Question: Im an 18 year old Asian patient who has been getting fillers injected into my nose for a non surgical nose job. Can the same look be created more permanently with a rhinoplasty? Do I need an implant or rib or ear cartilage?
Answer: Fillers in the nose are acceptable as short term alternatives to actual rhinoplasty as long as a safer filler like Restylane or Juvederm is used. Artefill, Silicone and even Radiesse should be avoided due to risk of scarring and permanent complications and infection. I prefer your septal cartilage but Asians often do not have enough septal cartilage for their rhinoplasty. Rib or costal cartilage is the method of choice. It can be frozen rib from donated cavaders or your own. Either one works well. Ear cartilage is not good for the bridge of the nose no matter what some other Plastic Surgeons may tell you. Ear cartilage may be ok for the tip but not the bridge. Implants are risky. When they work well they work well but you always have a risk of infection, shifting or extrusion even decades later.
