A win by a nose

WAG fashion and beauty editor Meghan McSharry walks you through her experience getting the “nonsurgical nose job” at Greenwich Medical Spa in Riverside.

For as long as I can remember, I have been self-conscious about my nose. It started in high school — you know, those awkward years where you really start to care about your appearance, you play around with your personal “look” and your primary concern is getting a date for the prom.

Many people never noticed the bump on my nose. But to me, it was something that stuck out on my face, both literally and figuratively. As I became a teenager, the bump grew more visible from the profile view and the bridge of my nose was crooked from the front, thanks to an unfortunate accident with a baseball during high school. I had been telling my mom since I was 15 or 16 that, one day, I would get a nose job.

Last year, I learned about something called a “liquid” or “nonsurgical” nose job, which uses fillers to change the appearance of your nose without any down time or major bruising, and at less than half the cost of a rhinoplasty surgery. As someone who’s never had surgery, I was excited to find out that there was another route to take. Just around the corner from my house, at Greenwich Medical Spa, I could have the procedure done and be in and out in minutes.

I first visited Shilpa Desai, a physician’s assistant at the medical spa, for a consultation a few weeks ago. She explained that I was the perfect candidate for the procedure and reassured me that it would be quick, virtually painless and effective in fixing the bump that had bothered me for so long. She would inject Restylane, a hyaluronic acid filler, above the bump on my nose to smooth out its appearance. I needed no more convincing. I scheduled my appointment for the injections for just a few days later.

When I arrived on the morning of the procedure, medical assistant Jennifer Madinabeitia brought me into a room to apply a topical numbing gel and take my photograph. Within minutes, my whole face was numb and I was ready for the needles. 

Shilpa and Jennifer looked at my nose and mapped out where to place the injections using a white eyeliner pencil. When Shilpa put the first needle in, I barely felt a thing other than the click of the syringe; the needle was that tiny. It really was painless, especially toward the top of my nose. The worst of the pain I felt was on the tip of my nose, where Shilpa injected a small amount of filler to help bring the tip upward. Even so, I would hardly consider it pain. It was merely a pinch that made my eyes water, similar to getting a flu shot. 

My mom, Holly, who tagged along for the ride, said that even after just the first injection, she could already see a noticeable difference. By the time it was finished (after about 45 minutes to an hour) and I looked in the mirror, I was speechless — and still am. To be able to look in the mirror and feel happy about the way such a prominent feature on my face looked brought me a whole new kind of confidence. 

The Restylane should last up to a year, although I wish it was permanent. Because the body naturally produces and breaks down hyaluronic acid on its own, it will break down filler as well. But because the injections went into my nose where there is less muscle movement than other places on the face, such as the lips, my “nose job” will last longer than typical lip fillers would.

The nonsurgical nose job is a great option for someone who may be hesitant to go under the knife. But you should consult with your physician first to determine what is best for you.

For more, visit greenwichmedicalspa.com.

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