Fillers on the nose - what is safe and what can it be used for? Dr. Irwin answers on SkinTour dermatology blog

Fillers on the nose. Are these safe and effective?

Dr. Irwin
December 19, 2017
Greetings from Dubai! I had nose fillers done on the bridge of my nose, and other areas in order to make my nose look smaller. However, around 2 weeks after the procedure, my nose fillers are completely gone. My nose looks exactly how it was before. This concerns me because I don't know if it migrated or what went wrong and I am worried it would cause severe side effects. Please let me know what this can be caused by. Thanks!

Many of you may not have heard of this use: fillers on the nose. So thank you for asking!

Fillers are currently being used all over the world to modify the contour of the nose. Fillers in this area usually last 3-12 months. We’re talking about fillers (meaning hyaluronic acid fillers) like Juvederm, Restylane, Restylane Lyft, and Voluma. Also there are many others used in other parts of the world. Sculptra is not used on the nose, because it isn’t effective there. Radiesse, silicones, and Artefill (microscopic plastic beads) are NOT safe to use on the nose.

Let’s cover the basics:

  1. Are fillers safe in this area?
  2. What can fillers on the nose be used for?
  3. How long do they last?

Are fillers injected into the nose safe?

The nose is one of the most dangerous areas on the face for a filler to be injected. Blindness caused by hyaluronic acid fillers are often linked to injections in this area. Also, if a blood vessel is accidentally clogged (vascular occlusion), it can lead to skin slough and permanent scars. Thank you, Julie, for sharing this with all of us. This is what a vascular occlusion looks like.

The point is, please be SURE that you have a very experienced dermatologist or surgeon doing this, if you decide to go this route. Check out my guide to fillers. If an occlusion (clogged blood vessel) occurs, it may be reversed for the eyes, but only if treated immediately. For the skin, it can be reversed, as long as it is recognized and treated within the first few hours or days. Days is often too late.

What can fillers on the nose be used for?

  • Asymmetries are a usual reason for seeking this treatment. Asymmetries may be caused by surgical or trauma-related scars.
  • Some have problems resulting from nose surgeries that didn’t go well. It’s possible to use the fillers mentioned above to restore a closer to normal contour. The goal is often to create more symmetry.   Since it’s artistic, as well as medical, it’s important to trust the eye of your dermatologist or surgeon.
  • Some are seeking what, in their personal opinion or peer group, would be defined as… a more beautiful nose. Cultural definitions of this vary.

How long do fillers last?

There is no hard and fast rule on this. Because it depends on what your doctor needs to do. It also depends on her/his choice of which filler will meet that goal the best. It’s a technical issue (too much to go into here). Fillers on the nose don’t migrate unless accidentally injected into a sinus instead of the skin.

The questions you might ask are:

  • What was injected and how much?
  • Where was it injected?
  • What was the goal? 

I would really suggest going back and talking to your doctor. Ask them these questions.  There may be a good reason it wore off those soon.

Hope this helps,  Dr. I

Dr. Brandith Irwin, MD

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Hi, I’m Dr. Irwin. I believe that consumers deserve a medically trained and unbiased skin care advocate.

  • All our content is written and researched by myself.
  • My medical office in Seattle has treated thousands of patients for 15+ years.
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