ABSTRACT
The management of nasal deformities especially after rhinoplasty is a challenge. Postsurgical edema may last 6-8 months, causing aesthetic irregularities and nose deformities. The aim of this study is to present the correction of minor nose deformities secondary to rhinoplasty using hyaluronic acid subdermal injections. Eleven patients were treated between 2009 and 2011 with subdermal injections of hyaluronic acid (24 mg/mL) with 0.3% lidocaine (Juvederm, Allergan, Pringy-France) at the 1-month follow-up visit. The volume of hyaluronic acid injected varied from 0.4 to 1 mL according to the deformity. Injections were aimed to correct minor surface irregularities and to provide aesthetic symmetry. These patients were followed for at least 12 months postoperatively. Irregularities were aesthetically corrected immediately after hyaluronic acid injections. No complications were reported with the exception of minor swelling that resolved within 1 week. Esthetic correction was achieved in all patients as determined by the surgeon as well as by overall patient's satisfaction. Our 1-year follow-up data suggest that hyaluronic acid absorption is slow enough to provide the necessary time for postsurgical edema resorption. Rhinoplasty is among the most commonly used procedures for aesthetic improvement in men and women. However, achievement of the final outcome may take several months due to the induced postsurgical edema. Subdermal hyaluronic acid injections can provide temporary correction of these nose irregularities. Our data suggest that subdermal hyaluronic acid injections may provide immediate and long-lasting correction of these minor deformities. As a result, the aesthetic outcome is achieved and maintained throughout the postsurgical course of edema decompression.
