Can Temporary Fillers Be Used to Soften Slightly Pinched Tip Until Future Surgery?

Thank you for the great question! Yes, soft tissue fillers can be used in the nose to soften contours. This technique is often called non-surgical rhinoplasty -- it can be a great option, but must be done carefully since the nasal tissues are more sensitive than the thicker facial tissues.  In terms of timing, fillers will last 6 to 9 months. Ideally, you would want these to be dissolved when you have your surgery. Otherwise, the filler may make it difficult to judge the contour of the grafts placed in the tip. Best of luck moving forward!

Hyaluronic acid fillers are excellent for
slightly pinched nasal tip in the interim to allow for maximum wound healing until
one can do a secondary operative procedure. One should wait 12-15 months before
considering revisional surgery.

Hello ella3,

Thanks for your question.  If you feel that you need a revision tip rhinoplasty but are not sure of when you want to proceed, soft tissue fillers can be a nice way to camouflage the area of concern.  Non-surgical rhinoplasty, as this is called, is used frequently by those who are not ready for surgery and those that need minor corrections after surgery.  In my practice, I typically recommend the use of HA fillers like Juvederm or Restylane because they are soft and will disappear over time.  More long-lasting fillers, such as Radiesse, can be used but are only recommended if patients are absolutely sure that they will never have primary or revision rhinoplasty.  The reason for this is that the calcium particles in Radiesse can be a source of problems during surgery.  

The advantages of fillers are that they are affordable, can be performed in the office, and, in the case of HA fillers, can be reversed if outcomes are unsatisfactory.  Additionally, touch-ups are easy to perform.  Some downsides of fillers are that they can create a larger nose, they are not really capable of creating sculpted definition, and they will disappear with time.

I hope this helps.

Good luck,

Dr. Shah

Hi Ella,

Injectable fillers may be used to soften the nose after a rhinoplasty.  In the tip of the nose it is paramount to inject minimal amounts and to make sure that filler is not injected into blood vessels.  By limiting the amount of filler injected and by using small blunt tipped canullas to inject, the procedure can be done safely, but I would recommend that this be done only by an experienced rhinoplasty surgeon to avoid devastating complications.  Good luck and be well.

Dr. P

Fillers are used to temporarily enhance the contour of the nose. The nasal skin, and scar from previous surgery, can mute the definition a filler can provide elsewhere on the face. More common areas for enhancement include the upper dorsum, the nasal tip and along the upper edge of the ala when the ridge is too deep. Fillers can help your contour now, and give the nose adequate time to heal before any further intervention is planned. The information above i generally true; however, a complete history and physical examination would be needed before knowing if the procedure is appropriate for your nose. This is also an area the requires experience to get the best results and avoid complications.

Dear Ella,

Thank you for your question.  Generally the best place for filler in the nose is along the dorsum, if there is a deficiency there.  The skin along the tip is much thinner usually and a good result without damaging the skin is much harder.  IF there is thick tissue in this area, it is safer to inject.  Also, remember, that after injection, you need to wait until all the filler is gone before a revision can take place.

Best Wishes,

Pablo PRichard, MD

Fillers can be used effectively to correct some nasal deformity with a very good result. However, lack of lower lateral cartilages will need to be corrected by addition of cartilage in order to lift the ala. This will correct the pinching deformity.

I am glad to see this question. While fillers can be used safely and successfully on the bridge of the nose or the sidewalls they should be AVOIDED around the nasal tip. The vascular supply to the nasal tip is such that there is a higher risk of causing ischemia or necrosis (dead skin with subsequent scarring) in this area. Additionally, the effects are much more difficult to create due to the anatomy and  scarring that created the 'pinch' to begin with. If the tissues are tightly adherent then injected filler will end up lifting the sides of that area where the tissues are more able to stretch rather than expanding and filling out the dent, where tissues are firmly stuck together. I have seen many many patients over the years who have had problems from attempts to correct tip deformities with fillers like trying to bring the nostril rims down, fill in dents, or change the dome symmetry. I have also operated on many patients that have had prior filler injections and found troublesome scar tissue, fibrosis, inflammation and crunchy pieces of Radiesse that were difficult to remove. In the event that you have had prior filler injections and you are going to have surgery in the future the Hyaluronic acid gels (Restylane, Juvederm, Belotero etc.) can be dissolved a week before surgery so letting your surgeon know ahead of time can be helpful.

Yes, in many instances fillers can be used to soften the appearance of a pinched tip.  But when you want revisit surgery you will have to let the filler resorb.