Nose reshaping has been one of the most requested facial cosmetic procedures of late, with thousands getting the surgery done every year. There are also many people who have not yet taken the plunge, despite considering it. In most cases, the hesitation comes from the cost of the procedure, anxiety surrounding the decision, a fear of surgery and the recovery time. Thankfully, the cosmetic surgery industry has an alternative that sits right in the middle of all those concerns: liquid rhinoplasty. When it comes to cosmetic procedures nowadays, the less invasive, the better – and more popular. Since Zoom meetings became part of our daily, Covid-19 pandemic lives, non-surgical procedures such as dermabrasion (a skin-resurfacing procedure), body sculpting, non-surgical facelifts, cryotherapy treatments (the use of extreme cold the freeze and remove tissue), Botox injections, dermal fillers, and laser treatments have led the way. In 2022, liquid rhinoplasty might be the procedure that takes the crown. Also known as “scalpel-free nose job”, liquid rhinoplasty is a non-surgical procedure that involves injecting a hyaluronic acid filler into the nose to temporarily alter its structure. This procedure can elevate the tip, enhance symmetry, reduce the appearance of a dorsal hump, make it look straighter, alter the bridge’s shape or redefine its overall structure by using fillers as if they were cartilage. Ultimately, a liquid nose job provides small tweaks, which is why some people use it as a tool to refine the outcome of a prior operation instead of having to go under the scalpel again. During the procedure, you will be numb but fully awake, which gives you the chance to work with your doctor to accomplish the expected results. Liquid rhinoplasty comes with many pros: it is significantly cheaper than surgical rhinoplasty, there is very little downtime, it is not a permanent commitment and the results are instant. Sadly, it is not a good fit for everyone looking to modify their nose. During the process, your doctor will stuff your skin with fillers, which means they will be adding volume. This makes it an augmentation procedure, or one where something is added, so it is not a good alternative for those in search of decreasing size in any way. Hyaluronic acid fillers – the most popular kind for liquid rhinoplasty – are some of the safest, as they can be reversed if there are bulges or swelling after injection, or if there is compromised blood flow. These fillers are often used for many areas of the face, but they tend to last longer when injected into the nose. For most people, that can be between six and 10 months, although some report results lasting up to two years. Although less invasive than a regular nose job, liquid rhinoplasty is still a cosmetic procedure that needs to be handled responsibly, as there are many possible complications. This procedure is considered risky not because of the method itself, but because, if not executed properly, it can lead to vascular compromise – when the filler is misplaced, it can stop the blood flow and either induce a blockage or pinch off an artery. “Liquid rhinoplasty, as seen on social media, appears to be this quick and easy thing – but it’s not a treatment to be taken lightly,” Shereene Idriss, cosmetic dermatologist at Union Square Laser Dermatology in New York, says. “Complications can happen, and are actually increasing across the board as these procedures gain popularity.” Rod Rohrich, a founding partner of the Dallas Plastic Surgery Institute in the US, says he performs liquid rhinoplasties on a regular basis, but only because he’s been properly trained to do so without risking the patient’s safety. “It always disturbs me, though, when I see someone who’s not a rhinoplasty surgeon willy-nilly injecting the nose, because it can be risky if you don’t know what you’re doing.” The possible consequences of someone performing the operation incorrectly go way beyond what people usually imagine: they can permanently damage the skin, cause the patient severe pain, and even cause them to go blind.