Popularity Of Injectable Fillers On The Increase
They Are Not A Permanent Replacement Of Surgical Procedures, Doctors Warn.
Injectable fillers are creeping into the American market, with doctors offering the method to patients, which are usually used to smooth out wrinkles and iron out imperfections of the skin.
However, the treatment is not a replacement for more traditional methods of rhinoplasty, instead they should be considered as a temporary test so that the patient can decide if a nose job is right for them.
The Washington Post quotes Lost Angeles Plastic Surgeon Dr. Alexander Rivkin: “I say it is like taking a nose out for a test drive”.
As a result he argues that the procedure is good for someone with a minor issue with their nose like asymmetry or a flat bridge, as the filler is injected over the ‘bump’, effectively hiding it. They do not actually remove the imperfection or reduce the size of the nose; instead it gives the illusion of such.
The new methods are receiving some criticisms though, with the injectables being largely in their early stages. America’s FDA met recently to look over complaints that the fillers are causing some problems. The method of injecting them into the nose has not been approved by the FDA yet so they were asked to look at what long term affects it might have.
Meanwhile in the United Kingdom, it seems these injectable fillers are being used by women to change the appearance of their legs and create a more defined shape to them. The use of Macrolane injections are being used to define the contours of the calves and buttocks.
It is yet unclear whether these methods will affect their surgical counterparts. Rhinoplasty traditionally involves surgically separating the skin of the nose from the bone and cartilage underneath. These are then sculpted into the shape that has been agreed on before the skin is replaced. Most of the actual surgery is done underneath the skin and therefore scarring is quite minimal.
Sources: Washington Post and Private Healthcare UK
