All About My Non-surgical Nose Job

I’ve gotten a lot of questions from friends, followers and acquaintances about the recent procedure I had done on my nose. Today I’m talking all about my experience with fillers and answering questions for those of you who may be interested in having a similar procedure done!

Genetics did me dirty. Maybe it was puberty or maybe I just grew self conscious about my nose around the same time, but I remember noticing a bump on my nose early on in high school. Of course, this was before our feeds were bombarded with naturally beautiful Instagram models and influencers with big eyes, plump lips and a perfectly sloped little nose.

An unfortunate accident with a baseball during my sophomore year of high school only worsened the matter. I was playing catch with a friend and turned to the side for a second – as I turned back forward the ball was headed straight for my nose. I spent a few hours bleeding all over the health center and, probably, had some kind of fracture in my nose. From then on not only did I have a bump in my nose from the profile view, but I also had a little notch that stuck out on the left side of the bridge of my nose. It wasn’t until college that it really started to bother me. I was taking more pictures, and at my southern school I was surrounded by naturally beautiful girls while I was stuck Facetuning every photo of me that showed my nose from the side.

In the last year or so I started to see what people called “non-surgical nose jobs” or “non-surgical rhinoplasty” popping up on YouTube and Instagram and looked into them for myself. The procedures promised a quick and easy fix to even out the nose, and all for a cheaper price than going under the knife (a typical rhinoplasty surgery will cost you $5,000 or more).

After graduating college, I decided it was time to tackle my nose insecurity. Greenwich Medical Spa is the spot in Greenwich and Fairfield County, Connecticut to go for botox, dermal fillers, body sculpting procedures – you name it. They are an established company that uses only the best and the newest technologies to help you achieve your best, most confident self. It wasn’t hard for me to choose a place, as Greenwich Medical Spa is one of the top rated places for fillers in the country.

The Consultation

I tagged along with my mom this past summer for her own consultation at Greenwich Med Spa in Riverside and met Shilpa Desai, a beautiful Physicians Assistant (who looks a bit like Priyanka Chopra – just me?!) who could not have been nicer. Months later, when I went back for my consultation about a week ago, she remembered my mom and I almost immediately. Sometimes it’s the little things like that which help to make you feel important and valued as a client.

The consultation was easy as my mind was already made up and my trust was already in Shilpa. She explained that I would probably only need one syringe, and they run $700 a pop. She recommended Restylane for my first time.

Shilpa also suggested that I think about getting lip fillers as a way to balance out my face. Lip fillers are not something I ever yearned for or thought of getting (and my mom was staunchly against them due to the overfilling trend as of late), but as she explained that just a bit injected into my upper lip would help to fill out my pout but maintain the same shape, it all sounded like a good idea. Suddenly, I was on the hook for another $700 syringe, but this time of Juvederm Ultra.

I scheduled my appointment for the following weekend. The rest of the week could not have gone slower. I had no nerves, and was just plain excited to finally fix something that had been hindering my confidence for so long.

P.S. – if you’re reading this dad, surprise! I got my lips done too.

 

Before the procedure.

The Day Of

The day of my procedure, Shilpa was working at the Med Spa in Westport, Connecticut. My mom and I drove up for my 9:15 appointment and arrived just as the spa was opening for the day. At each location, there’s a beautiful waiting room with plush silver and grey furnishings to sit in and free tea and coffee and water while you wait. Within minutes I was in a consultation room with Jennifer Madinabeitia, a medial assistant, who took some before and after shots and applied topical numbing cream to my nose and lips.

Let me tell you – that stuff is STRONG. After a few minutes with it on my lips were completely numb and I could barely smile.

They numbed me for about 30 minutes before a bit of icing and beginning the procedure. Shilpa marked my nose with a white eyeliner pencil before injecting the first bit of filler. Even after just the first injection, my mom noticed a difference.

I was floored by how painless the injections in my nose were. Toward the top of my nose I literally felt nothing. There was a bit of a click as the tiny needle pierced the skin and then no pain at all. Closer to the tip I definitely felt a pinch, but it didn’t so much as make my eyes water. I didn’t even feel the need to squeeze the stress ball they provided me with.

Shilpa really took her time with my nose and, with Jennifer’s assistance, checked it from all angles as she went to ensure it was as straight as could be. She is definitely a perfectionist, and her professionalism only made me feel more comfortable. I felt like I was in great hands.

After my nose was complete to her liking she moved onto my lips. She warned me that the lips would be a bit more painful, and she was right. I definitely felt the pinch. There are more nerve endings in the lips and I had a bit of scar tissue that took extra time to fill around. However, it was still entirely manageable. My eyes watered a bit but it was worlds easier than even novocaine or a flu shot. Shilpa focused most of the filler on my upper lip as it has always been much smaller than my lower one, especially on the outer corners.

Once my lips were finished she returned to my nose, which had already started to swell a bit, to fill in one spot a bit more. And just like that, about an hour of needles in my face later, I was complete. I finally looked in the mirror and was almost speechless – I felt like a new woman, yet at the same time still looked completely like myself.

After the procedure. The bump is gone! Finally, I want​ to show off my profile. My lips were still swollen here but I loved the way they balanced out my face and became a more prominent feature.

After the Procedure

Shilpa and Jennifer sent me on my way with some Auriderm post-op gel to help reduce bruising and instructed me to ice on and off to help with swelling. I was instructed to avoid wearing glasses for two weeks while the filler continues to solidify. My lips were still pretty numb for an hour or two, so I had to hold off on eating for a bit.

By the second day the bulk of the swelling was gone, and I had just one or two tiny bruises around my lips. My lips don’t look too different than before in my opinion, but my top lip is more pronounced, a bit fuller and complements my bottom lip very well. There was no longer any soreness in my lips.

I’m now on my fourth day, and my nose is still a bit sore to the touch. I can feel that something was done to it, and for some reason, it’s been making me sneeze a lot more than usual! Overall, though, there have been absolutely no problems and it feels like it’s settling in nicely. I can’t stop looking at it in the mirror and taking pictures of my profile.

I’m supposed to go back in a week or two (once the swelling is gone) for Shilpa to take a look at her work and see if there are any areas to touch up with the leftover Restylane for my nose and Juvederm for my lips. But, to be honest, I’m in no rush – I’m thrilled with where I’m at already, despite whatever swelling may be present.

Is this procedure right for you?

No more than an hour after I got home from my appointment I had already posted a selfie on Instagram, something I’d never done before. I was shocked by how many girls reached out to me to say how awesome it looked or ask me questions about the procedure. Girls I barely knew were direct messaging me on Facebook or Instagram for more information because they, too, had always wanted to fix their noses.

If this procedure is something you’re interested in, here are my thoughts:

The non-surgical nose job is far cheaper than rhinoplasty. Overall, with fillers for both my nose and lips, the procedure cost $1400, but Greenwich Med Spa was running a special and I got $200 off for the purchase of two fillers (and a cute little lip mask to take home with me).

The non-surgical nose job is not permanent, which is both a pro and a con, in my opinion. It’s a good thing to try to see if you like it because, if you don’t, the hyaluronic acid in the filler does eventually dissolve. I’m hoping to get about a year with the filler in my nose, as the muscles in the nose don’t move as much in the lips and the filler tends to stay a bit longer. Because I love the results I do wish it was permanent, but for a lot of people the fact that it’s not is comforting. If you don’t love it, you’re not stuck with it. The fillers can also be dissolved in the office if necessary.

I was lucky that my main problem with my nose was the bump that was visible in my profile. I actually had a pretty narrow nose to begin with. This procedure cannot make your nose smaller. After the procedure my nose actually skews a bit to the left as that side needed more filler to fix the notch from the baseball accident, but I don’t find it all that noticeable. Besides, I’d rather have a straight, narrow, bump-free nose that sits the tiniest bit off center than what I had before.

There is no down time with this procedure. I know that one day I may end up having rhinoplasty done, but the thought of having black eyes or severe bruising for days if not weeks sounds terrible. I work full time and don’t have the space in my schedule for a major surgery like that. This is an incredible first step that offers instant results and you can be back to work, school or whatever you have on your plate immediately after. However…

I would suggest having this done over the weekend. In the event that you do swell or bruise a lot, or if you’re keeping it a secret from your coworkers, you may not want to go to work that day or the days following. There really is little to no discomfort, but I was definitely glad I didn’t have anywhere to be the rest of the day or the next day.

If you’re afraid of needles, you may want to prepare yourself. Like I said before, I felt little to no pain, especially in my nose, thanks to the numbing cream and the tiny needles. But, these needles are going right in between your eyes, and you will see it as it happens.

I have to say, I never understood those people who overdo it with fillers, but now I kind of do. I’m not saying I’m going to go out and get Kylie Jenner lips (or Brielle Biermann – yikes) or fill out my face until I can’t move it anymore, but there is something really satisfying about fillers. It’s all about the instant gratification.

Overall, I could not be happier with the results I had in both my nose and lips, but especially my nose. I’m so grateful for Shilpa and Greenwich Medical Spa for providing me with such professional service and making me so much more confident. Gone are the days when I was paranoid anyone sitting next to me was looking at my nose (which they of course never were) and I can now see myself from the side without feeling ashamed about my appearance. Check out their Instagram to see some before and after shots from all of the services they offer.

I also couldn’t be more grateful for my mom for allowing me to have this done – she’s not a regular mom, she’s a cool mom! I’m so thankful that you support me in so many ways, but especially in this way. Consider us even for the genes you bestowed upon me.

To anyone considering the procedure, go and schedule a consultation. Find yourself a trusted a reputable medical spa or dermatologist that offers this service and take the plunge. You won’t regret it.

If you have any more questions, leave a comment below or contact me on Instagram. ​​