I have heard of using fillers to augment the nose and chin. Is this possible? What can you tell me about this – are there any risks involved? Also, is it advisable that I opt for temporary or permanent fillers? I would like a higher nose bridge and a squarer chin.
S.S.

Dear S.S.,
Treating the nose and chin with a filler has its drawbacks. The type of filler used is important, because your nose and chin are obvious features, any little change will draw attention to your overall look.

I would recommend a temporary filler in your case – which can last for about eight months to a year, before it is absorbed by the body. Permanent fillers for augmentation are taboo for most plastic surgeons. Many unscrupulous beauticians inject liquid silicone direct into the tissue. Some even inject it into the breasts and this has led to some cases of severe deformity or even death.

Fillers like liquid silicone can migrate along multiple planes away from the original site of injection. Our skin has layers upon layers of different structures. Due to gravity, the filler can flow down along a certain plane, which has the least resistance. If injected into the nose area, the resulting outcome could be a broader nasal bridge, which is quite a noticeable change.

These types of fillers can even migrate down the bridge of the nose to the tip giving your profile a witch-like look. Many patients seek help from plastic surgeons to correct these complications and ask for an immediate remedy. This corrective surgery can be risky and most plastic surgeons would refuse to perform it, as the outcome may not be pleasing either, and he/she might be blamed for this. When a patient comes in for corrective surgery as such, all the surgeon can do is to aim to achieve a ‘normal’ look again, and not to make them look beautiful.

There is also the factor of the risks that are associated with cosmetic procedures of this type, such as bleeding, infection, an allergic reaction and disproportionate amount of injected filler, to name a few.

If you would still like to opt for augmentation using fillers, I suggest you visit an authorised plastic surgeon or dermatologist to discuss the issues mentioned to weigh the pros and cons. But do proceed with caution.