Researchers developing non-surgical nose jobs

A non-surgical nose job could soon be a reality thanks to a technique that uses tiny needles, electric current and 3D-printed moulds to reshape living tissue.

The process promises to revolutionisecosmeticsurgery, which often involves long recovery times and can lead to scarring.

Cartilage is made up of tiny rigid fibres, loosely woven together in a structure resembling spaghetti. A team led by Dr Michael Hill, from Occidental College in the US, discovered that passing current through cartilage made the tissue more malleable.

“Once the tissue is floppy, you can mould it to whatever shape you want,” Dr Hill said. “We envision this new technique as a lowcost office procedure done under local anaesthesia.

“The whole process would take about five minutes.”