It can take months—and sometimes years—for nasaltip edema to resolve after rhinoplasty, which can be challenging for patients and surgeons. Although various conventional modalities have been used to counteract edema, they are not successful for all skin types or in all situations. With the advent of the Ultherapy Ulthera System (Ulthera,Inc.,Mesa,Ariz.),thecapabilitynowexiststo safely and reliably manipulate the contour of the skin to permit the skin to conform optimally to the underlying cartilaginous framework. Thus, the cartilage and skincanworkintandemtocreateamoreidealnasal-tip configuration.
During the past 18 months, the author has used Ultherapy to control edema and shape the nasal skin after rhinoplastyin21patients(19womenandtwomen,aged 22 to 66 years). Participants were required to have nasal skin types that typically are not amenable to conforming to underlying anatomical structures and thus would preclude an optimal result. The patients had previously undergone conservative attempts to reduce postoperative edema, which were not successful. All patients had been informed that Ultherapy is not a “proven” or U.S. Food andDrugAdministration–approvedmodalityforenhancing or expediting the results of rhinoplasty, but that it is U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved for facial skin tightening and brow elevation.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23542302