and who is it aimed to

Rhinofiller is an aesthetic medicine procedure that is carried out in day hospital. The procedure lasts 15 minutes and consists in injecting a small quantity of hyaluronic acid under the nose’s skin. «Rhinofiller is an outpatient procedure which usually does not require more than 15 minutes. We apply an anaesthetic cream, if needed we also use some ice, and then we proceed with injection» Grassetti explains, who is called “rhinofiller wizard” by his patients. After more or less 1 year, hyaluronic acid is completely reabsorbed by the body and must be performed again to restore the effects. However, the skin on the nose is particularly compliant, and “remembers” the previous injection making the procedure quicker and easier. «Each time we take a little step further in reaching the shape we envisioned».

Hyaluronic acid is a natural compound normally found in the human body; it helps make the skin elastic and functional. With rhinofiller, this gel is injected either deep in the nose or just below the surface, depending on the scope of the operation, thus modelling the nose. «The defects that can be corrected with rhinofiller are the nose’s hook and hump» Grassetti says. «By injecting hyaluronic acid in strategic places, such as slightly higher or lower than the hump, we can mask it».

«The typical patient is the person who has always been conscious of their nose, and with rhinofiller they achieve the visual effect of a smaller and aesthetic nose» the doctor continues. «I would avoid carrying out this procedure on large noses though, as if it is already large and long, then adding hyaluronic acid may make it appear even larger».

Rhinofiller or rhinoplasty: which is better when?

Unlike rhinofiller, classical rhinoplasty is a surgery that requires more effort and longer postoperative recovery. Each of these procedures, however, has its pros and cons, and sometimes they may work synergistically to achieve the best result for the patient. «I will generally carry out a rhinoplasty when the patient shows respiratory problems, when there are severe osteocartilaginous deviations of the nasal septum, when the nose is particularly large or when the correction must be permanent and definitive» the surgeon says. In this case rhinoplasty permanently solves a problem that may have affected the patient for years at end.

«Rhinofiller is better when the patient is scared of or doesn’t have money for rhinoplasty, or if they are not sure a different nose would be good for their face, as it is a reversible procedure» Grassetti explains. «And if the patient likes rhinofiller then the procedure can be repeated, as it is an outpatient procedure without downtime and way cheaper».

Furthermore, rhinofiller can even improve the results obtained from rhinoplasty. «During rhinoplasty, osteocartilaginous fractures are made. The surgery operates on bone, cartilage, mucous membrane and skin, four tissues that have to heal together. Sometimes some irregularities may arise» Grassetti says. In these cases, rhinofiller is better than another bout of rhinoplasty. «With hyaluronic acid, minimal corrections can be carried out after rhinoplasty to magnify the result of surgery».

Are there any risks?

Rhinofiller, when compared with other procedures such as surgical rhinoplasty, is safe and easy to perform. Even so, it still presents some light risks. «Being an injective and infiltrative procedure, the main risk of these shots is of injecting the hyaluronic acid inside a blood vessel» he explains. «Whenever the doctor or the patient notices it, it is sufficient to schedule another brief session and inject hyaluronidase». 

Luckily, a steady hand and an expert eye can prevent almost every complication. «I always say: which is the most important hand for a right-handed person carrying out rhinofiller? It’s not the right but the left one, as it is the hand that moves the blood vessels, straightens the skin, models the nose» Grassetti highlights. «No surgeon who has been performing rhinofiller for years has never encountered a complication. The important thing is being able to solve the inevitable complications that may arise: that’s the difference between a good doctor and a not-so-good doctor».

Rhinofiller, then, is a simple and effective procedure that can, in a brief time, improve the patients’ self-esteem. Being easily reversible, it is way more versatile than a full rhinoplasty, which is a surgical procedure with long downtime. What matters is the result: and the result of rhinofiller is a person that is not scared anymore of being photographed, a person that is not embarrassed anymore when looking in the mirror, a person with the freedom to live better with themselves.

3 examples of Rhinofiller, Luca Grassetti