meintea

UPDATE:

2 months + 1 week post op

• recovery still going very well ~ however, I had days where I felt more down than I initially allowed myself to …because some days my nose tip looked more wide/puffy than I wanted it too, and my nose bridge went down - which is good because swelling is really going away but at the same time, I was really getting attached to my higher nose bridge height that was mostly from the swelling I believe even though it didn’t look swollen - to the average person, it’s probably not noticeable but of course to the self and to someone really really really paying attention to daily changes or weekly changes, it might be noticeable.
• when I was down, I was just paranoid and worried about possible unfavourable outcomes and the way the tip was swelling reminded me of my first rhinoplasty which were not very nice memories…
  • BUTTT I had to consistently remind myself that 2 months post op to about 8 months post op, most of the swelling will be moving down from the upper area of the nose downwards to the tip and it will be like that regardless of who you are or who operated… it is the nature of rhinoplasty healing here..
  • Also, the nose is not nearly as puffy or wide as my post op at 2 months in my first rhinoplasty recovery so this is a good thing (I must stay positive to be sane)
  • AND my nose tip is still very defined compared to my first rhinoplasty post op
  • I notice my nose tip swells more in the mornings now compared to right after post op (esp as of late but maybe its bc of my diet?) It goes down a bit over the day though!
  • I am still taking extra care for it by keeping up with careful taping and taking bromelain & arnica (arnica is sometimes - I am not very consistent with it). Not sure if the homeopathic pills are working but will continue taking. PLEASE CONSULT WITH YOUR MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL on it because I really don’t know if this is good for you personally or not; it is only what feels okay for me personally.
  • extra care for my nose still currently includes choosing not to weight lift/exercise yet even though Im allowed to right now, not wearing glasses even though Im allowed to, not eating crazy salty foods, drinking more water, sleeping elevated when I can but not always, and careful self done face massages for lymphatic fluids to go down depending on how I feel.
• the centre of my face feels a less stiff than before, am still careful with my skin around my nose bc tugging or massaging or putting makeup/cleansing off makeup off my skin too roughly may or may not affect my nose skin healing… sounds too extra right? but better to be safe than sorry on this rhinoplasty revision!
• nose tip still feels hard but this is expected as well; I remember not fully feeling my nose tip until monthssss after the post-op date in my first rhinoplasty experience.
  
• my eyes look very natural - bc the slight puffiness went away, my eyes look less big than when it was slightly puffy but thats okay, its no difference to the average person. It’s just me because obviously I pay way more attention to the slightest changes to my own face.
  • slight red bumps near each corner of my eyes are almost all gone but not entirely; still okay, its not noticeable to average person at all
• my chin looks shorter (when face is at rest/expressionless) a bit sad… was it the slight leftover swelling that made it appear slightly longer and fuller? I am not sure but it sure seems like it.
  • I am still very careful with my chin and when I rest my chin on my hand when I’m sitting at my desk or when Im sleeping - but not as cautious with it as I am with my nose. I think the chin is more durable and okay by now.
  • When I smile, my chin still appears longer than before surgery which is good However, not too sure on this but sometimes I feel like my chin is a little less pointy and the tip of my chin is not as aligned to the middle compared to right after post op. We shall see though! No big deal on this, it was just a minor feeling and thought here, not noticeable to others at all.
  • bottom of my chin still feels a bit numb but not bothersome or concerning
• when I open my mouth wide, my jaw doesn’t pop like it used to before surgery, even though I didn’t do anything to the position of my jaw or jaw angle/sockets … I have no idea why this is but am really happy about it - hopefully this doesn’t change … not sure if it could be because my mouth is not fullyyyy opened bc whatever unnoticeable leftover swelling is preventing it from fullyyyy opening and popping? I can’t tell.
• my bottom of my face is definitely more defined but am actually missing some of the swelling bc like I mentioned before - it made me look a bit younger and hid any unevenness of my natural face contours/shape
  • I am still happy with my right jaw shaving though bc it matches a lot more like my left side of my jaw now, although its not perfect, I knew it going into the surgery bc of the method of surgery that I chose as my goal was to have as much improvement as I can, not perfection, have less down time in recovery and less cost.
• I notice that when I stretch my neck from side to side, the side of my jaw where I had work done aches a bit… maybe I am being too aggressive with the stretches but hopefully its not alarming. Im not too worried though.

 

Thank you Ke0din, I hope so too! And yes, keep checking on updates and I hope it helps you as well!

 

Hey Kioku! I appreciate your gratitude thank you! I want to try helping wherever I can because informative and honest purseforum reviews helped me a lot as well.

Yes, I got Linda through Whatsapp for English inquiries as well! I, however, never received prompt replies at the time and the replying was not consistent. I never heard back after the last message, where I had asked about thick skin rhinoplasties, unfortunately. After that, I did not continue trying to ask or message again.
I hope you have a better experience though and keep inquiring with other clinics so you can get a sense of who is a bit more consistent/reliable/accountable/thorough/informative/honest with you on all your needs/concerns/questions (even though its all online, you can still get somewhat of an inkling/gut feeling- that's important).

As for thick-skin rhinoplasties, everything that you said is true and is what I know as well and unfortunately, (and I say this with a huge heavy sigh and disappointment), there is no easy or sure-proof method of having a 100% perfectly small or refined and sculpted nose -- it could be a small or big improvement from what the before-nose was but it will never be 100% and that was something I had to finally accept and weigh out what/if the surgery was worth me going through or not. I wish there was a magical method or magical pill to make sure my nose will be refined and sculpted without it looking disastrously damaged or cut off but unfortunately the type of skin is something we're born with and we cannot change it. We can do things to care for it post-op but not 100% change it (such as, making sure to carefully cleanse and exfoliate and moisturize with what suits your skin type so it doesn't increase in oil production/dirt which makes the skin more oily and increase in blackheads which makes my skin feel even thicker (for me). Other things can include not picking blackheads with your fingers, eating a lot of salty foods, (not sure if too much sugar can affect it? I just know salt for sure makes skin swell more), inquiring about post-op nose massaging/taping/steroid shots/homeopathic pills like Arnica or Bromelain. Not everything helps the same way for some people with thick-skin as others so always ask or research or read or try things with a grain of salt and to be careful!

In addition, it may feel depressing as hell or anxiety-ridden waiting for the nose to slim out through the fluctuating swelling phases but it helps tremendously to look for positive and supporting posts on thick-skin rhinoplasties and surround yourself with positive vibes as you're healing through it. Patience is needed because it can take up to 2 years and sometimes over 2 years to fullyyyy slim out for us with a thick-skin nose.

*When looking for surgeons who has more experience working with ethnic noses or thick-skin noses or complex cases, always research research research! Ask questions and see what they say and how they respond; and if you can, view their before-and-after work of thick-skin noses!

Hope this helps!

 

UPDATE:

1 month + 3 weeks post-op

• noticing my nose bridge shrunk .. its less swollen and looks less wide but it means it doesn’t look assss high as the last several weeks .. still high though which i like.. , looking a bit more curved up bc the nose tip looks more swollen now (i think the swelling is just moving downwards)
  • and this is what gets me super worried and paranoid bc i don’t want the nose tip swelling to stay / develop into hard scar tissue which would make it bulbous like my first rhinoplasty and my natural born nose was very thick and bulbous too … this makes it impossible for my nose tip to stay 100% sharp and refined like the past several weeks which I really loved and felt so happy with … was getting very worried/ansty/paranoid/sad …
  • but today am starting to accept that it will be okay and no matter what it will look at least 2x better than my natural born nose and/or my first rhinoplasty bc I was more knowledgable about the procedure/method of this second rhinoplasty and i feel a lot more confident in this method/procedure from this surgeon AND I’m taking much better care of this post op than the first rhinoplasty (taping, gently massaging instead of aggressively touching/picking it, being careful with it around kids and my partner, taking bromelain, not picking at blackheads, keeping my head sleeping elevated, not drinking alcohol or exercising yet, not crying or blowing my nose much/hard, avoiding too salty foods)
    
  • also bc of my extreme care, i considered getting Arnica Montana tablets in addition to Bromelain to help with soreness/swelling/potential inflammation (***PLEASE NOTE that this is a personal choice, do your research and don’t just take these homeopathic pills bc I am, GO WITH WHAT YOU FEEL IS BEST FOR YOU!!). Some say it works and some people don’t think it does and some people advise only take it the first couple weeks post op.
    
  • I have to remember that final nose result, especially for thick skin and revisions, especially the nose tips, will take at least 2 years or bit longer to completelyyyyy go away
    
• ALSO, there was a small hard red bump developing on the inside of my right nostril.. it was getting itchy and it kind of hurt a bit… didn’t help that my nose was getting a little runny this week from the cold weather … couldn’t tell if it was just a pimple or scarring or infection
• i was concerned so I inquired about it to Julie and sent a pic of it; she responded within a day and asked the doc for me and told me that its scar tissue but should go down within 6 months and if it doesn’t, I should message her this helped a lot and her answers provided was clear, thorough and comforting. I really appreciated this and appreciate her
  

• face is gradually getting more refined .. not sure how I feel because sometimes I think the bit of puffiness around my chin or lower jaw area hides any imperfections/unevenness and makes me look a little younger haha still going well though!
• sometimes my right jaw angle part hurts a bit though even though that jaw angle part wasn’t touched (only that side of the face, lower jaw area was shaved down a bit) but its nothing I feel concerned about right now
• chin is gradually feeing less numb; brushing with electronic toothbrush on bottom front teeth still feel sensitive but not as sensitive/tender as before

 

Thank you so much, appreciate your sweet words, xo! It was something I definitely had to challenge myself with that and I really had to decide on what I was willing to do on my own/what was personally worth it for me. I honestly feel a lot stronger, more empowered and braver now after going through this journey and believing in myself in comparison to before. I also owe this to my family, I was very fortunate that my immediate family was in consistent contact with me & my dad and my sister are my most supportive and comforting people in my life.

 

Hi, thank you very much and I only hope that the recovery and post op journey will be smoother and positive the rest of the way, as I am only in the very beginning right now! But would like to share to all and be as transparent and personable as I can because reviews like that on Purseforum truly helped me as well and I want to give back.

Yes! When I inquired about the tax thing, they also said the same thing and I opted for the 'max 20%' because that is more than airport tax rebates which is only 8% or 10% I believe. I only got a bit more than 20% discount (for anyone reading this, I spoke more about it above in my journal notes) because there was a pricing mistake on their end and I also agreed to provide headshots for their in-clinic use as well as write a review (they never told me to write a good review though; they only said that I write a review).
Based on my values and ethics alone, I do not believe in being deceitful but in transparency and honesty based on my personal experiences ... not doing so can harm others in making choices that may not be the best for them because of a lie/deceit in a review. Im sorry if you felt pressured or obligated to only write a good review! And sorry they messed up on your schedule/surgery details, thats a scary feeling!! If I had the same experience, I would turn around as well. But I am glad you followed your instincts! and went with something you felt better for you in the end

 

Thank you very much, hope it helps others

 

Hi! Not a long intro at all haha - I am glad I can help you a bit with the similar issues I had as you first off, you are not alone!! I definitely understand the concerns you may be feeling about these things.

I was feeling very positive about my recovery and surgeries so far but a couple days ago I began to worry a lot about my nose tip swelling (will talk about it in depth as a separate post once I reply to others comments!)

The reason why I didnt go with Namu was because when I first messaged them, they referred me to a different number for English I believe which was totally okay but I wasn't sure why they didnt make the contact numbers more transparent/easily accessible on the web? What I didn't feel good about was that they took a long time to respond to my inquiries and eventually, they didnt get back to me at all. The last message I got was 'Sorry for the late response. Ill let you know the exact diagnosis on Thursday', to which I replied with 'Okay please and thank you! If you could, can you send me before and after pictures of rhinoplasties with thick skin?'. I felt like I wasn't cared for or taken seriously for something as serious as surgeries, especially for someone going overseas alone, I needed to feel confident in the person I was in contact with as well as the clinic and I didn't recieve that from Namu.

I hope you may have a better experience with them and I wish you nothing but goodness from the places/procedures you seek!

 

Additional SK/PS notes:
**IF YOU SHOW YOUR PASSPORT EVERYWHERE YOU SHOP IN SK, YOU GET TAX FREE DISCOUNT
*baby oil to lightly massage will really help with some relaxation and swelling

*BE EXTREMELY SPECIFIC WITH YOUR CONCERNS/REQUESTS… even if its small or minor… ex. don’t say your eyes are uneven, explain why you think its uneven and on what sides or where

*KEEP a list of your questions, concerns, and write down all the answers given from the doctors, etc.

*DONT expect perfection or perfect symmetry

*LOST IN TRANSLATION …. THIS IS WHERE I ALSO REALIZE THAT MESSAGES CAN BE A LITTLE LOST IN TRANSLATION NO MATTER THE LANGUAGE/COUNTRY YOURE IN! Im sure meanings are not lost in a huge way but the smallest change in a sentence can still mean something different when translated- just be mindful.

 

1 month post-op

• eyes - looking even and satisfied with the overall appearance
  - little tiny bump/scar forming on corner of eyes but barely noticeable, I’m just worried that it may grow bigger; its also a bit itchy! But it is not toooo concerning right now!
• chin/jaw - still numb and cannot open it completely but I can still eat/laugh/talk but I am still very cautious just in case
  • jaw more even as rest of swelling still going down gradually
• nose - swelling has gone down, still defined-looking and very high (which I had requested), slight curve and not completely straight bridge which is okay BUT i do notice that my nose bridge seems a bit crooked … that being said, nose surgeon said my nose was already deviated which was true, but I honestly felt like it was only deviated bc of my first rhinoplasty and previous silicone, not my natural-born nose… but it is not bad, so I will not worry about it right now; I only notice it if I really really really focus on it and if I press with a bit more pressure on the sides (overall, i am still much more satisfied than my first post-op post experience ; it is still early in my revision post-op journey though)
  • I still sleep with my head very elevated because I’m paranoid about my nose swelling up and turning into scarring or becoming bulbous again like my first rhinoplasty so I am extra cautious, careful and considerate of my nose with everything I do
  • started to carefully tape nose with medical tape 2 nights ago, although dr never told me to, after my own research and asking Julie if it would be okay, she did say that if I wanted to I could (I only want to bc I knew from my first rhinoplasty I was very easy to swell and as I just mentioned, I am very paranoid about swelling turning into scarring/scar tissue development, and I have thick oily skin on my nose, so taping would help my skin lay down on cartilage/contour more with recovery (research shows pros and cons to this though! some just advise to gently massage down your nose instead of taping!)
  • also started taking Bromelain 2 nights ago (after researching, I found this is something found in pineapples that helps with swelling as well and many people take this OR Arnica Montana post-op to help swelling/bruising) (Not always necessary but it is up to you!)

1 month + 2 weeks post-op

• although early in recovery, am still very satisfied with how every procedure is healing and am very grateful. (I remember after my first nose surgery in the past, it was changing really badly after a month and a few weeks)
  • my nose has definitely slimmed down than when I first took off the cast
  • it is definitely feeling stronger as time goes by
  • i can flare my nostrils a bit if i want to now haha
  • I think taping and taking bromelain has been helping me a lot but also my nose surgeon’s expertise and skill performing this complicated procedure on me was amazingly better than my first nose surgery experience in my past
• inquired about my eye corner bumps to Julie and after she viewed my photos and asked the doctor, she got back to me in timely manner and reassured me that it is part of swelling and it will go away after time, and not to touch or scratch it even if its a bit itchy
• she also reminded me to keep doing my mouth opening exercises that I keep forgetting to do
  • however my mouth has still been opening wider/bigger slowly over time without too much discomfort (as long as I am not forcing it too much)
  • sometimes I feel slight pressure/bit of pain on my chin but it’s not at all much or concerning
  • chin is still numb but not at all bothersome

 

• day 10, spirit rising, hoping my overly critical self and perfectionist type of being will slowly change mindset to something better, or hoping my eyes will look more symmetrical and open as time goes on …
  • first snow fall!!! first winter in another country!!
  • Innisfil for the 3rd time this trip :’) gift for Jessica/Julie
  • de swelling treatment!!
  • video chatted with dad and sis!

• day 11, feeling good, late start to day but ate super big breakfast for the first time (toast with PB, toast with jam & butter, OJ, coffee)
  • explored
  • video chatted with parents, sis
  • moved upstairs bc of thoughtful Jessica, beautiful upstairs and beautiful deluxe twin room I have (basement level was going to be noisy with full families checking in; initially stayed in basement level bc it was quieter and more private right after my surgery)

• day 12, feeling good, pretty much no yellow bruising visible, eye corners itching a little/scabbing?, eyes look a little more even ish
  • walked to Express Bus Terminal aka Goto Mall and Famille Station and Shinsegae Department store attached … sells everythinggg in Goto .. there all day
  • GH Jessica so sweet, i asked about airport tranportation options and she gave me map of airport limousine bus and subway routes to Incheon, told me prices of taxi and limo bus and told me she’d drive me to bus stop for limo bus, and since they don’t take cc but exact cash or T-Money card, she said she’d break change for me :’) (14,000 won for limo bus to Incheon from GH - 1-1.5 hours)
  • BUT when I asked DA about airport drop off service, Julie was able to arrange for me without charge , taxi picking me up at GH to Incheon Terminal 2

• day 13, bitter sweet goodbyes at DA and walking around the area for the last full day here, developed a warm bond with SK and my guesthouse and the clinic!!
  • stitches out of nose - no hurt , maybe 1/10
  • mouth stitches felt long and painful but bc my eyes were open, my other senses were stimulated and i could distract myself, unlike when they took out my eye stitches and i had to keep my eyes closed and all i could focus on was that pain…mouth stitches pain was 6-9/10 depending on which area of mouth they were touching
  • as requested and brought up a few times over the days, I was lucky enough that the eye doctor was available to see me again as i wanted to first say thank you so much, I love the results, however, noticing that my right eye is looks smaller than the other eye, that lower eye line is slightly higher.. he said eyes look well, he was attentive and careful as he was observing closely, said eyes look well but still swollen and as swelling decreases it will look more even… asked about the minor itchiness or scabbing of eye corners and said I’m allowed to use q-tips to remove anything… i was mostly satisfied with his care and responses
  • emergency meds prescribed (this was unexpected but it was very professional of them, better safe than sorry (even though it was an extra unplanned 81,000 won)
    • same antibiotics as given right after post op
    • nose antibiotics for 30days straight 1x a day at night, reducing inflammation
  • CT scans, took after photos
  • saw jaw doctor and shown before and after images and scans of my face on computer and answered all my questions and took a pic with my doc
    • questions include:
    • will screws absorb over time? will bones/screws shift over time? effects of screws over time? mouthguard to wear at night? will chin and jaw area be less swollen by xmas time?
  • de swelling treatment for the last time (I think this might be the 7th time in total which was amazing bc usually they give 3-5x depending on your length of stay)
  • super appreciative of them for being considerate and taking in all my requests
    • CT and Xray DVD scans of my before and afters
    • medical letter given
    • all photocopies of my signed consent forms as i requested
  • goodbye pic and gift for Julie
  • reconfirmed TAXI info and arrangement
  • walked around area for last time & did last min shopping & shopped underground at Gangnam Station ! some xmas gifts
    • fell in love with Banila Co. (more expensive than Innisfree but def less than Sephora)

• day 14, home made breakfast for the 3rd morning here on upper floor
  • checking in online, seat and meal plan
  • asked Jessica if she could print boarding pass for me
    • will return keys and pay for porridges x3
    • early checkout today
  • said goodbyes, gave Jessica her gift and took selfie with her
  • taxi came early to get me , took a while to get to airport
  • nose has been slightly runny all day
• day 18
  • other questions came to mind such as sneezing a few times and effects on nose, if electronic toothbrush vibration affects chin/jaw area,
  • answered back in timely manner, appreciated that
  • nose still stiff and chin/jaw area still stiff and tingly (not too big of a deal, more than half the time i don’t notice unless i focus on it)
  • headaches/pressure on back of head (dont think its related to post op but maybe bc of weather or home environment)

 

• day 6 post op, scheduled to take out stitches
  • can finally talk comfortably
  • can close my mouth fully and can open my mouth more
  • def more appetite today
  • did little shopping today skin care and makeup
  • went to take out stitches
    • eye stitches - pain level out of 10… its 0-10 real quick on and off, couldn’t help but squirm and automatic reflex was to move little even though i was told not to move … didn’t move a lot though
    • nose cast — omg cast and tape off hurt like a *****hh bc i broke my bones during the procedure so its already very sensitive and the tape was really stuck on bc my skin dry
      • stitches out from outside, not inside yet
      • disinfect nostrils and stitches in there… hurt more like 6/10 on one nostril bc they said i had scab there… again squirmed and tried not to move out of reflex
    • jaw/chin tape … this one hurt 2/10 and ripped it out fast bc any slower the pain would’ve intensified and lasted longer lol
  • got to see myself in mirror… excited but … liking it but underwhelmed bc my nose looked still kind of wide and tip still kind of low (was perfect actually but i knew after swelling, it might be expected to go lower than right now)… might be due to swelling … had questions…
    • got to see eye doc — everything went great! no questions really but a huge thank you and reconfirmed what was done - epi, lat, low
    • got to see nose doc — said my case was very bad — had no septum and droopy with two ish cartilages, was empty basically. so he had to use 3 donated rib cartilage pieces to support septum or in lieu of septum, remove a lot of scar tissue, shorter higher silicone for bridge, used old ear cartilage he thinks its 2 stacks for tip and tied tip.
      • he couldn’t narrow my lower third of my nose more so than now bc my nostrils already narrow and nose was farther out bc of my donated rib cartilages
      • concha for strut / strut questions ???

• day 7 - stayed in, explored a bit outside, got some cheap goodies

• day 8- a lot of exploring/shopping around bookstore & street .. de swelling treatment
  • swelling has gone down tremendously, still visibly swollen around mouth area but not that, bruising is not very apparent anymore, still yellow ish under eyes and jaw area and small purple around chin area
  • **very happy with results so far.. BUT NOW that swelling has gone from eyes.. as much as i like the results, i still see asymmetry with eyes , as in my lower eye lid line for one of my eyes is still higher than the other, which i wanted to go lower and more open, as much as the other eye … maybe there are limitations/this brow bone is higher than the other which affects my eye orbital bone area … ? but still , i need answers..
  • saw julie for de swelling treatment and this is where i didn’t really feel satisfied w responses
    • i asked her if she was busy bc i had some q’s
    • not busy but she looked a little visibly and very slightly irritated and mentioned that i saw the doctor before and why i didnt ask… and i appreciate her being honest here— she said the doctors will think she’s not doing her job explaining things to me properly or her english isn’t clear (which tbh its really good, but i already knew there are words/meanings missing through translation, not her fault! it’s just how it will be with any language translations) … i told her let them know its not your fault and that i have more questions over time when swelling goes down and i see more of the outcome…
    • this is where i also felt a bit offended bc in every opportunity i had with the surgeons, i am the type to write down a number of q’s on paper and make sure to ask, she sees this … and my q’s take time to come up with as time goes on, especially in this case, where my eye looked more even when it was swollen so i didn’t need to ask, but now that i visibly see there is a difference, obviously that question is now on my mind… (its not too bad, I’m just a big perfectionist, and I’m sure there are limitations but i just want the surgeons reasonings/explanations )
    • i told julie yes, i tried to ask as many questions as possible, but as you are aware, the doctors rush in and out most of the time and in the moment, i can’t always put my two cents in and i need time to absorb information…
    • she seemed like she understands and she still helped and was still friendly, i get that her position must be demanding and tiring too
    • i also told her that i flew in all by myself and i paid a lot of money for this, and surgery is not a small thing, so of course I need to know any and all information as much as possible to understand anything and everything and she understands that part

• day 9, spirit was a little low given yesterdays events and my mind going back to my eyes …
  • video chatted with sis and dad and they made a world of a difference, sis made me laugh and dad understood me but gave me his insight, advice, guidance and comfort…
  • walked to sinsa-dong garasugil shopping street for a few hours (didn’t get anything)
  • was so hungry decided to try a restaurant, no go bc there was no veggies or this other place i wanted to try was closed
  • on way home, found bakery and got a small loaf of chestnut bread for 4500
  • and another restaurant grandparents owned restaurant, knew little english and with help of Google Translate and actions and hand gestures, they knew what i needed FIRST SOLID MEAL :’)

 

• GH (just a guesthouse/hostel that I stayed at; not affiliated with DA)
• THIS IS WHERE JESSICA THE GUESTHOUSE HOST WAS SUPER CONSIDERATE AND SWEET too, forever thankful, (over booking inquiries through email, she helped with personal accommodations, even sending directions and pictures, and on the night i arrived, she personally took the time to walk me to the nearest convenience store so i would know where to find it, and her bf and her actually dropped me off at a place that I could eat (veg place), her bf also helped me break my luggage lock bc i had lost my luggage key somewhere along the way; they honestly went out of their way and made my solo trip ever more soothing)
  • anyway on the first day back to my guesthouse, i had a pumpkin porridge pot waiting for me on the stove and a bowl for me covered with aluminium foil
  • super kind and thoughtful
  • and the next day, a veggie porridge pot… honestly so thankful for Jessica and her family
  • (bc i had emailed jessica asking about how normal it would be for plastic surgery foreigners to stay bc i don’t want to scare other guests, she reassured me that there are many that stay and they even offer porridges for 20 000 won (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
  • heating bed and several puffy comfortable pillows for me to sleep on as i cannot lie down flat after surgeries
  • refrigerator in my room
  • quiet personal space in basement level… with kitchen
  • shampoo, body wash, hand soap on site for you
  • hair dryer and towel in your room
  • closet where you can get extra pillows/towels if needed for you
  • tv with english channels

-** mini paper cups will help you drink water and gargle water !! small spoon helps for you to eat !!


- first day and second day of recovery post op

• no appetite
• super lonely, sad, depressed, and thinking what was wrong with me and why was trying to fix my face so important to me in the first place and how it seems like maybe I’m a ****ty person for wanting this, etc.
• had not slept well
• can’t breathe well
• getting used to the feeling of choking on water
• time went by super slowly
• day 2-4 swelling hits you the most!!!
  • eyes were not veryyy bruised but def more swollen (not like allergies type of swollen though, allergies type of swollen to me is worse)
  • can’t close mouth, still breathing through mouth, swollen lower cheeks and chin area
• day 2 went for check up… by this time i was more comfortable with Kakao taxi, not quite but at least more so…
• shampoo service
• had a deswelling treatment (lay down in darkness and cover your yes and theres warm laser on you) and two other sweet girls helped me with disinfecting my inside stitches and pulled out the stuffings in my nose (girl said to make ahhh sounds which helped, bc it was a short but slightly intense discomfort/little pain)
  • can breathe better now but not fully … nose stuffy and little runny
• day 3 was a little better… got to finally video chat with my sister back home and it made it a lottttt better, truly lifted my spirit up and from then on, healing felt better too
• julie booked me in for another deswelling treatment (treatment lasts for 20 ish min)
  • nose still stuffy and little runny
  • eyes dry
• day 4 was a little better than day 3 (gradually gets better each day, overall sense of wellbeing and swelling goes down)
  • can close mouth now
  • eyes no swelling but more purple bruising
  • swelling around mouth is coming down but still looks like chipmunk
  • start brushing teeth now as per doctors orders
  • (still must gargle every couple of hours and right after eating though)
  • can breathe better
  • eyes dry
  • can start to take off head compression bandage after every hour for 30 min, and can sleep without it on
• day 5 was when i actually slept for longer without waking up!
  • bruising turns yellow ish
  • felt good enough to walk to clinic instead of taxi, walked around a lot to different places actually, which also helped de swelling
  • had de swelling treatment
  • realized that i should’ve asked fc surgeon if he could show me a graphic of what i could look like post surgery if he could on the computer….
  • eyes are dry

 

• surgery set for next day (NOV 13, 2018) at 2pm, made sure i wrote another list of questions for each surgeon to answer as each of them would see me before the operation
  • got my answers:
    • no my jaws or face would not appear rounder, yes there will be screws in place forever and no this will not cause problems through airport, yes i could have a letter stating i had surgery done if they asked why i might not look exactly like my passport picture,
    • confirmed each procedure being done
  • off i went, was super super super super nervous as i started to get really cold and shaky
  • anesthologist was super charming and sweet when he walked in and bc the monitor read my pulse and heart rate, he asked if I’m scared and told me that its okay everyone gets scared … boom that was the last thing i remembered
  • woke up in this room … Julie said she was worried bc i didn’t wake up until a long time later and bc i said i had slight low blood pressure
  • told me my surgery was from 2pm-7pm, i rested/slept until 11pm, bc i asked what time it was and when surgery was done
  • got me to get up and walk with my IV thingy to a room and i stayed there overnight …
    • very uncomfortable… face swollen, eyes swollen
    • woke up on and off through the night
    • could not breathe at all
    • throat was super dry
    • could only breathe through my mouth which made throat more dry
    • no pain just incredibly uncomfortable and wasn’t completely prepared for
    • nurse came in the middle of night to inject antibiotics and pain meds ? through IV line; gave me some water
    • ***I RMBR TELLING MYSELF ‘NEVER AGAIN’ AND IF I EVER DO THIS AGAIN, I WILL BRING A VERY TRUSTED LOVING PARTNER TO BE WITH ME (I was still able to get through everything don’t get me wrong, just would’ve felt more strength is if i had a trusted loving person to come with)
    • YOU WILL FEEL LIKE CHOKING WHEN YOU SWALLOW WATER bc you can’t breathe but you will get used to it
    • they didn’t show me how to incline my bed and didn’t tell me i was able to move my head around and up and get water and they didn’t tell me how to notify for help if i needed it
      • i couldn’t ask bc i could barely talk after surgery
      • ***VERY DIFFICULT to talk … uttering sounds really
      • … i was scared so i just laid in discomfort until morning and i eventually made a racket by banging something against the metal bar of the side of my bed … nurse/lady that came in was not compassionate at all and looked pissed … i was so out of that it didn’t make me feel too uncomfortable … she eventually got julie (who stayed overnight for me but not with me, would’ve helped if she stayed with me but not sure if thats allowed) … asked julie if i should apologize to her and julie was so sweet to reassure me that that girl is always like that and not to worry about it
      • i asked julie that i needed help and some water, and how to use the bed recliner thing… thats when she showed me how and told me that doctors encourage patients to move around on their own and i asked her to help me lift my weak ass dizzy self up a bit so i can feed myself my own water
      • she was as patient and compassionate as she can ever be and i still appreciated that
    • honestly felt so worried and uncomfortable and anxious about being discharged a few hours later knowing i could not keep my eyes open, i was very dizzy, sleepy (still had general anesthesia in me julie had assumed) and I HAD TO get my own meds at the pharmacy and find my own way home using the, at the time, still anxious about the kakao taxi (a normal taxi was more inconvenient)… julie also read me precautions and gave the papers for me to read at home but i couldn’t take a word in bc of my state of mind at that time but luckily i knew this would happen and had asked her to tell me majority of the precautions BEFORE surgery (while i was in the waiting room) bc i would be too disoriented to listen if precautions are given AFTER surgery … (i don’t know why clinics do this? logic?)
    • also luckily i knew where the pharmacy was bc i wanted to explore around the area to get more of a feel of it before i went into surgery the night before so i wasn’t lost when i had to get meds in my disoriented state
    • i asked why i couldn’t get meds before my surgery as it would be much easier with a clearer mind and julie only said they don’t do that (I am assuming that it was be unlawful for them to prescribe me meds, I buy them, and then not return for my actual surgery)
    • the pharmacist right nearby, downstairs and several steps outside which was very lucky for me, was super kind and spoke some English… he also helped me with my whole kakao taxi thing a bit and off i went to home and knocked out for a bit

 

DA - Nov 12, 2018

• airport .. pick up arranged… late… got anxious.. starting to feel like what was i thinking doing here… finally got in touch with Julie my coordinator/translator and she helped
• got picked up and dropped off at clinic, there were many buildings around and felt a little anxious trying to find the correct building but with the help of a local, i was able to find
• arrived at clinic- super comforting atmosphere there with the lighting, smells and books, magazines, soft instrumental music playing, with water or espresso offered for you at the corner
• julie my coordinator/translator greeted me, gave her a hug instantly bc she has been so accommodating and active and prompt with our chats over the year leading up to this day
  • including answering all my numerous questions of diff things and effects and costs of diff surguries
  • sent me as many pics and PDFs of professional B/A photo shots
  • helped with pricing
  • i opted to wire transfer to avoid bank conversion fees with hard cash and didn’t feel comfortable carrying a load of hard cash on me , i only had 2 credit cards with not the biggest limit on them (now wire transfer money only if you are SURE you are going with this place… also does not give you a lottt of leverage in negotiating prices) … however, given my circumstances and not wanting to consult and inquire in-person with many other clinics in a foreign place with little direction and not wanting the hassle of transporting to all different places and given the limited time I had here, i wanted to go to 1 clinic when i arrive but making sure it was the clinic i wanted … to know what you want .. you must keep asking questions and researching and communicating with translator/coordinator.
    • a good coordinator was one that I had with DA (i inquired with ID, GNG, Migo, Namu, Item, View and NONE except DA and GNG had provided me with satisfactory responses)
    • in the the end, consultant gave me a bit more than 20% off bc of a mistake on her end,
  • Julie is super sweet … my first day in Korea was spent at the clinic… it took a lot longer than we thought … i was at the clinic for almost 6 hours that day… i didn’t mind as i felt very comfortable at the clinic ..
  • first julie went over a form with me to fill out about all my health conditions and previous surgeries, etc.
  • waiting area first then i had my own waiting room.. consultant greeted me (super sweet and friendly woman, no english) and confirmed what procedures I was aiming for, top priorities and what my budget is .. (I had set a budget in my head beforehand that i thought is reasonable for each procedure).. recommended 2 jaw but that alone is my budget price and they said that its okay i can still get improvements from genioplasty and jaw shaving on one side …
    • then i did a CT scan, blood test, ECG test for my heart
  • first met with eye doctor … told me what i can and cannot do as there are limitations .. such as opening inner and outer corners and lower end of eye but can’t do parallel eye creases or higher eye creases bc based on my eye shape and structure, i wouldn’t be able close my eyes if i did it .. he says my eyes are even but it just seems like it may be uneven bc i have uneven eye brow bones
    • he was calm, not talkative but he knew what he was doing and i felt like I could trust him, he seemed very meticulous and careful
  • after waiting around, met with fc doctor… told me what consultant had told me… but my goal wasn’t to achieve perfection but at least a good improvement… horizontally shave my right side of jaw, rotate and shift my chin over to the left, and bc i wanted to even though he said its not needed, to lengthen my chin a little
    • he assured me he would not touch the jaw angle part as i didn’t want that (wasn’t a v-line situation is what i mean)
    • bc its not double jaw surgery, it won’t correct my mouth crookedness but my chin will be aligned with the centre of my face after genioplasty
    • inquired about my cheekbones and he said no no no as in don’t touch them
    • asked for a CT scan of my face before and after procedure
    • he was super charming, smiley, friendly, sweet
    • apparently he is very well known and popular for FC for many foreigners
  • after waiting around for my biggest concern of my face.. rhinoplasty doctor … unfortunately this initial encounter did not leave me feeling super confident … felt rushed.. he was in middle of surgery (so he could only talk to me for 5 min)… at the very end though, i trusted his knowledge
    • not charming or very talkative but was knowledgeable (and tense.. but that might be bc of his restricted time with operating patients vs. consulting with patients)
    • drew diagram of what my nose is now vs what he was planning to do … said my case now is actually unusual .. longer silicone on bridge with more cartilage stacks on tip.. he said the only reason could be the previous doc felt your bridge was high enough but just needed to make tip higher
    • my case was complex
    • i also had a lot of loose skin?
    • what he would plan to do is use a shorter and higher silicone (bc i wanted my bridge to be higher than what it was) and he would use septum cartilage or donated rib cartilage to lengthen and raise my tip bc it was very bulbous and kind of droopy and 2 cartilage stacks in between this strut and silicone
    • he would remove a lot of scar tissue that was built up
    • i asked about slimming my bridge (osteotomy) and he said yes he can do that for me
    • was very very disappointed that he doesn’t do rib cartilage for bridge bc thats what i wanted and he said there are side effects such as warping and absorbing over time … but i read worse reviews with silicone too and knowing this, and having him say that about rib cartilage for the bridge .. i felt like i couldn’t fully trust him ? i was just really disappointed
    • he said that i could go elsewhere for rib cartilage and explained that your own rib cartilage for bridge is better than donated rib cartilage …
    • i said there are complications with silicone too over time … and he stated yes that i am correct and he knows that (which increased my trust level with him a little more bc i thought he was denying silicone has potential bad effects since he was really against rib cartilage for the bridge)
    • did not feel satisfied with his response when i asked if there is anything he could do or i could do to prevent scar tissue from growing
      • he said no nothing is for certain
      • *LOST IN TRANSLATION …. THIS IS WHERE I ALSO REALIZE THAT MESSAGES CAN BE A LITTLE LOST IN TRANSLATION
      • i already researched about scar tissue care tips which only included steroid shots for nose, taping down nose, and surgeons methods and techniques of scar tissue removal
      • when asked about steroid shots, he said he doesn’t give any or that he can’t give any right after my surgery (which can be true bc i read that steroid shots can be given a few months post op) … again … messages lost in translation..
    • saw sweet friendly lady consultant again, with Julie in the room; she was able to work around my costs and quoted me a bit higher than my budget after initially giving me a lower price because there was a missed calculation but I was fortunate that she was able to apologize and own up to it and kept it at the initial pricing — however, she had to speak to each doctor and agreed with the price if I write a review about DAPRS (didn’t force me to write good/bad; but just an honest review) and if I was able to provide photos/videos to the clinic for in-patient/in-clinic use (there are options if you want to allow clinic to use your pictures/videos outside of clinic and other options I believe; and your pictures/videos are only kept for 3 years). They also noted that because I didn’t consult with other clinics before coming here, my price is higher.
• julie helped with Kakao taxi for awhile … appreciated this … for the first few times using it, i was anxious bc its not like uber where its instant, i was assured by julie that sometimes she would have to call Kakao taxi over 10x … which happened to me… i called for 20 min until one was available… the other time, the guy left bc we didn’t see each other … felt more confident after a few uses … made sure i planned my time accordingly bc rush hour time makes it really really hard to get a kakao taxi … mostly i walked to and from clinic (20-30 min each way) as i planned to stay sort of nearby to clinic ..

 

I will post a very detailed unedited raw journal entry on my day-to-day experience (good and bad) when I was in SK for these procedures later on. But for now, I just want to talk about my overall experience with DA and what procedures I had done.

After almost two years of researching different clinics, reading different threads and communicating with DA throughout, I decided that I trusted DA for the procedures that I wanted and went for it. I had a nose revision (my nose was still wide and bulbous), shaving of one side of my jaw and genioplasty (I have a crooked jaw and my face was uneven but opted not to fix jaw through double-jaw-surgery but just a shaving instead), and eye surgery that included epi, lower and lateral for both eyes.

Throughout my communication overseas with DA, they were always very thorough, informative, and responded in a timely manner and never left feeling way too much doubt like all the other clinics that I had inquired through (will touch on this in my raw journal entry later on). They were consistent, more honest than the other clinics that I felt and not dodgey. The English coordinator/translator was amazing- at first I had Emily but she went on mat leave and Julie was taking care of me through this journey. I loved how when I first go to DA, I felt immediately comfortable and the location and office space and waiting area and rooms were set up in a way that was comforting, clean and elegant. Water and coffee is offered in all waiting areas. I appreciated this. I also appreciated that they offered airport pick-up and drop-off if needed.

I will talk about the doctors and more in my journal entry as it is very long but overall, I am incredibly satisfied with the care and information that was provided to me, for being accommodating, and grateful for the doctors' care and skill on the procedures they've done and I am extremely pleased with the result so far. It is only 1 month and 2 weeks post op so it's quite early but I am really happy so far. I know I have to be realistic and remember that results may change over time but I am really hoping that things don't change for the worse over time but better if it does change, not that I need anything to change right now.

If you have any questions for me, please read through my unedited raw journal entry that I'll be posting soon and if the answers are not there, reply to the thread or direct message me! Currently I am not exactly comfortable with sending pictures of myself but if it changes, I will definitely let you know

 

Hi @tinzy! Your results look amazing and I am so happy that you had a good experience too! I know this may be a long shot as you had posted more than a year ago, but I wanted to ask (if you are comfortable answering) roughly how much were you charged for genioplasty, eye surgery (DES & epi) and rhinoplasty with cartilage? I am interested in DA but want to know what I should expect in terms of costs.

Also, were they able to help you buy medication or you had to go on your own? Did they provide any pumpkin porridge, etc.? Did they provide transportation to and from DA and your place of stay for all your appointments?

How are your results 1-2 years post op?

Please let me know if you could Thank you

 

Thank you for sharing maggiedee, I really appreciate it and I am so happy for you!! I want to ask if Dr. Jin uses donor rib cartilage as an option if I opt not to use my own? And if you know where I can find before and after pictures of his other surgeries offered?

 

Thank you, I'm glad I can help with some insight and I appreciate your comment!

 

UPDATE:
I am so sorry but looking back into my bank records, it was actually
- $7000 USD for primary rhinoplasty at Banobagi and $500 CAD deposit for SeoulTouchup and another $300 CAD for SeoulTouchup when I got to SK, which means I was wayyyyyy overcharged and am feeling pretty down about it right now.

 

Hi, may I ask how you suddenly came to a one-worded conclusion to discount my personal experience? I have not endorsed any party but rather, shared my own experience to help others decide what is best for themselves.

 

There will be prices for packages if you do want to use SeoulTouchup to assist you through the surgery process. I don't think just signing up requires any money though. I heard about DocFinder as well if you want to look into another third-party agency that may help with your PS journey.

 

Hi Jacobjarred30! I am still researching, nothing set in stone yet.

 

Hi! Thank you for sharing! Do you mind sharing price quotes between DA and GNG for rhinoplasty? My case is a little different as I am interested in a revision rhinoplasty using cartilage to improve my bridge height, nose tip refinement and nose tip extension. I would like to know where their prices start off with.
May I also ask what your experiences with consultation on both parties were like? (rushed or patient / detailed and thorough / open or stern / listening to your needs / open to price changes / etc.) ?

 

Thank you very much hellobby, I hope so too! I am glad I was able to help a little/provide some insight for you .