The Belo Medical Group names rhinoplasty the second most common cosmetic procedure in the Philippines, next only to blepharoplasty or eyelid surgery.
If you’ve ever seen one of those makeover shows on TV, you already have an idea of how it’s done. Some mini-hammering and chiseling here, some breaking of the bones there – it sure isn’t the prettiest sight. It’s no surprise, therefore, when people started taking to nose lifters in the hope of changing the appearance of their noses.
Nose lifters are tiny splint made of soft PVC plastic. Their work is similar to a tension rod: they press against your nose’s tip and one side of your nostril to change its shape after weeks of use. It claims to correct various nose problems including, but not limited to wide and bulbous noses, flat noses, and flaring nostrils.
Do they really work? Are they worth your moolah? We find out for you.
The Unboxing
I ordered mine online, and it arrived in the mail three days later. I bought the cheap ones, those you can find in Divisoria for 50 pesos or less. I believe the “original” ones were also available online for about 1800 pesos.
My “nose lifter” came in shiny, slim, pink box with the words “Rhinoplasty high increased the nose stealth” printed at the front. Sketchy, eh? I thought so, too. I mean, the word stealth had to have a purpose on there. To warn me, maybe?
I went ahead and opened the box. There were three sets of the nose lifter, and one hook to remove them or reposition them once inside the nose. There were also numbers on them, from one to three, to indicate the size, I guess.
Trying it Out + The Verdict
It took me more than five attempts and a sneezefest that lasted the entire night to get it to work “right.”
First, I couldn’t get the right size. The biggest one felt like it was going to tear a wound into my skin while the others felt too small like I could inhale them in and they’d end up deeper into my system. Then, when I finally figured out how to get it in, it only flared my nostrils the wrong way. My nose looked like a pig’s snout. Nothing like the high, pointy nose it promised.
It felt really uncomfortable. I couldn’t even keep it in for more than a minute. The tip also kept poking out, and when I tried to adjust it with the hook it came with, it ended up deeper in, which magnified my fear of it having it wedged into my nasal cavity.
It did not look good, nor did it feel good. I didn’t like that putting it on and off was too much work, nor did I like that I had to be conscious of my every move. I can feel it inside, and I knew it was super easy to get dislodged, so the entire time I worried about sneezing or even breathing too hard, in fear that it would get stuck inside.
What Experts Say
Before I even tried it on, I searched for any incidents where it ended up far into someone’s nose (I was skeptical like that!), and in fact, I did find a warning.
According to UNSW and Macquarie University head of rhinology Professor Richard Harvey, repeated use of the device can cause permanent damage to the nose. As it puts pressure on the cartilage framework, it could eventually result in an ulcer. He adds that there’s also a possibility that it would dislodge, go down to the back of the wearer’s nose, and be inhaled.
Here’s an honest advice: if you really want to correct the shape or appearance of your nose, have an expert do it. There’s a reason experts take their time evaluating your overall health before getting any work done. These “instant” nose stents may be cheaper, and they may look nifty and convenient, but we don’t know the adverse effects they bring down the road.