snowcup

Haha, you're right. My pricey Tumi converter would fall out at the slightest touch because the base didn't fit. I'll try this one, thanks.

 

It's good to orient yourself, but it's hard to know what is considered "tried-and-true" vs. "this-might-work" based on articles. The first article you linked is proposing a newer method and actually indicates in the latter section that Muller's resection is a standard transjunctival approach for minimal ptosis. With ptosis, it's really important to get an accurate diagnosis because there are many different kinds and it can get very complicated. The main point is that it's possible to correct some ptosis without revising your creases.

I think it would be worthwhile to visit an oculoplastic surgeon for ptosis consultation before going to Seoul. There have been a lot of advancements in the last decade or so in this area, but not all plastic surgeons may be practicing the different methods. I'm not sure what methods Kang or Kwon (or others) uses for ptosis or if they do this type of repair.

As for the overhanging skin, there is a little more now than what I had previously. Depth wasn't an issue for me, but I did want to lower my folds. My prior surgery pulled in the eyelid skin from both above and below the crease, which creates smooth taut skin with less overhang. However, I now notice that just the eyelid skin below the crease pulls in as the eye opens. So the crease height decreases as the eyelids flatten. The eyelids are also flatter than before besides being smaller, which looks natural. But this combination means smaller than expected creases could be a concern. It's too early to know. It would be great if others who had revisions a year or more ago could tell us approximately when their creases stabilized. My guess is that the final height is approximate and not as precise as some may want.

 

If ptosis is your main concern - if it's not severe - it can be corrected without incisional surgery (no cutting or incision) via the Muller's muscle approach, where surgeons can go underneath your eyelid and make the adjustment.

I'm not sure how long ago your surgery was, but the depth does decrease. Since it doesn't really bother you now, and it will lessen with time, there really isn't a need to correct it if you don't have any complications.

I had surgery at IOU a few months ago, and my folds have continued to decrease since my first month. I think it's because there is more overhanging skin above the crease with this method. Only the eyelid skin below the crease pulls in as your eye opens so until all of the swelling dissipates the fold will get smaller. I previously had the deeper type of surgery for over ten years before this last revision so I can see the difference. The deeper surgery had less overhang of skin but more risks. Pros and cons for every method.

 

I don't think anyone is so invested or cares which clinics you choose to consult with or go to for surgery. People were just making sure you've seen the info on the forum from other reviewers. Not a big deal.

The good and bad reviews are equally important to a forum. People need to hear both the good and bad. That's the whole point of why we're here. It's all data. How you filter it is up to you.

 

Sometimes you can walk in and wait until a slot opens. It depends on the clinic and the time of year.

As for translators and commissions, it seems to be true. One of the surgeons I consulted with told me that translators had tried to set up a deal with his clinic that involved marking up the cost by a certain percentage. The commission comes out of the patient's wallet.

Before my trip, I was in touch briefly with 3 different translators. 2 were busy and 1 of them couldn't answer simple questions. The names of these translators are likely not their real names, which also made me skeptical. I decided to go solo. In hindsight, I think you can get by without one.

 

Looks like you had a good mix of historical sites and shopping. I visited the sites many years ago so I didn't go this time, but now wish I had. I can't really remember them, and it would have been great to see everything fresh. I've heard the Furniture Museum in Seoul is supposed to be pretty interesting. http://travel.cnn.com/seoul/visit/most-exquisite-museum-seoul-302040

Actually, walking was even suggested by the doctor. It decreases swelling, which helps to show how you're progressing for check-ups. I went for long strolls, enjoying the scenery and people watching. It's also a good time to try out some street snacks, like fishcake-on-a-stick.

Besides, strolling about is more fun than staying in and overly focusing on the early stages of recovery. That's like watching plants grow.

Don't overdo it but walking will make you look and feel better.

Still love these emoticons.

 

I agree 100%.

Surgery is always a risk, regardless of the surgeon. And patients are not always objective about their outcomes.

 

While surgery may be okay to do at 6 months, unless there are complications, I think it could be early since the final results haven't fully expressed yet. "Safe" doesn't mean "optimal."

It does seem like you have a hard decision. I hope the doctors you consult with will be honest and not recommend re-surgery if your results seem good for the stage you are in.

 

Teium seems like a good choice for epi. I don't think Dr. Kwon invented the "magic epi" method though. He gave it this name, which has become popular. But it's probably a good sign that he is known for it.

 

This post in the "Best PS in Korea" thread was interesting. It lists the clinics with the most complaints from 2009-2011, based on a news article.

#

 

This is surprising. Was fat grafting not recommended initially and how do you know this is needed to resolve the issue? Triple fold can be caused by different issues. With ptosis, it may take more time to tell.

There are several people who went to IOU on this thread. #

 

Thiefcat, didn't you have eyelid surgery at Teuim a few months ago?

Revisional surgery is generally more expensive than primary surgery. A couple of other forumers indicated Teium and BIO quoted higher estimates to them than IOU so I'm not exactly sure. It probably depends on all of the specific procedures that are needed and discussed.

It's definitely worthwhile to consult with all of the clinics before making a final decision, not just for the estimates but more importantly so you'll have a better understanding of your specific situation and what each clinic can do. Ultimately, you have to balance the cost factor with choosing the right surgeon for your needs.

 

I took Sinnech, vitamin c, and bromelain (with quercetin) before and after as well as medication and shots at my clinic. While my swelling was moderate, my bruising was significant (with revisionary eyelid surgery). My eyes literally looked like a panda the first day post-op; lightened up to a purple-pink shade the next day but remained concentrated for a while. And it's slowly dissipating.

I wrote about my surgery at IOU and the clinics I visited (all eye surgery specialists) in several posts recently on another topic-focused thread. Here's the link. # The hallucinogen I was given at the start of my surgery was great stuff.

 

I've said before that the strength of this forum is in the diversity of the collective feedback, ideas and information out there. That's the biggest draw -- all of the voices out there that provide a glimpse into countless lives as members share their experiences and what they know or think. The steady stream of newcomers is a big and fun part of that. I was a silent reader for a long time and just jumped in the water one day. I'm glad I did.

SeoulforReal has every right to express his opinions. If everyone only said things that we agreed with or already knew, that would be ... boring. I respect his views enough to gently poke at the holes every now and then. It's good clean fun. His posts aren't irrelevant to me, and he has helped people. I hope he continues to join in. "Different strokes for different folks" keeps things lively, and variety is the spice of life.

 

Actually, it's reasonable to bring up related topics when the thread is about plastic surgery in Korea, as long as the detours aren't too off the beaten path, particularly if the posters have been on the forum for a while. That's what keeps things fresh and interesting, and it's like a travel guide that can be helpful if you're new to the country. Moreover, it gives us a sense of the person who is posting, which ultimately helps to deduce credibility.

It's certainly better than when newbies post questions that have been posed countless times without having done any reviewing or searching of the thread beforehand. Or when someone decides to join the board just to ask for someone's photo and can't wait to PM them instead. Some rehashing is inevitable and expected, particularly as some people who've had their surgery lose interest afterwards and new people join the thread. But that also means you're losing a valuable target audience, the people who have the answers you need.

 

You're off a decade with Madmen. The show depicts the late 60s NYC. Are you really saying that the US is 40 years ahead of "Seoul folks from a social point of view" as if in the US the issues of "racism, sexism, lookism, homophobia and narcissism" have been resolved?

These are the kind of comments that get you into hot water.

 

Is this for inspiration or are we supposed to guess which clinics the contestants went to for their surgeries?

 

From my visits to IOU, BIO, Teuim and Eyemagic, I thought all of the clinics have their own strengths when matched with the right patient. They all seem reputable. Teuim probably deals more with primary cases than revisions in this group.

Dr. Cho has the most experience. Dr. Kang and Dr. Kwon both have ten years in eye surgery. Dr. Lee is somewhere in between.

Compared to US doctors, Korean doctors have much more experience with the kind of issues for revisionary surgery in Asian eyelids. A surgeon in the US only has a limited number of Asian patients, and even fewer cases of revisions. I would estimate ten years surgical experience in Korea is exponentially higher when you factor in the number of patients and the range of issues.

 

The non-excision method that I mentioned earlier is a fairly new method of lowering creases without excising (cutting away) skin. The traditional method to lower creases is to cut out the existing crease, which is effective if you have enough skin. But some people, after their primary surgery, don't have enough skin so that's when the non-excision method is helpful. This method is incisional, which means a cut is made into the skin, but no skin is later removed.

Non-incisional just means it doesn't involve an open cut into the skin. Non-incisional eyelid surgery is usually reserved for primary surgery and can eventually loosen and fade away later. But it can work for people with thin eyelids (who haven't had surgery before) and looks natural with super short recovery.

 

A few things that weren't mentioned in other reviews.

Most of the swelling went down pretty quickly, like in a few days. However, I did take Sinnech, bromelain, and vitamin C before and after and took other medication and shots at the clinic. I still have some slight swelling, but it's moderate. This is really different from my primary surgery.

Boy, I was really bruised! Literally my eyes resembled a panda the first day and then the bruising lightened up to a violet-pink color and remained. As it's slowly decreasing, I'm thinking it will last 3-4 weeks. Be prepared.

Fat grafting isn't necessary to lower the eyelids with the non-excision method. I ended up having it, but not everyone needs it.

You can't see the former crease line at all with the non-excision. It's kind of amazing. The bruising there is slowly dissipating and the first day post-op I could make out a faint hair-line scratch that has disappeared altogether.

There is a giant Hello Kitty on the ceiling in the operating suite. And the hallucinogen that you're given during part of the surgery makes you feel very zen. I saw beautiful colors and felt at one with the universe.

The dreamy state was of short duration, however, as I needed to participate for part of the surgery. I had to open and close my eyes several times so Dr. Kang could adjust the eye muscles on both eyes to match the height. I was supine for most of the surgery, but I also needed to be upright to be fully checked for the balance. When the adjustments were made, I could feel this part of surgery and there was pain. Ouch! My surgery was about 2.5 hours.

Upbeat Korean pop music was playing throughout my operation, which made me feel vaguely like a female star in a K-drama. Or maybe that was the hallucinogen at work. :giggles:

Like another forumer, I was dripping blood afterwards. I'm not particularly squeamish so it didn't bother me.

There were a lot of differences in the swelling between the left and right eye in the first week. And in different places. Fortunately, it started to even out after the first week.

Everyone at the IOU clinic is really welcoming and warm, from Dr. Kang to the nurses and reception desk. I saw them every day, and I was sad to say goodbye. The clinic's name, IOU, is apparently an abbreviation for "I lOve yoU."

 

I paid about the same as the last person who reviewed IOU. Curiously, BIO and Teuim gave me a much lower quote at more than 1 million less, which is the opposite experience from what others had recently. Eyemagic was the highest. I got the impression that Dr. Kang heard from some recent patients of the high quotes that other clinics were asking and maybe he started slightly raising his prices. But maybe the other clinics offered better quotes to me this time since they lost those patients?

Based on this thread, IOU is more expensive than most clinics. Plus, you have to factor in air fare and accommodations, which is another added cost. However, the costs are based on what you need to have done. And Dr. Kang does specialize specifically in revisionary eye surgery.

 

I returned from Seoul and am back home still bruised but thankful that my surgery went well. In my case, I really need to wait at least a month to know (most docs say 1-3 months) since eye muscle issues can be hard to predict. But it looks better already, which is a great relief.

I had my procedure at IOU. Like Juicy, Dr. Kang told me beforehand that there might be a slight chance I would need a 2nd surgery a few days after my surgery to correct my issue. It was the first time I'd heard that it was possible to have two procedures in such close proximity. However, it turned out that I didn't need to have an additional surgery, and he checked my status every day to make sure.

I'd like to thank all the forumers who shared their experiences on this thread. Word of mouth is so powerful and yet I really needed to see it for myself to make such an important decision (or even wait if I wasn't sure). After all, another person's results isn't a guarantee of your own results. I'm so glad I visited all of the clinics I was interested in (IOU, BIO, Teuim, Eyemagic and Dr. Ahn), which ultimately helped me to make the right decision for myself.

 

While I don't want to influence your decision, I hope you considered some other surgeons as well. I viewed the photos from his site and the few examples shown have the eyelids set rather high particularly in the inner area. I'm mentioning this only because many people end up seeking revisionary surgery because their creases are set too high. Regardless, hope your surgery gives you the results you're seeking.

 

Bless you!

 

Instead of scrutinizing and sifting through what exactly happened here, it would be more effective and productive to provide some alternative feedback about ID.

I'm a little surprised that none of the people who have actually gone to ID and had successful surgeries have spoken up in support of this clinic. Are there any? The silence makes one wonder. I think it would be helpful to people to hear both sides if there are good cases out there.