Guide to Nasal Implants

When the nose needs cosmetic enhancement (i.e. to augment and define to a flat nose) or functional improvement (to give structural support to tissues destroyed by a previous surgery, trauma, or genetic irregularity) an implant may be the answer.  Not to be confused with grafts which herald from natural cartilage, skin, mucous membrane or muscle, implants are derived fr om synthetic material or from donated and banked biological material. 

While using your own natural cartilage and skin might sound preferable to a synthetic implant or donor tissue, there are certain situations where an implant is actually a better choice. First, biologically sourced implants, unlike your own, are available in unlimited amounts. Second, synthetic implant materials, unlike biologically sourced ones, don’t get reabsorbed over time and don’t change shape or break down.  Most synthetic implants, made from materials such as silicone and Gore-tex® are inert and therefore ignored by the body.  Others like Medpor integrate with your body as does an artificial hip, knee or shoulder joint.  Biologically sourced implants include rib cartilage and Alloderm, which comes from harvested cadaver skin,  that has had all of the cells stripped out of it so your own cells and blood vessels can grow into it. 

There are risks and benefits associated with the use of any kind of graft or implant. Although synthetic implants have a long track record of safety (think of joint replacement and trauma reconstruction), there are still risks associated with their use.  Risks include infection and the possibility that the implant might shift. Since some synthetic implants integrate with the surrounding tissue, they usually do extrude in the presence of infection.  However, because of this integration, they may be difficult to remove on an elective basis.  During your consultation, Dr. Yagoda will discuss all of your options—the risks, benefits and alternatives of each -- and ultimately she will offer her recommendations.

Read about Dr. Yagoda's Integrative Post Operative Care Program