Rhinomodeling is an aesthetic intervention of the nose, which, unlike rhinoplasty, is not done by surgical procedures. It is indicated to correct defects in the profile of the dorsum of the nose, small humps and drooping tips.
A little history
Many of the words we currently use in our language have their origin in Greek, as is the case of:
Rhino, which in Greek names the nasal appendage.
Plastic, which means shape in Greek.
From these two Greek words can come our term “rhinoplasty”, used to name the intervention that is usually performed in a hospital to modify the shape of the nose.
The basic concepts and development of rhinoplasty as it is still practiced were developed by the American surgeon Roe in 1887 and popularized by Joseph from 1931.
Nowadays
In the current century, the appearance of new materials and medical instruments allows us to perform many of these rhinoplasty operations in a minimally invasive way, almost without surgery or without surgery, with local anesthesia, such as that used by the dentist and without hospitalization or operating room and with minimal aftercare. And naturally, the risks are lower.
As it is a medical intervention aimed at modifying the shape of the nose, we could also call it rhinoplasty, but as this term is already used for hospital intervention, the term “rhino-modeling” was coined, which means practically the same thing, but we use it to refer to a form of minimally invasive rhinoplasty, with highly predictable permanent results and which is performed on an outpatient basis without surgery or hospitalization, minimal risks and lower cost.
I have been working with this amazing technique since 2007, being among the pioneers with it in Spain. In my experience 80% of the cases susceptible or demanding aesthetic improvement through medical or surgical intervention can be solved with this minimally invasive rhinoplasty technique. Another 20% of cases can benefit more with the classic surgical rhinoplasty technique.
Rhinomodeling: knowing the patient’s wishes
Rhinomodelation begins with a medical consultation and the study of the patient’s image, with the aim of knowing the patient’s wishes or preferences and objectifying the possibilities of change by means of simulation in a computer program managed by the professional and from a quality photographic report taken at the consultation.
In this way, the patient can see what rhinomodeling offers and also compare it with what rhinoplasty can offer. The doctor or surgeon can also get to know what the patient wants, which often does not coincide with his or her own tastes or preferences.
In this same session I can offer the patient different options and advise on them. This work of simulation of possible results and inquiry into the patient’s tastes and desires is very important because, traditionally, rhinoplasty is performed without this prior study, and often it is the surgeon who decides what will suit the patient, finding later that it was not what the patient wanted.
The procedure
Simply explained the procedure, after the image diagnosis, deciding what is going to be done and after the local anesthesia, consists in the puncture of the skin with an injection needle and through that hole the introduction of the instruments and materials that will allow to make an internal mold with the desired shapes and modifications.
The mold will be reabsorbed mostly as the body tissues replace it over the following weeks, it is generally not painful during the realization – which lasts between 15 and thirty minutes – or later, nor is it necessary to take painkillers or antibiotics for this reason.
After the first session the results are already visible. After about two months, the body has replaced most of the mold (70%) with its own tissue. The procedure can then be performed again to refine the results. The number of sessions generally varies between one and three.
The rhinoplasty procedure and technique is very useful both in the nose without surgery and in the operated nose, to repair or improve surgical rhinoplasties that have not been well and allows people who would not have surgery to consider modifying their image without being a contraindication to a subsequent rhinoplasty if it were the case.