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Hi All, Have compiled a guide below, for those who are new to PS in Korea. Thank you to all who have selflessly shared your research/experience; which I have credited in the respective sections. 1. Navigating Korea 1.1 Travelling 1.1.1 Travelling from Incheon Airport to Seoul Airport Bus Cost: Approx. 15,000 won to Gangnam area Time: Approx. 1.5 hours Airport buses travel to all major areas of Seoul. Tickets to Gangnam area are around 15,000 won and the travel time is approximately 1.5 hours, depending on traffic and the destination. Tickets can be purchased at designated ticket booths outside the passenger terminal. The fare can be paid in cash, T-money, or credit card (at Incheon Airport). AREX Cost: Approx. 5,000 - 10,000 won to Gangnam area Time: Approx. 2 hours The AREX operates two types of trains: the Express train, which makes no stops along the way, and the All-Stop train, which makes 10 stops before it reaches Seoul Station. All stop train: The tickets are around 4,500 won and the estimated travel time is around an hour. The train departs regularly around every 6 to 7 minutes and operates from 5:20 till 23:57. Express train: This train does not make any stops and goes to Seoul station directly, and the tickets are around 8,000 won and the estimated travel time is around 45 minutes. The train departs around every 40 minutes and operates from 5:20 till 22:33. Keep in mind that the all stop train can be crowded especially during peak hours and if you cannot get a seat can be quite a long ride. The benefit of the express train is that there are pre-assigned seats and there is also WiFi. Once you arrive at Seoul Station you can easily transfer to other subway lines or get a taxi with your luggage, as the station has facilities like escalators and elevators (this is the case with most other stations in Seoul as well). Taxi Cost: Approx. 60,000 won to Gangnam area Time: Approx. 1.5 hours There are 4 types of taxis: Standard, international, deluxe, and jumbo taxi vans. International taxis are 20 percent more expensive than standard taxis and drivers speak English, Japanese, or Chinese. Deluxe taxis are approximately 40 to 50 percent more expensive than standard taxis, but use larger, more luxurious sedans. Jumbo taxi vans can accommodate up to 8 passengers at once and are the same price as deluxe taxies. Taxi stands for each type of taxi are located outside the arrival terminal. 1.1.2 Travelling around Korea Google Maps is not as updated as Naver and Kakao maps. Kakao and Naver have been the lead when it comes to navigation apps in Korea. If you understand Korean, Naver maps tend to be more detailed, including real time updates on arrival/departure timings for buses and trains. Naver maps instructions are in English – so that would be the recommended app if you do not understand Korean. Subway Korea (by Malang, yellow colour icon on Google Playstore, blue colour icon on Apple Store) is a handy map app that not only gives you the subway routes, but also lets you see to-the-minute train schedules, calculate the quickest routes to your destination, and even tell you which train car to get on for the quickest transfers. Best of all, it works offline, making navigating in transit a breeze. There are several online guides on how to use the app (https://thechelseabracket.wordpress.com/2016/05/29/best-apps-for-seoul-subway-지하철-2/) 1.2 Sim Card It is advisable for you to get a SIM card that allows you to get online with your phone, so you can use kakaotalk and maps. There is a detailed link here on the different type of sim cards (https://prepaid-data-sim-card.fandom.com/wiki/Korea_(South)). There are usually discounts if you pre-order ahead of your trip (https://www.krsim.net/). Do take note of the pickup times if you are arriving very late / super early. 1.3 Food Delivery Apps For English speakers, UberEats and Shuttle Delivery are some possible options. McDelivery is another option. If you understand Korean or are willing to spend some time to read up other online guides on Yogiyo app, there are a lot more food options there. 2. Research 2.1 Best time to visit Korea Credit to JLBCGP (https://beautyhacker.com/topic/1010768-best-time-to-visit-korea/) JLBCGP has made a detailed post, taking into account variables such as temperature, local holidays, high school/university students and yellow dust. Please refer to her post linked above. 2.2 How to check if a doctor is Board-certified There are several pointers to note: The Korean website is more updated than the English version (a few years dated). The mobile version of the Korean website allows you to search by clinic's and/or doctor's name (whereas the web version only allows you to search by doctor's name). Sometimes, the clinic's name may be spelled differently (e.g. DA Clinic may be reflected as 디에이성형외과, 디에이 성형외과 or DA성형외과). It may be better to search by doctor's name in this case. Also, sometimes when a doctor moves to a new clinic, the site may not be as updated and the doctor's name may still be reflected under the old clinic's name which he practiced at. For oral and maxillofacial dental surgeons, there is no English database to check board membership status. For ENT doctors, there are 2 medical societies in Korea (Credit to Kino on Discord): i) Korean Society of Otorhinolaryngology-head and Neck Surgery Email: [email protected] Website: http://eng.korl.or.kr/ ii) Korean Rhinologic Society Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.ksrhino.or.kr/eng/ I have attached screenshots (see this link https://beautyhacker.com/topic/1012254-checking-if-a-doctor-is-certified-by-the-korean-association-of-plastic-surgeons/) on: How to search by clinic name (click here http://www.prskorea.co.kr/mobile/search/search_h_name.asp) How to search by doctor (click here http://www.prskorea.co.kr/mobile/search/search_h_dr.asp) If there are no results, it means that the doctor is not certified by the board to begin with. See the link above on the screenshots on how to differentiate those who were suspended because they did not pay their membership renewal fees vs other reasons. For other pointers on how to check if a doctor is certified, you may refer to the English write-up on the page (click here http://www.prskorea.co.kr/English/mobile/sub/sub_02.asphttp://www.prskorea.co.kr/English/mobile/sub/sub_02.asp). 2.3 What to research Types of procedures: Clinics’ websites, Plastic surgery concierge services Pros, cons and risks of procedures: Realself Recovery: Makemeheal Simulating how the PS procedure looks on you: Meitu (the app is easy to use and you can simulate smaller alars, higher bridge, smaller nose tip, philtrum reduction, zygoma reduction, vline surgery, etc). Clinics / Doctors: Purseforum, Beautyhacker, Soyoung (Chinese), Gangnam Unnie (Korean), Babitalk (Korean), Anti-PS cafes (http://cafe330.daum.net/_c21_/home?grpid=KY9Q), Korean forums on Naver, Nate *As there are many fake/planted reviews online, please use discretion and do not take everything you see at face value. Some clinics also photoshop their before/after photos. 3. Pre-Surgery 3.1 Packing List Notebook and pen to write notes during consultation Medical history / Drug allergies to inform clinic Button tops or loose fitting tops Electrical adapter Cotton bud / Q-tips (to apply medicine, dig nose, remove food particles for those with stitches inside mouth) Antibacterial wet wipes Lip balm (for rhino and FC as lips will get dry from breathing through the mouth) Pain relief medication Tissue paper (for running nose/teary eyes post-surgery & bleeding) Camouflage items (hoodie, sunglasses, face masks, caps) Vitamin K cream (e.g. Auriderm) (for bruising) Scar healing & reduction gel (e.g. Kelocote, Dermatix) Simple dressing set Arnica (e.g. Sineech) (for bruising) Bromelain (for swelling) Collagen powder (promotes healing) Vitamin C (promotes healing) Protein powder (if you have to be on a liquid diet) Dry shampoo 3.2 Pre-Surgery Pointers 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. 4. Consultation 4.1 General consultation pointers to note 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 4.2 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? 5. Surgery 5.1 Anaesthesia Credit to Lemontea1234 (https://beautyhacker.com/topic/996406-anaethestics-terminology-and-general-thread/) 5.1.1 Anaesthetics 101 What exactly is Anaesthetics? According to webdictonary Anaesthetics is 'a substance that induces insensitivity to pain.' It’s a pharmaceutical substance in which is directly injected into your veins or inhaled. This thread hopefully can impart some knowledge of anaesthetics and the importance of pre-operative, post-operative care. Types of Anaesthetics: Gas: The simplest form of inhaled sedation drug. Commonly known as sevo gas or nitric oxide. Simply known to most as laughing gas to most. It is used for induction of surgery. The half life of those gases are only 15seconds. It won’t take away your pain, but distracts you and relaxes you so that they can insert a cannula. Gas form of anaesthesia isn’t common for the duration of the surgery as it’s too unpredictable. Rather it is used to help calm the patient and allow them to feel relaxed. It leaves the body when you exhale. Twilight sedation or Sedation: Twilight sedation is simply sedation. It is used so the patient can be conscious but also like a trance. It’s a state where you're awake but not aware. Most common sedation medication is known as Midazolam. Half life of midazolam is approx 1.5hours to 2.5hours. The common side effect of such drugs is grogginess, headaches, dizziness and memory loss in the period that the medication is used. If twilight sedation is used, the patient should be breathing on their own and can protect their own airway. Thus reducing the need to be 'intubated' or having a breathing tube down. Blocks or Local Anaesthetic: Another form of anaesthetic is just using a nerve block or spinal block for the surgery. It means the patient will be fully conscious and aware of their surroundings during surgery. The medication is injected directly into the nerve and should completely numb the area. This is not often fool proof and upon wearing off. Can cause pins and needles sensation. Spinal blocks are commonly used to paralyse the patient from the waist down in order for surgeons to perform surgery. However, it can cause permanent paralysis if not correctly administered. There's also simple local anaesthetic that surgeons use intraoperative by directly injecting to operative site. Some of them contain adrenaline which in small doses in healthy adults be no problem. But those with underlying heart conditions should be mindful of. General Anaesthetic: Often associated with what Michael Jackson got for sleep. Medication of choice is generally propofol. Half life is 2 to 24 hours. However actual pharmacological effect peaks at 2 mins mark, and effective for only 5 to 10 minutes. It puts you to complete sleep, and makes you unconscious. A side effect of this, is it causes respiratory depression. In which you don't breathe enough or deep enough to maintain optimal oxygen level in your body. Thus, patients undergoing GA usually will have a breathing tube, and will be connected up to a ventilator (machine that gives calculated breaths). However, you may still move some of your muscles in your chemically induced sleep. Much like natural sleep. Common side effects are dizziness, nausea, grogginess, headaches etc. Some are known to 'shiver' post anaesthetics, as their bodies try to get rid of the medication from your system. These are the most common form of anaesthetics. There are some that used combination of GA with local infiltration by surgeon or can give twilight sedation to start off. But then put into deeper sleep by general anaesthetics. 5.1.2 Importance of following pre-operative instructions For those who are new to surgery. You may be given a set of instructions to follow in order to prepare yourself for surgery. But! I bet you have questions on why it is important to follow them. Most important rule is DISCLOSE any medication and medical history that you may have. EVEN if you do think it’s relevant. Sometimes something small that happened a long time ago, may be important when you do surgery. When you're being operated on, your body will be under stress. And some old medical conditions can flare up under body stress. So please be mindful of this! Fasting: Fasting means to be nil by mouth. This means no water, no food, nothing that can stimulate saliva production in mouth to stomach. The only things you can take orally is your medications. ANY medication that is used to treat medical conditions can be taken, with as minimal water as possible. Ideal fasting times are: If your surgery is in the first thing in the morning. Try to have a small meal at midnight, and then nothing from 12 o'clock midnight onwards. If your surgery is in the afternoon, (after 1pm). You can have a light breakfast at 5am in the morning then it’s nothing from then onwards. •Why fasting is important? In the evident that you may involuntarily vomit, you would want no chance that whatever you vomit may end up in your lungs. The chances of this happening under GA is low, as your airway is protected. BUT, after the removal of your artificial airway. You may vomit and may be too groggy to protect your airway. If any solids or fluids that are foreign end up in your lungs. You may end up with a condition known as aspiration pneumonia. Treating it is much harder, and often mortality rate is high if you acquire this. Medications: Some people take supplements to add to their diets. Please still always seek medical advice before stopping some of your medications. ALWAYS disclose whatever medication you take as it can affect how your recovery and anaesthetics are metabolized. Importance of declaring allergies: Allergies are vital to be declared to treating doctors and anaesthetists. Did you know some medical products contain same protein as foods? Parts of latex gloves have the same protein as kiwifruit. So please tell your doctors and explain your symptoms of allergies when you go for surgery. Even if you think it’s just minor, please let them know! 5.2 Morning of surgery Wake up early & wash your face Make sure you are not wearing any accessories or nail polish Bring your contact lens case to store your contact lens (if applicable) NO breakfast (not even a small biscuit or a cup of water) Wear comfortable clothes (button down shirt) and bring cover-ups like caps or sunglasses to protect your eyes after surgery Prepare your appointment card including fees for the operation in advance so that you are on time for the surgery. Go over to clinic early to check in Bring socks - The surgery room can be a bit cold and socks can keep you warm thus calming you down before the surgery. 5.3 Pre-surgery process Change into your surgery clothes. Take everything off except for your underwear. Tie your hair back Wash hands first, then your entire face. Make sure it’s completely cleaned. Wait in patient waiting room Consultant brief you about the risk, liability, warranty (in my case, for the 1st year it's free revision, and in the 2nd year it's free revision but you have to pay anesthesia and consultation fees). Sign the waiver of liability form. Make sure that in the contract you sign with the clinic before your surgery, it is clearly stated what the full name is of the doctor that is operating on you. The clinic is legally obliged to put this in the contract. This is to avoid a clinic using another doctor for your surgery. Go into another room to take a photo of you pre-surgery Doctor comes in and analyses you for the second time (the first time should be at your consultation). He will make small notations on your face/body and discuss the shape again. Go into surgery. Rest in recovery room 6. Post-surgery 6.1 Recovery tips General Avoid spicy and high sodium food Sleep with head elevated 45 degrees for several days to minimize swelling Apply antibiotic ointment (if prescribed) to the incision site as directed Use ice packs (~10 mins on 10 mins off) for the first 3 days after surgery as often as you can to reduce swelling and bruising Do not take aspirin or any aspirin based pain medication unless approved by your surgeon Do not use scar reduction cream/gel on the incision site until the wound has fully healed No alcohol for 3 weeks as it causes fluid retention Do not smoke, as smoking delays healing and increases the risk of complications Limit your activity right after surgery (for the first 3 days) to reduce post-operative swelling and bleeding. Start walking as soon as possible from the 4th day onwards, this helps to reduce swelling and lowers the chance of blood clots Avoid activities that raise your blood pressure, including bending, lifting and rigorous sports Before you attempt to pull any dead skin, be absolutely certain that it’s not a stitch. Eye surgery-specific You can take showers from the neck down any time after your surgery. Don’t take full showers until your surgeon tells you it’s safe to do so. This is usually after stitches are out (~5 to 7 days). You may gently wash below your eyes with wipes or a soft washcloth. You can use dry shampoo for your hair. Once you can take full showers, you can wash your eyelids and shampoo your hair with mild products, such as baby shampoo. Wait at least 2 weeks before wearing contact lenses Do not apply any irritants or make-up on your eyelids or incision line for 2 weeks after the surgery Your physician may recommend Natural Tears (OTC eye drops) or OTC ophthalmic ointment or antibiotic eye drops as part of your post-op treatment. Don’t pull on your eyelids while using the eye drops. Nose surgery-specific You can take showers from the neck down any time after your surgery. Don’t take full showers until your surgeon tells you it’s safe to do so. This is usually after the nose splint and stitches are out (~7 to 10 days). For the first month after rhinoplasty, you should not rest your glasses on the bridge of your nose. Either wear contact lenses or suspend the glasses with the use of a small tape from your forehead. Bruising around your nose in your cheeks and lower eyelids is very common after this type of surgery. Numbness over your nose is also quite normal. You will slowly regain sensation over the top of your nose. But you can expect the tip to be slightly numb and “stiff” feeling for up to three months after surgery. Breathing through your nose will slowly improve after we clean your nose out at your first clinic visit. Go to bed on time. Yawning may cause you quite a bit of pain, so prevent it by getting the right amount of sleep during the proper hours. FC surgery-specific Post-Surgery Keeping your head lifted up and above your chest (for at least a week) will speed up the healing process. Use the ice pack for at least 3-4 days and after the 4th day, change to a hot pack. Be sure to treat both sides of the face equally. Any bruises or swelling will lessen in a week and heal after 3 weeks, so you do not have to worry. After the surgery, you must abstain from food for one day. You may drink 6 hours after the surgery, and eat after 48 hours. For those with jaw or cheekbone surgery, you may eat rice porridge after going on a liquid diet (such as juice, milk, rice gruel) for a day. *Spicy or salty food: You may eat after 2 weeks; tough and chewy food after one month When blood comes out of the mouth, spit it out. If you think you have swallowed too much blood or too much blood is coming out, then please contact the doctor. Gargling with the disinfectant that we prescribe is very important. If you do not want any wounds or infection, you must gargle at least 10 times per day. First, gargle your mouth with water a couple of times then use the disinfectant last. Until the seam in your mouth is completely gone, you must gargle for at least 2 weeks. You may use a toothbrush 1 week after the surgery. At first, use a smooth children’s toothbrush to brush your teeth (do not brush your gums). Keep the bandage around your head for at least one day. Wearing the bandage will help reduce the swelling faster. You may wash your face or hair after taking off the bandage and you may go to the sauna or the hot springs after 2 weeks. After the surgery, if the bandage is too tight or your neck feels uncomfortable, please tell the doctor. You can wash your hair after 3 days, you can take a shower after 5 days Fitness workouts (sports, health centers) after one month In order to prevent infections, you must take the prescribed medicine. No matter how perfect the surgery came out, if you do not diligently take precautions after the surgery, problems may arise or your face shape may change. Therefore, caring for your face after the surgery is just as important as the surgery itself. Diet Even though you can open your mouth a small amount, you still will not be able to chew for approximately 6-8 weeks. You therefore will be on what we term as a swallowing diet. This means anything that you can swallow without chewing. Anything blended or liquid is acceptable. You may also have any foods that are soft enough or small enough to be mashed between your tongue and teeth without chewing. These things may include any liquids, soups, scrambled eggs, applesauce, pie, cake, ice-cream, yogurt, pasta that is well chopped and small and soft, as well as meat which is ground up fine. High-calorie, high-protein meals are the best with plenty of liquids. This may require eating a small meal 5-6 times a day rather than three large meals. Use a cup or glass when eating. Pull the lower lip forward on either side and just pour the contents of the cup into your mouth. Straws are okay to use, but you may find this difficult at first. The reason it is difficult is because your lips may be swollen and with decreased feeling in the upper or lower lip creating a vacuum necessary to use a straw may be difficult. If you can use a straw, it is okay. Take in smaller amounts and eat more frequently, it may be necessary for you to eat 5-6 times a day in order to satisfy your body requirements. Try not to miss any meals. A small, plastic syringe with a piece of rubber tubing or catheter at the tip can be helpful in the feeding process. You may use one of these at the hospital and this may be helpful when you go home from the hospital. These syringes and rubber tubing may be picked up at any pharmacy or drug store and may be quite useful Try to get something fresh every day. A malt or a shake with fresh fruit and a vitamin supplement blended in it is ideal. (e.g. juices, smoothies, puddings, yogurt, etc.) Start drinking from a cup as soon as you’re physically able to. Your upwards trek back to having full energy begins the day you can throw your syringes in the garbage. Eat solid food as soon as your surgeon gives you the go-ahead. It’ll be a slow, tedious and frustrating process, but you need to go through with it in order to build your jaw muscles back up and learn how to chew properly once again. Hygiene Brush and rinse using a small amount of toothpaste and mouthwash. Oral hygiene is the single most important thing you can do to minimize possible infections. After each meal, brush your teeth with a soft-bristled toothbrush (child-size works well). Stand over the sink with your head tilted down and use a circular motion and angle the brush at 45 degrees toward the gum line. Use Peridex or a mouthwash without alcohol such as Biotene instead of toothpaste. Brush to the best of your ability and take your time. You may not be able to brush the inside of your teeth. Rinse your mouth with a solution of warm salt water (1 teaspoon salt in one 8 oz glass of warm water). Oral rinsing should be done after every meal. A moistened Q-tip or cotton swab may be used to wipe over the gums and tooth surfaces when brushing is impossible. You may follow brushing with a mild fluoride mouthwash to leave your breath and tongue feeling refreshed. Avoid the use of products such as lemon glycerin swabs and commercial mouthwashes containing alcohol (these products can have a drying or irritating effect on the mucous membranes in the mouth). Use a Waterpik ONLY if ordered by your surgeon. If any skin incisions were made, clean them with 50% peroxide-water solution, remove scabs and apply Neosporin. At times, your breath may be indicative of the fact that you are not allowed to brush your teeth or floss during the first several weeks of recovery. To aid in freshening your breath, try gurgling with warm salt water a few times each day. Soon enough, you’ll be given the go-ahead to brush and floss again. Activities Take it easy the first week. You may resume most of your normal routine after the first week as tolerated. Avoid activities that might cause an injury to the face (athletic like football, basketball, racquetball, weight lifting, etc.). Aerobic exercises may be started after two weeks. For the first 3-4 days following surgery please limit your activity. It is important that you not confine yourself to bed. Try to spend most of the day sitting in a comfortable chair and taking short walks around the house. You should limit your visiting time to 1-2 hours. Although you may feel well, you have had a major procedure and your body needs to recover. Uninterrupted rest is very important in your healing period. Do not participate in sports or strenuous activities, or return to work until permitted by your surgeon. Driving any motorized machinery or vehicle or signing any legal documents while taking pain medications is not recommended. The pain medications may cause alterations of visual perception and impair judgment. Medications Antibiotics use only the first 4-6 days following surgery. Use pain medications only as needed. Anti-nausea use as instructed and notify doctor if relief is not quickly obtained. Acute pain management should always start with over-the-counter pain medications, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol®) or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil). If your surgeon approves these medications for you, you should take them as directed on the pill bottles, or by your surgeon. If you take the first pill before the anaesthetic has worn off, you will be able to manage any discomfort better. Precede each pain pill with a small amount of food, and chances for nausea will be reduced. The effects of pain medications vary widely among individuals. For severe pain, you may take your prescription opioid (narcotic). Do not take more opioid pills, or more often, than prescribed by your surgeon. If prescribed, Vicodin / Norco may be taken every 4-6 hours for pain. DO NOT USE TYLENOL. If you notice that the pain medication is not providing comfort for long enough, alternate the Vicodin / Norco and Ibuprofen throughout the day (ex: take 1 Vicodin, then 2 hours later, take ibuprofen. 2 hours later another Vicodin / Norco). If your pain is chronic (i.e. consistent and throbbing), you may have an infection and should schedule a visit with your surgeon just to be safe. On the other hand, if your pain comes in small bouts, it’s likely your nerves reawakening or your teeth being pulled by the elastics. In this case, just be patient and the pain will subside in due time. If you were prescribed pain medication, that may help as well. Nausea/Vomiting DON’T PANIC. Use medications as instructed. For mild vomiting or any empty stomach feeling lay in a face down position to allow fluids to drain out of mouth and nose. Notify the doctor of any nausea problems. Swelling The swelling will not become apparent until 1-2 days following surgery and will not reach its maximum until 2-3 days post-operation. However, the swelling may be minimized by the immediate use of ice packs. Two baggies filled with ice, or ice packs should be applied to the side of the face where surgery was performed. The ice packs should be left on continuously while you are awake. After 48 hours, ice has no beneficial effect. If swelling or jaw stiffness has persisted for several days, there is no cause for alarm. This is a normal reaction to surgery. Thirty-six hours following surgery, the application of gentle moist heat to the sides of the face is beneficial in reducing the swelling and stiffness. Sleep with your head elevated on two pillows for the first week. Exercises Most often following these type of procedures, teeth must be kept together with wires or elastics after surgery. This allows the jaw bones to be held still while healing. Most of the time small bone screws and plates are used to hold the bone segments together during the healing period. With the use of these screws and plates, the jaws can still move slightly during the post-operative period. It must be remembered that the bones are not healed and are simply held together by screws and plates. Therefore, a gradual progression of movement and use of the jaws is encouraged, keeping in mind that complete healing does not take place for approximately two to three months after surgery. Immediately following surgery: Since surgery causes soreness in the muscles and bones of your jaw, movement will be difficult initially. We do not recommend any specific exercises during the first week to ten days after surgery. 10-14 days following surgery: Stand in front of a mirror and attempt to open and close your mouth. At ten days you should be able to get at least 1 finger between your teeth. This will increase gradually in the next several weeks. Simply move your jaws open and closed then side to side. Moist heat to the side of your face prior to these exercises can be beneficial. Do not use your fingers to force open your jaw. 4-8 weeks after surgery: At this time you should be able to get 2 fingers between your teeth comfortably and can begin using gentle finger pressure to stretch your jaw muscles. By week 8 you should be able to get 3 fingers between your teeth. Again, stretch the muscles open and closed as well as side to side. Breathing Difficulty Following your procedure, you will develop difficulty breathing through your nose. This is a transient problem that peaks at about day 3-4. You may feel that your airway passage is being blocked by the swelling, but be assured that there is plenty of room to breathe through. Limit your activity to reduce post-operative swelling and bleeding. Dried blood in the nasal passages is best cleaned by the spraying of saline spray and gentle suction with the bulb. Repeat this process as needed until nasal passages are free of dried blood. You may use a facial humidifier or steam in the shower to help loosen nasal secretions prior to suctioning. DO NOT blow your nose following surgery for a minimum of two weeks. Use Afrin Nasal Spray as directed by your surgeon. Sleep with your head elevated on two pillows for the first week. Miscellaneous Use nose spray if needed and no more than twice a day. Use ointment on lips to reduce swelling and avoid drying and chapping. Sleep with head elevated (2 pillows) the first week then normal elevation after that. Sleep with your head elevated on two pillows or in a comfortable recliner chair for the first week following surgery. Before you attempt to pull any dead skin off of your lips, be absolutely certain that it’s not a stitch. Start using medicated lip balm immediately following your return to your own home. If you don’t, you’ll end up with flaps of dead skin that are half an inch in diameter, and I promise you they won’t feel good when they catch on your braces. Begin each day at a decent time. If you sleep most of the day, you won’t be able to sleep at night, and you’ll hate yourself for it. Get out of bed, shower, eat some breakfast and brush your teeth and you’ll enjoy each day a lot more. (This is good advice for any day of your life, but it especially applies when you’re on the verge of depression from having jaw surgery.) Go to bed on time. Yawning will cause you quite a bit of pain, so prevent it by getting the right amount of sleep during the proper hours.

Firstly, I will note that I am relatively fluent in Korean. However, here are some things that I compiled to make your trip easier, both surgery related and other random tidbits that I personally didn't see online! Note that some of these things are COVID/quarantine specific, so some advice may seem/become outdated. Note that I haven't had any bone shaving/cutting surgery, so I can't give tips regarding those things. Some people have reached out to me thinking I got zygoma or vline, etc, and I just want to state that I have not gotten any of those procedures and will not get them in the future either. - Post OP review (Primary DES/Rhino/Forehead FG) - Consultation Journey QUARANTINE TIPS First, book your airbnb in advance ( a month ahead if you can). I was able to save the PDF with the address (which was disclosed to me in advance because I booked it so early), which was massively helpful for filling out the quarantine forms as I had an address to put down. I did have to mention that I would be quarantining in a government facility, but it wasn’t annoying at all. Also, before you book, make sure to ask the host if they’re okay with being your point of contact at the airport, especially if you’re landing at an odd hour. I landed at 5 AM, which meant my clinic would be closed, so I made sure to ask my host before I booked the trip and also sent her a reminder the day before. Don’t take my word for it, but it seems that the quarantine rate is 1.68 mil. I budgeted 2 mil just in case, but it seems that 1.68 is the standard. I used the service CallnVan to book a private taxi out of quarantine as I was on a time crunch and wanted to get out ASAP, and it was very simple to use. The Google Translate works fine on their website, but they do not disclose the driver’s information until 24-48 hours before your drive. If you need to disclose that information to your hotel earlier (like I did), you can contact them and ask to have that information sent a bit earlier. You pay directly to the taxi driver, and they prefer cash but they also take card. TRANSPORTATION Secondly, I don’t really think it’s super important to book extremely close to your clinic, though of course that would be the most convenient. My airbnb was in Gangnam but a different neighborhood, so it was roughly ~25-30 minutes to get to my clinic. I think as long as you’re within 25-30 minutes away from your clinic, you’ll be fine. However, it didn’t really bother me and I got around just fine. Plus, it’s an easy way to get your steps in. Also, it’s incredibly easy to navigate the transportation system in Korea. I personally used Naver Maps, but I know a lot of people also like Kakao Maps. The taxis are also easy to call. You can just hail one from the street (if it says 빈차, that means the car is empty and you can raise your hand for it to come to you), but you can also call using Kakao Taxi and pay with your Tmoney card (that you can recharge at convenience stores or subway stops, and it can only be recharged with cash). Obviously, you will need a Korean phone number for this. THINGS TO BUY Buy a bucket hat! If you’re getting fat grafting, buy one with a huge brim so that even when it’s angled, it’s partially covering your face. I brought one and bought one while I was in Korea, and really liked the one I bought (though it’s ugly af) because the brim had a wire that I could use to adjust the front, which made it much easier to hide my eyes. Buy or bring some cleansing pads so that your skin is still looking nice as you recover. I went to Olive Young before my surgery and bought the cheapest blotting sheets, cleansing pads from Round Lab (highly recommend), and cotton pads to use to put on my toner and lotion. I only had one pimple that formed (on my nose), and the cleansing pads felt really great! I also bought qtips and used them to apply ointment, clean my nose, and also to clean my eyes from any gunk in the morning. The best thing I bought were reusable straws from Daiso. I had a couple days before my surgery date to look around Seoul, and bought a 5 pack of reusable metal straws from Daiso for roughly 2 dollars USD. It’s incredibly helpful, especially when you shouldn’t really be looking down. For the first couple days, it was hard to clean my mouth after brushing my teeth so I literally had to fill a cup with water and suck it up through the straw to spit the toothpaste out. Disgusting, but no one else has talked about this so I thought it would be helpful to mention. Also, when I went (late May-mid June), there were quite a few days where it rained. My airbnb had a lot of umbrellas, but keep that in mind and pack some light long sleeves and jackets, as well as big loose pants and long dresses, especially if you’re getting fg! I only brought one jacket and really regretted it. It's also disgustingly humid. I powered through and still went out nearly every day, but if you'd rather get your steps in at night, you can do that too. BUY GAUZE AND SURGICAL TAPE. I completely forgot to and constantly woke up throughout the night my first night because blood kept dripping down my nose and I straight up looked monsterous. These will save your life the first few days of rhino. GENERAL ADVICE It is NOT true that everyone is walking around in bandages, I honestly don’t know why people say that. I’ve seen two people total with bandaids, and both times they were at the lobby to get to the elevator to the clinic. Some people may react, but just know that you’re never going to see them and you need to get your steps in to deswell anyways. Most don’t really care though. I was a little self conscious since I was so swollen, but if you just take in stride no one else will care, as a lot of people get PS here and if you stay in Gangnam, there are tons of clinics, so they’re familiar with swollen faces haha. I stopped wearing a hat once I hit the two week mark, and it was obvious I got my eyes done but no one cared. GET A KOREAN SIM CARD. DON’T get KT’s, as it was incredibly annoying as it doesn’t work for authentication, meaning you can’t use majority of food delivery apps. If you can speak Korean, you can still directly call the restuarant and ask to have them deliver, but it’s obviously much more convenient to just be able to order delivery. Plus, they have way more coupons and deals online. You also have to have a phone number to make reservations at restaurants or to book your hair washing, plus nowadays you need to put down a number in case there was a confirmed case of COVID at a place you visited. I ended up using my phone # and calling way more frequently than I thought I would need to (I had to add more minutes actually), so I was really grateful I decided to get a SIM card instead of a pocket wifi. If you can speak or know just some words in Korean, a lot of people will appreciate it. They know you’re a foreigner, and they really like it as it’s seen as a sign of effort. I went to go get my hair washed at Juno Hair and had a very pleasant experience as they were incredibly kind and we were able to chat! They even said they wished they could see my face 2-3 months from now LOOL. Honestly, service here in Korea is really top notch and all the people I’ve met so far makes me wish I could stay here longer. You technically can get by without knowing a single word of Korean, but knowing some common words will help you out a lot! You can use Papago and endic.naver.com to look up pronunciation and more words that you think you’ll end up using frequently. 결제 = pay 현금 = cash 사후관리/사후케어/애프터케어 = aftercare 예약 = reservation 성함 = name 서명 = signature 호박즙 = pumpkin juice 쌍수 = double eyelid surgery 코수술 = nose job 무보형물 = no foreign implant 보형물 = foreign implant 여권 = passport

Title: Best time to visit Korea. When planning for plastic surgery, we often focus on achieving the main objective of getting ourselves to Korea and finding the best clinic and doctor for our price range, however there may be several things we overlook which contribute to a smooth plastic surgery journey. One such overlooked factor is the time (in the year) of the trip. For example, there were several instances in which visitors have arrived at Korea and experienced inconvenience in the waiting room due to a high influx of locals, or stayed in their rooms due to the heat which prevented them from taking deswelling walks, or experienced a service interruption because of a local holiday. Since these factors indirectly affect the success of plastic surgery, I believe it’s important to consider the timing of your visit. Variables I have compiled several hypothesized variables which I believe will impact the plastic surgery experience. Temperature. Months that are warmer will be less conducive to healing because the heat is only therapeutic for sore muscles and chronic pain, and not the inflammation and injury resulting from plastic surgery. Additionally, there is the general grime that comes with walking around in a major metropolitan city in the humid summer. Colder temperatures will be better for deswelling and walking. Local holidays. Most business close down for at least one day for major Korean holidays. To ensure a more streamlined plastic surgery experience, one should avoid visiting during Korean holidays. Plastic surgeries also have promotions around the holiday season so this leads to an influx of local customers, which decreases the amount of individual attention one may receive from their surgeon and consultant and increases the likelihood of mix-ups and dropped communication. Ideally, to get the most attention, care, and continuous service, it would be better to go during a time that is not so popular. High school/university students. Apparently, it is very popular for Korean high school/ university students to get plastic surgery during the weeks after their university entrance exam and during their summer vacations. This also leads to an influx of local customers, resulting in the same problems in the above point (Local holidays). Yellow dust. Yellow dust (also known as Asian dust) is a yearly weather event occurring in April in which the winds originating from Mongolia sweep over China, Kazakhstan, North and South Korea. This is a problem because the wind picks up pollutants on its way to South Korea and poses a respiratory risk if there is extensive exposure to it. Based on common sense, I don’t think it would be beneficial or convenient to visit Korea when there are major issues with its air quality. Chart I created a chart (see attached document) which integrates the four variables to determine the best time to visit Korea for plastic surgery. For every negative variable present in the month, I added 1 to the “cons” count. A higher “cons” count indicates that it would be more inconvenient/unpleasant to visit Korea during this month. Similarly, if a month has a lower a “cons” count, it means that the visit will be smoother/more pleasant during that month. Green = Most convenient; Red = Least convenient. Chart notes: I marked temperatures of 25C and higher as inconvenient because that is the threshold that I personally find the weather to be too hot to tolerate without AC. Temperature data was sourced from average taken from average highs and lows in the city of Seoul. Source (*) The holidays marked with an asterisk denote an approximated date. Since a lot of Korean holidays are based on the Lunar calendar, the dates shift every year because the Lunar and the Roman calendar don’t match up. Please be aware that the dates given may not be the precise dates. Results According to the chart, it seems that the best months to visit are March, May, and October. The most inconvenient month to visit is January. Of course, I’m not saying that you should never visit Korea outside of the three months I mentioned, but this information is here to help you determine what events you may encounter if you do visit Korea, so you can plan accordingly. Limitations There are limitations which I have omitted from this chart. I did not consider the patterns of Chinese medical tourists, because I assume (I don't know if I’m wrong or right) the Chinese holidays share considerable overlap with the Korean holidays, so this omission should not change the pattern of results. However, they do comprise a large section of the Korean medical tourism population and may influence the quality of treatment/care you receive from your surgeons/consultants if there are any differences in holidays. If anyone has any information about this please feel free to comment. After I finished this report, I realized that rainfall and humidity also play a role in how ‘icky’ one feels especially if they’re trying to get around and deswell. However, I found that rainfall and humidity generally follows the same pattern as the temperature, so I don’t expect them to change the results of this chart. The temperature ratings were subjective as they were determined by me. If you have a high tolerance of the heat (or a low tolerance of the cold), you may want to consider adjusting or removing the temperature variable so it suits your needs. Concluding remarks I hope you consider this information when planning for your travels. Hopefully we can all hack our beauty in the most painless way possible. Sincerely, Jennifer. -- Edit history: June 25, 2019. Added Memorial Day as pointed out by the user June. Added comment about approximate dates due to Lunar calendar. Clarified writing regarding swelling and hot temperatures. December 15, 2019. Fixed some grammatical errors and changed some wording bungles.

Hello, I've been researching clinics and doctors and finally decided to make an account recently. I am waiting for approval into the Kakao Talk groups, but I don't know when that will happen. Anyway, I plan on getting something done to my eyes and a rhinoplasty in a few years. I'm still unsure if it's better to use autologous tissue or an implant, but I think I'd consider diced cartilage fascia. My nose is bulbous and flat, and my eyes have double lids but they're hooded since the upper lid is so fatty. Plus, I want to get fat put under the eyes because of my dark circles. I might also consider something to slim my face, but I'm more focused on the eyes and nose. I try to find clinics and doctors without any botched or shady surgeries. Here is my list so far: Nose: 101- recommend doctors Cocoline- Dr. Kim Taw Hwan Wannabe- Dr. Cha Hyundai- Dr. Lee Mind JT/Item- Dr. Kim Naturalism- Dr. Kim Deok Jung Eyes: Luho JT/Item- Dr. Kim Hyundai- Dr. Min Wannabe Naturalism I'd like to ask for input on these clinics and if these doctors are reliable. Thanks!

DeepL is a great alternative to Google Translate. I've found that it tends to translate text in a more natural and idiomatic fashion than Google Translate, even though it also isn't perfect.

I'm looking to get my nose and eyes done too, and I've looked into some of the same clinics on your list. 101- Dr. Paik — afaik Dr. Paik has retired Cocoline- Dr. Kim Taw Hwan — this doctor has opened his own clinic called 1st button Wannabe- Dr. Cha — they seem to be known mostly for undereye fat repositioning but also do natural eyes and noses, but according to several people on tpf they haven't been responding to their English kkt chats JT/Item- Dr. Kim — straight, natural noses & parallel des creases, apparently he was more known for his eyes than noses when he was at Item (compared to the other doctor) Naturalism — I'm interested in them too but it seems almost impossible for non-Koreans to book them Luho — natural results

Many people are concerned about traveling to Korea for cosmetic surgery during the COVID-19 (Corona Virus) outbreak. It's important for one to read travel & health advisory notices from their respective countries about visiting Korea. It will also help to consult with reasonable friends and family who have a vested interest in your well-being. Please take all that information into consideration before deciding to go Korea during the time of this posting. If you can delay your trip, please do so, especially until the outbreak and cases are reduced to the point where the vast majority of travel restrictions on Korea are lifted. The risk is not just to your health and safety, but it can also impact other areas of your life. These can come in the form of return travel bans, or if you must be quarantined for two weeks upon arriving back home. If you absolutely cannot postpone your trip to Korea, please see these guidelines from the United States Center for Disease Control (CDC). Avoid close contact with people who are sick. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty. Face masks: A face mask is recommended. The CDC does not advise to wear face-masks if you are not sick or to protect yourself. However, that advisory notice does not take into account plastic surgery patients. Post-surgery patients in recovery will have a much weaker immune system, and rhinoplasty and facial contouring patients will have wounds that are healing that a face mask can cover. There is a face mask shortage in Korea, you should try to secure your own face masks that have the following ratings: KF94 or N95 mask If you cannot find masks with these ratings, something is better than nothing. Eye Protection: For double eyelid surgery patients, safety goggles that protect and can seal the entire eye area are recommended when going back and forth for follow ups. Please be safe and exercise discretion and safety. Do not risk your health unnecessarily for the sake of a beauty treatment that can be done later under safer circumstances.

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How to plan consultations and how long you should stay in Korea Many people go to Korea on a tight schedule in which they need to squeeze their consultations, decide and still spare enough time to have the surgery and complete their after care appointments. These are important factors and tips to maximize your time. Guideline: Consult 3 Clinics/Day 3 appointments per day is a general rule of thumb and space out start times by at least 2 hours, but spacing out by 3 hour buffer is recomended. Clinics Hours Monday to Friday 9:30 AM to 6:30 PM (on average) Saturdays are 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM (on average) Sundays (closed) Example Schedule Clinic A: 09:30 AM Clinic B: 12:30 AM LUNCH Clinic C : 14:30 PM AFTERNOON/ EVENING: Research, Analyze and Decide Example Consultation Process A typical consultation time looks like this for seeing a single surgeon. If you are seeing more than one surgeon at a clinic (Nose Surgeon + Eye Surgeon + Contouring Surgeon) add an extra 30 minutes per additional surgeon 20 minutes: Hotel to clinic commute time 15 minutes: Clinic check in / paperwork 05 minutes Photos & X-Rays 15 minutes coordinator consultation 15 minutes wait time to see surgeon 15 minutes surgeon consultation 20 minutes to coordinator pricing, scheduling and bargaining 15 minutes to commute to next appointment Average Total Time: 2 Hours to complete the appointment and arrive at the next one (if you see more than one surgeon at a clinic add an additional 30 minutes per surgeon). Know your treatment course/timeline: Knowing how long it takes to finish your aftercare and follow ups is an important variable to plan your stay time. For example rhinoplasty requires 6 to 7 days. Factor Surgery Slot Float Time Surgery float is the time spent waiting for your surgery day to arrive once you made your decision. Always ask about the available dates for surgery at the end of your consultation. Sometimes your surgery can start the same day, next day, or you may have to wait as long as one week or more. Float times increase if it's a peak season (Winter/Spring) or it's a popular clinic or high demand surgeon TIPS: Be on time. Don't be rude to other patients and staff by showing up late. Don't flake, bad Karma. Be nice, your prices can be a reflection of your attitude and difficulty or ease to manage. Don't be a hero and stack too many appointments Don't have appointments the day you land in Korea Get familiar with the clinic location. Download Naver Maps App and virtually visit the clinic. Have the clinics address in Korean and take taxis that are facing the direction of your next appointment (if it's not walking distance) Keep max clinic number to 5. After 5 you will have diminishing marginal returns. Advice will get confusing and conflicting. You will waste time and energy.