PLASTIC SURGERY 101
Nose injections can go awry
Posted on Tue, Jun. 10, 2008
By DR. CARLOS WOLF
Q:I would like to improve the appearance of my nose. Which injections would you recommend? I have heard that a substance called biopolymer works well. Are there any other materials that work well?
A: I am very adamant about not injecting permanent materials into the nose, because this can cause long-term problems. Although permanent injections can make your nose look good initially, as time passes, it will droop and appear very wide. I see the long-term disasters and the lifelong pain many patients have because of poorly planned injections into the nose.
When you are looking to improve your nose, make sure you see a facial plastic surgeon, a plastic surgeon or an otorhinolaryngologist (ear, nose and throat doctor). Occasionally, if a patient has a small asymmetry or defect I will use hyaluronic acid injections as a temporary measure. Substances that have hyaluronic acid include Restylane, Perlane and Juvederm. While the use of these products in this way are considered off label by the FDA, they are generally safe. It may seem a lot easier and cheaper to just get a permanent injection, but in the long run you will pay dearly.
Dr. Carlos Wolf is a board-certified facial plastic surgeon practicing in Miami. E-mail:
carloswolfmd@aol.com.
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