Which material is best for injectable rhinoplasty?

Rhinoplasty is a common plastic surgery method. Prosthetic materials are often needed during rhinoplasty. There are many kinds of prosthetic materials. Different prosthetic materials have their own advantages and disadvantages. For example, autologous cartilage is a very good prosthesis for rhinoplasty. It will not cause rejection and can last longer. There is also silicone material, which is a common material for rhinoplasty and the success rate of the operation is very high. Let’s take a look at this aspect.

Which injection rhinoplasty is better?

1. Silicone material

Medical silicone is a rhinoplasty filling material that has been widely used in recent years. It is resistant to high temperatures, has stable chemical properties, has good corrosion resistance and tissue compatibility, is non-toxic, non-carcinogenic, and non-teratogenic. It can be implanted in the human body for a long time without being absorbed. It has a high surgical success rate and few postoperative adverse reactions. Even if complications and unsatisfactory appearance occur after the operation, it is easy to deal with. It can also restore the nose shape to its original state without causing sagging of the nasal dorsum skin.

However, when using silicone filling materials for rhinoplasty, if the tension of the tip shaping is too great, symptoms of redness of the nose tip may occur. Therefore, this filling material is generally not suitable for people with low nose tips and short nose bridges. In addition, since the silicone prosthesis is relatively hard and does not feel so natural, and the nasal bone is formed in one piece, it cannot compress the nose tip to naturally turn up, and since it has a non-porous structure, human tissue cannot grow into it. Therefore, you must pay special attention to protecting the nose in your daily life after the operation, and avoid strong impact to avoid displacement, shaking, etc.

2. Expanded material

Expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (EPT) materials are softer than silicone materials and have better compatibility. Tissues can grow into the material, and the shape and feel after rhinoplasty are natural and realistic. It also has good stability and will not shift even under great pressure. It is also easier to perform the surgery on those who are undergoing a secondary rhinoplasty or have a very thin nose tip.

However, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene is expensive, and its soft texture makes it difficult to carve when used for filling, requiring doctors to have extensive clinical experience. Furthermore, once it is necessary to remove it, it is much more difficult than silicone. In addition, when using expanded materials for filling, the most serious problem after surgery is the high infection rate, especially the long-term infection rate is much higher than that of silicone.

3. Autologous cartilage

Autologous cartilage is mostly obtained from rib cartilage, nasal septum cartilage, auricle cartilage, etc., and is currently the most commonly used tissue in rhinoplasty. Since it is one's own tissue, there is no rejection reaction after implantation. Moreover, it can maintain its original volume and cell morphology for a long time and can be easily carved into the required size and shape, so the appearance after surgery is more natural. In addition, autologous cartilage has good tissue compatibility and is not prone to displacement.

However, the use of autologous cartilage for filling has limited materials, the operation is difficult and time-consuming, and the cartilage must be taken from one's own body, which may also cause other injuries. For example, when taking costal cartilage, it may cause dangers such as pneumothorax.

4. Injection of rhinoplasty materials

The material commonly used for injectable rhinoplasty in clinical practice is hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is filled into the bridge of the nose and other parts of the nose as a filler, and then the doctor uses injection technology to shape it, just like an injection. It usually only takes about 20 to 30 minutes. The operation is quick and does not require surgery. As long as you take good care of it, it will not cause too much trouble to your daily life.

However, since the effect of injection rhinoplasty is short-lived, it can generally only last for 6 to 12 months at a time and needs to be injected again after a period of time. In addition, the extent of injection rhinoplasty is limited, so it is not suitable for some people with low nose bridges.