Why I Got a Non-Surgical Nose Job

Why I Got a Non-Surgical Nose Job

29.8.17

Some of us have niggles we look to 'correct' through cosmetic procedures. I guess I can say that as of last weekend, I'm now (happily) a member of this camp. This post explains the reason behind my first foray into this world or niggle-nullifying. In the form of a non-surgical nose job, or non-surgical rhinoplasty. Simply put: dermal fillers injected into your nose, to change it's shape. Yep, I had injections in my NOSE *shudders* - I'm squeamish!

SHOP THE OUTFIT

I feel quite wary with my words writing this post, as I know cosmetic procedures can be a bit of a controversial topic.

But actually, by chance, I listened to Sophie Milner and Millie Cotton's podcast earlier today. It's blessed me with the lady-cahonies to write this post. I want to be open and honest and to share my journey and why I chose to do this. So let's crack on!

(photos taken by Anna @ Pear and Bear Photography - before the procedure!)

"Instagram is an edit of the best parts of your life"

This is so entirely true....

Bar the odd Insta story of me on the sofa with my dog in my fave Primark joggers.

I select the images I share of myself, as I think our generation have done since the birth of social media. Remember perfecting that Bebo snap of you and your year 9 bessies, so you all got your fiercest angle in that Bench hoodie? As someone who tries hard to be care-free, it's hard to admit that I'd never choose to share a photo of my side profile. It's just something that, since my teen years, I've never been comfortable with.

Now, I'm not saying that social media is the reason I decided to change the way my nose looks. It's just an obvious (and maybe relatable) way that illustrate how I know I feel exactly the same about it now as I did almost 10 years ago. Although, obviously social media doesn't help how we perceive our bodies.

To be quite honest, I don't remember anyone else commenting on my nose as I was growing up (well, I never had anything said to my face at least!) There's nothing drastically wrong with it - it's just got a bit of a hump on it, and I felt it might be a little big for my face. I could definitely live with it, but aged twenty-five, I had the courage and money to kick things off. So I decided it was the right time to do something about it.

My investigation started with a surgeon. I had a consultation discussing internal and external fixes for my nose earlier this year. 

Health-wise, I get horrific sinusitis... aloha luminous snot, raging headaches and constant booger-induced streaming eyes at least 5 times a year. Blergh!

Cosmetically, I wanted to see what the surgeon would recommend for my nose. Looking back, I feel like my anxiety was getting the better of me at the time. I was utterly convinced surgery was going to be the way to go. I'd heard of the non-surgical route before, but there was no way filler would rectify the shape of my nose. I also quite liked the thought of combating both my health and cosmetic issues in one go.

The surgeon insisted that my nose was actually pretty much in proportion with my face. 

Removing the bump was all he recommended cosmetically. He also said that he couldn't guarantee the sinus corrections would improve my issues. In fact, it could even make them worse. Needless to say I was pretty peeved.

This surgeon is seriously reputable. And although initially I thought he was wrong, and that I required an entirely new snout, I started to realise that there would be no reason for him to lie about this. And, naturally, I dreamt a little about the pair of Chanel handbags I could buy with the cost of the surgery... 🙃

A couple of months after my (kinda gutting) consultation, I saw a Lydia Millen's vlog where Lydia got fillers to tweak her nose. After seeing the results (erm. WOW), and finally coming to terms with the fact that surgery wasn't going to be worth it for me, I became curious about injectable fillers again.

All needed was a small fix. To make the bump less obvious. To make myself a little more confident in my appearance in a non-invasive, safe (and let's face it, far cheaper) way. Fillers now seemed like a viable option.

Through Lydia's vlog I came across Dr Ayad. The procedure he'd carried out on Lydia and his other patients (check his Instagram) had fantastic results. Still not totally convinced filler would work for my nose, I sent Dr Ayad a photo of me to create a mock up of the potential final result.

I was gobsmacked to how close this was to the surgeon's version!

The 'removal' of the bump is achieved through a mind-boggling method. Essentially the very opposite of your classic surgical nose job. 

Dermal filler is injected into your nose - effectively masking any dips in your natural shnozz. So the filler actually disguises the bump rather than removing it. Because of this, it doesn't work for every nose complaint, but it's great for a bump on your bridge, like mine. The result would mean that my nose would look straighter. It was exactly what I was looking for.

Nose fillers are also non-committal (practically made for millennials!) 

So if you didn't like the result, you could get the filler dissolved, or just wait a good few months for it to break down naturally inside your nose. No problemo. The non-invasive approach can make them more expensive over time, as fillers aren't usually permanent. But it's arguably lower risk all-round, compared to the surgical route.

I could also see exactly how the procedure would be carried out in the clinic from watching Dr Ayad's Instagram videos. This transparency made me feel way more prepared for the actual event. Despite being a complete and utter wimp when it comes to anything remotely medical!

All this gave me the confidence to book in with Dr Ayad and go ahead with the procedure. A decision I made 100% for myself, based on research and recommendations. I paid for the procedure myself.

I'm more than happy to do a post on the actual experience too, if you guys would be interested. But I think videos are your best route to understanding what to expect with the procedure! However, I'm funny with needles, so can let you know how I found having needles in my face!

I'm currently waiting for the swelling to go down, but who knows... you could see a side profile photo on my feed some time soon! I've been talking recovery / nose updates on my Instagram, so if you're not already following me feel free to do so (cheeky Insta plug there!)