Rhinoplasty is certainly the most requested intervention in France.

It can be done in the operating room for surgical rhinoplasty , or, now, in the office when it comes to medical rhinoplasty .

A hollow at the level of the lion's ride to fill, the tip of the nose to go up? In some very specific cases, the doctor can intervene thanks to the injections.

Medical rhinoplasty: a light and ephemeral intervention

It involves injecting fillers ( hyaluronic acid most often) to correct slight anomalies: flat between the eyes, asymmetry of the wings of the nose or tip that collapses.

In practice: the procedure takes place in the office, sometimes under local anesthesia (ointment or bite). The practitioner then injects hyaluronic acid with a thin needle or microcannula into the nose in contact with cartilage or bone. He then remodels the product with his finger to put the liquid correctly in place. We can follow the work of remodeling in a mirror. The session lasts about half an hour and can be done every year.

The consequences: the result is visible immediately, even if there may be slight edema or redness. We avoid for a day or two to press on the nose, to wear glasses frames heavy so as not to move the product, and we avoid the sun for a fortnight.

How much does it cost ? From 300 to 500 € depending on the amount of hyaluronic acid injected.

A technique that allows a glimpse of his "new nose"

If we are afraid of ending up with a nose that we do not like, this technique based on injections can give a first glimpse of what will be the new nose after a possible final surgery.

In all cases, for a rhinoplasty, the surgeon offers a computer morphing. It is a computer simulation of the expected result to get an idea in advance of the effects of the operation.

Surgical Rhinoplasty: precise and definitive

For minor defects, (correct thick tips, "planing" our slight bump on the ridge), the surgeon passes inside the nose to reshape the bone and cartilage. All without leaving any scar.

For larger imperfections, (prominent nose, ridge or nasal septa deviated) it makes a small horizontal incision at the level of the columella (under the upper lip) that closes with the most often resorbable son and which will be invisible because hidden by the shadow of the nose.

In practice: the intervention takes place in the operating room, outpatient, after having had a prior visit with the anesthetist. The latter and the surgeon then opt for sedation (intravenous tranquilizer) or general anesthesia. The intervention lasts from 40 minutes to 2 hours following the corrections to be made

The consequences: if the surgeon has "worked" on the bone, he puts a plaster on the nose, which he removes after eight days. We can then go home the same evening. The nose is swollen, especially in the eyelids, and bruising is possible, but the pain is mild. If the surgeon has placed wicks or drains (which are removed on the second or third day), it can be difficult to breathe. At the end of three weeks, one can already have a small glimpse of the result knowing that the nose is still inflated and that one can appreciate the final result only after six months to a year. Patience, then!

How much does it cost ? Between 1000 and 5000 € depending on the work done by the surgeon. If it is a "functional inconvenience", such as a deviation of the walls for example, the operation can be supported by the Health Insurance.

Thanks to Dr. Patrick Trévidic, a specialist in plastic and reconstructive surgery, head of department at Sainte Anne Hospital in Paris.