My nose has always been my biggest insecurity. It doesn't help that the nose is that one facial feature that just does not stop growing as we age. If you're a sneezer, a chronic picker, or just someone who for some reason just stretches your nose a lot, expect your nose to occupy a much bigger space right smack in the middle of your face in your older years.
I've been seriously contemplating getting mine done surgically for the longest time. My biggest issue was implant rejection. Surgery scares me. A quick online search would give you the gory details, Google: Rhinoplasty Gone Wrong and you'll get where I'm coming from. Necrosis is another issue. It's a fancy word for death of body tissue and it looks scarier than it sounds. It basically means the tissues on your face die - so you lose your nose and you're left with a big ugly scar where your nose used to be.
Surgery can deform you. So I'm like for years fearful but at the same time felt that at some point in the future I would gather the courage to finally get it done. Which is illogical, because the older we get, the less our bodies heal nicely. I'm in my 30s now so it's really now or never. If I wait til I'm 40, I'd probably be dealing with pre-diabetes or blood pressure issues so cosmetic procedures would be unthinkable. Besides, why bother to look pretty when you're that old already right? haha I'd probably still try to look pleasant and presentable, not pretty or cute. So it's really now or never. A few more years of waiting and a pretty and cute nose would have been too risky for nothing.
Coincidentally, nose thread lifts recently became a thing. It's been around for years. Vicky Belo has been doing it since 2019, I think. So this isn't really a new cosmetic procedure.
WHAT IS HIKO NOSE THREAD LIFT?
Hiko is a Korean word that means "High Nose." The procedure, in the simplest terms, involves inserting "threads" through the tip of the nose to form a bridge to make the nose look higher.
It's supposedly a non-surgical, minimally invasive, low-risk, no-downtime procedure. But trust me, it's not as simple or harmless as it seems.
Non-surgical
Technically, it is non-surgical, because there really is no incision. A doctor does not slice your skin open. However, a doctor (or a nurse aesthetician) will puncture a hole through the tip of your nose. It's a tiny tiny tiny hole where threads will be inserted. These threads are stiffer than the threads doctors use to sew up wounds, if you've ever had surgery or had an open wound that needed to get patched up, you've seen them threads. Depending on the clinic, the threads used are PCL and PDO.
There is anesthesia, so it's non-surgical only in the most technical sense. It still feels like surgery, albeit a 15-minute one where you're fully awake and sitting up right.
Minimally invasive
Again with the technicalities. Yes, it's not invasive. But "minimal" is misleading. It's not like getting a tattoo where it's all surface level. The threads are inserted well below the surface. And after the procedure, the swelling does not stay local. Your eyes, cheeks, and upper lip area will also swell for a couple of days.
Low-risk
Low does not mean none. And like what I mentioned earlier, I would say that the older you are, the riskier cosmetic procedures get because you just do not heal as easily and as perfectly as a physically active, well-fed, well-rested, less-stressed 19 year old.
No downtime
No. No. No. Do not fool yourself. There is downtime. Even the patients I've spoken to who are in their early 20s have had to rest and hide themselves for a couple of days to a week. There's swelling, bruising, pain, odd sensations here and there, wooziness, and debilitating self-hatred for minorly mutilating yourself. I looked like an avatar for 3 days.
WHERE TO GET HIKO THREAD LIFT
I joined a Facebook group for Hiko and the top 2 places to get it done here in the Philippines, or at least in Metro Manila, are:
Location: 39th St. Bonifacio North Triangle, Taguig
Price Range: P7,000 for basic, P14,999 for Hiko US (American, pointy) to P19,999 for max threads
If you're wondering about the price range:
- a basic Hiko is one where around 8 threads are inserted into the nose. This is for small noses with low to flat bridges
- a US Hiko is for those who want to look more Caucasian, with higher bridges and pointier tips
- Max Threads is for noses with ample space to accommodate more threads to achieve a higher, wider bridge, and shapelier tips.
Locations: Malolos, Baliuag, Quezon City and Paranaque (click each city for their Fb pages & addresses)
Price Range: P7,999 inclusive of PCL/PDO threads for bridge and columella, alar botox and paracetamol
I chanced upon this vlog. I don't even remember how I found it. Youtuber Team Casil is all praises for The Gluta Lounge/Aesthetics by Arya. If I remember correctly, the vlogger is from Metro Manila and went all the way to Bulacan to get her nose done.
You can watch her videos. Here are the links to her vlogs:
You can also watch her more recent vlogs to see how her nose is doing so far. She had her nose done in February 2022, so if you'd like to see what a Hiko looks like a full year or so after, you have access to truthful material.
Funny thing is, this woman and I have the exact same experiences. I'm 10 days into my procedure and like her, I'm dealing with extrusions. Sucks. I don't know if this is a common occurrence for this aesthetic clinic's clients. Or it's pure coincidence. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that this clinic only has an aesthetician/nurse to carry out the Hiko procedure. I have no idea.
Because it wasn't a doctor who did my nose, I wasn't given prescription for antibiotics, which as you can tell, is important when getting your cosmetic procedure that punctures and inserts something underneath your skin. All I have is Cutasept F to disinfect my wound topically.
I know patients from other clinics who didn't take antibiotics during the healing period and they turned out okay. But if you're prone to infections or do not heal well, then it's wise to get your nose done by an actual doctor.
I'm due for a retouch because of thread extrusions. Translation: 2 threads are trying to make their way out of my nose, it's not visible, mostly just palpable, I'm really trying my best to be as calm as possible. I have a pimple-looking small wound at the tip of my nose for 10 days now. It helps that I have pimples elsewhere on my face so it doesn't really stand out all that much. Nothing scary, I have no fever, no swelling or anything, just the pimple really. I still get a little panicky when I stare at it so I try not to. It's the holidays so the clinic is closed, I'll be back day after Christmas, which is 12 days after my Hiko.
I decided to blog about the experience so I can warn people and give a realistic review of the procedure. It does not come without risks or pain. There's plenty if you're panicky or older or paranoid.
If you ask though if I have regrets - when I'm feeling panicky, yes I do regret it a bit haha. The first 2 or 3 days, I swear I was beating myself up for making myself go through this out of insecurity. I keep telling myself I'll NEVER EVER get any cosmetic procedure done again. Not even hair rebonding or whatever. So sick of my insecurities.
But now when I look at myself in the mirror, and when I compare how I look in selfies before and after the procedure, I can 100% say I am glad I finally had my nose done. I'm still not fully healed. I still get antsy when I look at that tiny pimple. But it's nothing compared to how happy I get when I see my reflection on random surfaces and I'm like, I finally look like how I look like with filters haha.
I promise to update this blog as soon as I get back from my retouch session. The attendant I speak to over Facebook tells me I'm doing okay and what I'm going through is normal, plus that lady vlogger went through the same thing and she still has a functional normal nose so
Oh, I almost forgot to mention. Hiko does not last. It's not permanent unlike Rhinoplasty. But hear me out, the reasons I still chose temporary Hiko over permanent Rhinoplasty:
- Thread Extrusion is such a minor issue compared to Silicon Rejection and Necrosis. With thread extrusion, the nurse just pulls the thread out and the tiny wound heals. With rhinoplasty risks, you can actually lose your entire nose and be deformed forever.
- Price Point - I don't want to spend P50,000 to P120,000 for a procedure that can go seriously wrong. P7,999 on a relatively safe procedure is a small amount to pay for peace of mind.
- Hiko threads dissolve in 2 to 3 years, but at least 30% of the bridge height remains thanks to the collagen formation triggered by the thread insertion. So the nose doesn't really go back to its old flat ways. Some bridge will still be there. And I'm okay with that. I don't want an artista nose. I'll be 40 in a few years, I don't think an artista nose will be useful for my survival and general happiness. Haha.
DO I RECOMMEND THIS?
Yes and No.
Yes, if you're okay with minor and subtle improvement to your nose. My nose is bulbous but is in good harmony with the rest of my face. A rhinoplasty will make it look too thin, too pointy, too Caucasian for my very Oriental face. All I wanted was some bridge and sideways projection. If your nose is on the small-ish side, or is already in good harmony with your facial features and all you need is minor improvement, then yes, 100% recommended.
No, if you want an artista nose - pointy, thin, high, with slits for holes haha, then Hiko is not the procedure for you. Rhinoplasty is still the best procedure for those looking for an overhaul. Also no if your problem is the general shape of your breathers (cosmetic speak: Hanging Columella and Hanging Alars) because Hiko only deals with the upper half of the nose. It does very little to improve the bottom half. Alarplasty and Tip plasty are the right solution.
PLEASE WAIT FOR THE UPDATE IN A FEW DAYSSS ~ ~ ~
So I'm back from the retouch.
First of all, I'd like to commend Kate Yap of The Gluta Lounge QC for handling my case really well. She was kind and professional and calming all throughout the check up and procedure. I stopped panicking the moment I spoke to her. Apparently what happened to my Hiko happens normally to patients who did not listen very well to after care instructions haha
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| Hiko Nose Lift After Care Instructions |
What I did wrong
1) I did not rest. I was feeling woozy from the anesthesia, but I have ridiculously high pain tolerance so I went about my days like normal. I walked a lot, did non-strenous yoga, tackled chores, etc. I don't remember lifting anything heavy, but in hindsight, I carry around a heavy-ish purse so maybe that also aggravated things.
2) I leaned forward a lot. This is from my daily activities like using my phone and laptop. Also from trying my hardest to wash my forehead and eye area while avoiding getting my nose wet in the sink so maybe that strained the threads or something.
3) By day 4, I was already sleeping on my side, which is the worst thing you can do while healing because it can force the threads to be pulled to one side due to gravity. Imagine straining to the forces of gravity for 6 to 8 hours at night.
4) I also ate all the forbidden stuff by day 2 like chicken, eggs and fish.
5) I think the worst thing I did was go back to my skin care too soon. By day 4, I was already using my non-gentle cleanser on my nose, which made the skin sensitive, and then to top it off, I also used Cutasept F on the wound. Cutasept F is an effective disinfectant, but it burns sensitive skin. I think this is what really caused the delay in my wound healing.
Hiko Nose Revision and Refill
So I booked another appointment to the Gluta Lounge QC 2 weeks after my initial procedure. The lovely Ms. Kate Yap herself pulled out the extruding threads, and reassured me that the wound is finally going to close this time. She was also generous enough to replace the 2 threads with new ones and taught me how to remodel my threads to make sure they heal with a perfect shape.
I'm still healing but the wound now looks better than the wound I got from the first procedure.
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