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hi everyone, i thought i’d talk about my consultation journey to help out others thinking about surgery as I found all these threads massively helpful! My goal is to get my surgeries done in Korea in early 2021 as travel doesn’t seem possible this year. Though it’s early to get consultations, I have a long list and lots of time, so I thought — might as well! it’s going to be LONG, sorry. I plan on creating a separate thread once I finally get my surgery done, so this will be a consultation thread only. I will continue to add as I get more consultations and sort out my thoughts and thought it would be interesting and helpful for anyone interested in these clinics. ** update as of 12/28/2020: You'll notice my mind going back and forth a lot, LOL. Better safe than sorry when it comes to something as big as surgery, right? I've edited it as much as I could to improve clarity as well as any glaring grammatical errors. ** BACKGROUND INFO Early 20s, East Asian female interested in primary DES + primary Rhino highly likely getting: forehead fat graft, masseter botox as well as partial buccal fat removal (as of 12/28/20) DES: incision method + ptosis correction (have monolids with lots of fat on eyelids) Rhino: higher nose bridge, slimmer + less bulbous alars and tip most likely silicone for bridge and septal cartilage for tip My eyes are really weak, one eyebrow is significantly higher than the other because I keep raising them up because of the lack of power my eyes have. It also emphasizes the uneven sizes between my eyes, as the one with more strength is also the one with less fat on my eyelid, making the difference in size really obvious, especially when I smile. This causes a lot of strain on my eyebrows and my forehead, and I find myself constantly forcing myself to relax my eyes because it causes me to get minor headaches. I was very hesitant on getting DES as I have an acquaintance who did their eyes here in America and ended up with the dreaded sausage eyes. As I have a lot of fat on my eyelids, I knew for sure I would have to go with the incision method, which has a higher rate of getting sausage eyes. However, the problems I mentioned above just led to me to deciding on getting DES. I will note that I am relatively proficient in Korean. However, I did tell them I was a foreigner (which they probably would’ve known anyways as I’m sure I made some minor grammatical mistakes), so I’m not too sure how much sway I had. Here are the clinics I consulted/plan on consulting: Wannabe Dr. Jin Premium Nose Clinic Cocoline Premier Item 1mm Luho (Previously known as Yonsei First) Marble Illumi WANNABE - Kakao Consult (in English) Like everyone says, Wannabe was very prompt in their replies to me and had perfect English. They recommended me to get the incision method and ptosis correction with an in out line, as I mentioned I wanted a very natural line. Thanks to them, I realized how badly I needed the ptosis correction. They also said I should get short nose correction, hump removal (I didn’t even know I had a hump?! I looked at the photo again, and it’s VERY VERY slight), alarplasty and an increased nose bridge. They recommended silicone, but said using cartilage was possible, but that they would need to see me in person. Initially, I had no intentions of going for silicone, as I noticed they tended to require a revisional rhino after, so hearing that made me reassured. They quoted me around 6 mil won for both rhino and my eyes. However, someone in the Kakao group I’m in noted that those were the exact quotes they had given them, so I assume they just have a baseline price and then adjust it when you actually have a face to face consultation. DR. JIN - Email Consult (in English) Dr. Jin was on my list for a while; he has bunch of credentials and I liked how he personally replied to me. He was also speedy in his reply and suggested using septal and rib cartilage for a higher nose bridge, mild alarplasty, and refining my tip with possible fat removal and cartilage reduction. I asked how high my nose bridge could be without being too unnatural, and he said that making it too high wouldn’t be harmonious with my face but that he can make it relatively high with rib. He quoted me 10k USD (yes, USD) which was mind boggling. I also began to read some negative reviews and that made me cross him off the list. COCOLINE - Facebook Consult (ENG) They were hard to reach. They read my FB messages relatively fast (I couldn’t find their Kakao) but replied HOURS later, but it could be due to the fact that I messaged them in English. They quoted me 5 mil won for my nose, and straight up said I would need to use silicone for my nose only. They recommended surgery for my nose tip and alarplasty as well as my nose bridge. So far, all clinics said the same thing, except Wannabe added both the short nose correction + hump removal. I am hesitant and will probably still visit them after for a face to face consultation as they are famous in Korea for their noses. I was very surprised that they suggested silicone as they are known for their autologous cartilage rhinos, but my nose is VERY flat lol. NAMU PS - Kakao Straight up ignored me LMAO. They didn’t read my messages, and honestly I’m not too miffed because I only reached out since other people in the Kakao reached out. PREMIER - Kakao (KRN) Another clinic I saw on the app; it seems to be pretty famous for eyes. They are having a summer event where the incision method is only around 890 thousand won (!?!!) which made me realize just how much more they charge for foreigners. They were very speedy in their replies, but I noticed after messaging them that they have an English website and offer consultations through Whatsapp (which I don’t have). I was curious how they would quote me after having a conversation with them in Korean and then telling them I was a foreigner. I asked if it would be possible to get a natural in out line (I mentioned Red Velvet’s Irene LMAO), as when I use double eyelid tape, the line gets very thick and makes me look weird. I asked if the line I get with double eyelid tape is the only line possible with my eyes, or if the line I want is possible. I also asked if I could participate in their events/promotions even though I was a foreigner. They basically said it’s hard for them to answer my questions completely accurately through just photos, and asked if I could come in for an in person consultation. They said I could participate in their promotional events as I hold dual citizenship in Korea (so I guess that’s the criteria), and without any events, typical base price for the incision method would be close to 1 million won but that the price would depend on what the doctor ultimately says as well as the level of difficulty of the surgery. They were very kind and polite and even told me to contact them again when I arrive in Korea, which made them place way higher on my list! ITEM - Kakao (KRN/ENG) I'll be honest, I got quite lazy and just copy pasted what I Kakao-ed Premier in Korean but I stated that I'm slightly more comfortable in English, so we had a mostly English conversation but there was some Korean, as an FYI. They said my eyes were big! (A lie. But it made me feel good LMAO) They were very prompt and kind in their replies to me. They recommended the incisional method and said it was too hard to tell right now if I needed ptosis correction. For nose, they said if I wanted a higher nose bridge, I would need to use silicone (T___T) and would reduce my bone base (Osteotomy) as I have a wide base (I have to look up what this means.. LOL). They also said they would use my septum cartilage to make my columella and tip, but stated that if I didn't have enough cartilage, I would need to use donor. They also were concerned about reducing my alars too much, for breathing functions. They said that I wouldn't be able to participate in promotional events unless I could speak Korean, so I guess I'll have to find out if I do a face to face. I'm very hesitant because so far it seems as though silicone is inevitable, and while I did like how specific they were in telling me what specific procedures they suggested, it seems as though all the rhinoplasty inquiries I have asked about have given me different suggestions -- generally a higher nose bridge and a slimmer tip are the consensus, but there are little different things all clinics so far have suggested. They quoted me 1.85 million won for incisional DES (no ptosis or anything), and rhinoplasty overall would cost 4.6 million won. So far, I am primarily interested in Premier and Wannabe. I think I'll have to make a face to face consultation with Cocoline before I finalize my thoughts. I also think I might be able to get some leverage with a F2F, since I was able to communicate fine with Premier in all Korean. I am still continuing to decide whether I want to do silicone or rib as they both have their pros and cons, and I might ask if I could do just tip plasty + alar instead. I am not interested in Item as I do not like how they suggested that I may need a donor, when I'm already very hesitant against silicone.

Hi All, I have collated a list of consultation questions from my research and sharing it here for those who may find it useful. Please feel free to add on to the list. Wishing all with upcoming surgeries a smooth journey! PRE-SURGERY POINTERS Two weeks before trip Avoid alcohol for 2 weeks before surgery No smoking at least 1 week before surgery Take vitamin supplements if needed (vitamin c, vitamin a, zinc, vitamin k, vitamin b, vitamin d, magnesium, amino acids) Avoid Vitamin E (increases bleeding) or ginseng/ ginko/ garlic/ ginger/ dongquai/ omega3 fatty acids Take good care of your skin (surgery may be postponed if there is pimple) Stop taking any medication or dietary supplements 2 weeks before surgery and notify during consultation Do not take any drugs with aspirin as they may have an undesirable side effects that may affect your surgery (abnormal bleeding and bruising). You may take Tylenol as a substitute for discomfort. The following is a summary taken from the Journal of American Medical Association on eight herbs that can potentially pose harm during and after surgery. It is recommended that the following herbs be stopped before surgery in order to avoid any potential complications from their use: St. John’s Wort can significantly increase the breakdown of other routinely administered drugs during surgery, some of which are vital to the care of patients after surgery. This should be discontinued at least 5 days before surgery. Echinacea should be used with caution in patients with asthma or allergic problems and should be discontinued as far in advance of surgery as possible. Ephedra causes a potential increase in blood pressure and heart rate. This herb has also been associated with sudden death under anesthesia. This should be discontinued at least 7 days before surgery. Garlic supplements have a potential for reducing clotting function and platelet function and should be stopped 7 days prior to surgery. Ginseng has also been shown to have effects on clotting pathways and should be discontinued approximately 7 days preoperatively. Ginkgo should be discontinued 7 days prior to surgery because it can inhibit platelet clotting factors. Kava should be discontinued 7 days preoperatively because it can increase the sedative effects of anesthetics. Valerian can increase the sedative effects of anesthetics. This should not be discontinued abruptly because there is risk of physical dependency to Valerian and withdrawal symptoms may develop. This should be tapered over several weeks before surgery. Consultation Consult 3 Clinics / Day (space out start times by at least 2 hours, but spacing out by 3 hours buffer is recommended). Prepare some photos of how you want to look. Negotiate price - a) List example prices from other clinics b) State your budget is significantly lower than it actually is c) Offer to write them a review / before and after pictures for them to use on their site Always ask about the available dates for your surgery at the end of your consultation. Make sure you clearly understand the clinic’s revision policy and it is a good idea to get this in writing. You can get this by sending your consultant a mail/message where you summarize this policy and ask the consultant whether your understanding of this is complete and correct. Bring along something to take notes. MUST notify during consultation of any allergies or hypersensitive reactions towards certain medication LIST OF CONSULTATION QUESTIONS Doctor Are you certified by the Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery? Were you trained specifically in the field of plastic surgery? How many years of plastic surgery training have you had? Is doctor X specialized in (procedure)? Or does he focus on other areas? Cost What is the exact breakdown of fees for this procedure? Are there any hidden fees? What is the total cost of the surgery including drugs and treatment aids needed after the surgery? What is included in my aftercare and what not? For example things like overnight stay, medications, scar cream, pumpkin juice, pressure garment, ice packs, deswelling treatment, hair treatment, etc.? Is there VAT refund? Where is the nearest downtown VAT refund point (i.e. apart from the airport refund counter)? What is the name of the VAT refund counter operator? If possible complications may occur, does the patient have to pay for the treatment? What is the cost for this treatment? If the patient decides to discontinue the surgery for any reason, does the patient still need to pay for the entire surgery? Surgery What procedures do I need to do or would you recommend me to do? Am I a good candidate for this procedure? How will you perform my procedure? Where will the procedure be performed? How many of these procedures do you perform a week? A month? What is the most popular surgical procedure you perform in your clinic? How many other medical staff will assist with this procedure? Will there be an anesthesiologist present during my surgery? What type of anesthesia method and anesthetic are used? Is some or all of the surgical equipment and instruments sterilized and used only for my surgery? What are the risks of the surgery? What are the complication occurrence rates and the surgeon’s surgery success rates of this clinic? How are complications handled? Can I see before and after pictures of the surgery? Post-Surgery What type of treatment will I need after the surgery? Will I need to take painkillers after the surgery? Does swelling or bruising occur after surgery? If so, is it treatable? How long will it take for me to return to day-to-day activities after the surgery? How long will the surgery results last for; if not permanent? If I need to consult the surgeon, can I meet him/her even months after the surgery? What is the clinic’s revision or refund policy in case there are complications or when I am not satisfied? What is exactly included & excluded in the revision policy, like revision excludes anesthetics costs? How many follow-up visits will I need? When is the next follow-up visit? When will the stitches be removed? How long does it take for the scars to disappear? Surgical Records Is any information about my surgery recorded? If so, how is it recorded? Will my surgical records or photos be shown to anyone else? Will my approval be sought before any of my records, including photos, are shown to someone else? Can I keep a copy of my surgical records? How long does the clinic store surgical records after the surgery? Where can I find my surgical records if the clinic which performed the surgery closes?

Hello everyone! This will probably be one of my last updates for this particular thread, unless I discover a clinic I really like. I will be going to Korea during late spring - early summer, and will be compiling my thoughts and journey as well as tips once I have gone and come back in a new thread as this thread was strictly for consultation purposes! I have finalized my decision to go to Luho for my double eyelid surgery. We have agreed to do incisional DES with ptosis correction with Dr. Kim. They said that epicanthoplasty seems unnecessary from my pictures, but they will further assess once we meet in person. The price is 2.2 million won, but can be negotiated to up to 1.5 million won. I have no social media presence or any sort of leverage I can use besides perhaps agreeing to write reviews on both Gangnam Unni and here (which I was already planning on doing), so I want to be transparent in the prices, which I have been doing throughout this entire thread :). I will also be doing masseter botox and (maybe) brow botox with them -- masseter botox is 100,000 won. I also asked about their rhinoplasty, and for alarplasty, bridge enhancement with silicone, tipplasty (with ear and septal cartilage), the total cost is 2.16 million won if you choose to participate in the event (inclusive of VAT). Please note that they do allow foreigners to partake in events, but I think this is highly contingent on your ability to write/speak Korean (I consulted in Korean) as they ask you to leave reviews on Gangnam Unni and such. The price for the surgeries mentioned above without the event price is 3.85 million won. Dr Kim is the only one who does rhinoplasty at Luho. From my PERSONAL experience, it seems like hes best at providing very very natural results, and his best work seems to be people who have a hump. Though the price was tempting, I was worried that I would end up with TOO natural of results, and I do not have a hump, so I decided to go elsewhere. However, if you meet the criteria, I definitely think it's not a bad choice. ** Please note that I spoke in Korean during the whole Kakao consultation, which could've resulted in the slightly lower prices. Though they do slightly price gauge (they know I am a foreigner, and other foreigners who have contacted them in English got a slightly higher price than I did, but it was not a significantly higher price), I believe it is on par with other clinics. Dr. Park specializes in revision DES only, which is why I got Dr. Kim. *** As I mentioned in my previous posts, Luho allows for foreigners to participate in events, but they only have events for rhinoplasty and natural adhesion DES, so I can't participate anyways LOL. For my primary rhinoplasty, I will most likely be going to Item. I hope to do it with Dr. Kim, who will be opening his own clinic -- aka JT. I will be posting my consultation with them once they are officially open. I also am considering doing my forehead fat graft with Dr. Kim, but I will finalize on that once I go in person, as I hope to get a better gauge regarding my profile from him directly. I do not have a specific price set as they mentioned the prices will be different from Item. I will most likely either do my rhinoplasty the same day as my eyes, or 1-3 days. Item quoted me roughly 4 million won for my rhinoplasty, but I expect the price to be different -- most likely lower. ** As previously mentioned, they only allow foreigners to participate in events if they can speak Korean. I consulted them with English, so I will update on whether they will let me participate in person. They also mentioned that the prices are flexible anyways and can be negotiated, so remember to ask! I suspect that they will be more lenient as Dr. Kim will need publicity/spread the word that he has opened his own clinic. -> UPDATE: As JT opened, they have posted a lot of events. The events as seen on Gangnam Unni say that you can only participate if you are a Korean citizen. If you can speak Korean however, I still think it's worth bringing that up (maybe offer to write reviews on Gangnam Unni and PF/BH). I will most likely be settled on these two clinics unless I find another clinic whose rhinoplasty results I really like. I am set on Luho as Luho does amazing work on people who have thick skin and I have seen a lot of results from people with similar eyes. Dr. Kim (from Item) seems to specialize in outfold, high parallel creases, which I personally do not want, which is why I have decided to go to two separate clinics, despite the hassle. I am aiming for natural results, so please keep that in mind as well if you are hoping for dolly results. Dr. Kim (Item) seems capable of doing both natural and dolly -- I would describe his aesthetic as an inbetween, while Luho is definitely very natural.

You can usually scoop some up at airport kiosks when you exit baggage claim, but if you can't do this it's best to get in the city. You can also pre-oder ones for pick-up at the airport here: https://www.klook.com/en-US/ I have some information I wrote to a similar question here:

Yes, Myeongdong near the Chinese Embassy has very good rates. Other than that your next best bet are banks for conveience, but rates won't be good. Banks in Korea close by 4PM on weekdays.