Asian Nose Job 3

[cloudbusting]

Finally posting an update on my surgery @ DREAM. I have been busy watching re-runs of my favorite TV show. I'll start from my surgery day^^

SURGERY DAY
My mother and I had our surgeries scheduled for 10:30am. There was an issue with billing (my mom forgot her credit card at our flat!) and so a driver at Dream drove my friend back to get it. I was so embarrassed! Jasinee, our coordinator at Dream, held onto our passports as collateral so we could proceed with our scheduled surgeries. We were taken to another floor to change and store our belongings in a locker. Nail polish had to be removed on both index fingers for the heart rate monitor. We went through a checklist and signed some final paper work with Jasinee.

My mother went in for surgery first. Because Dr. Park can only operate on one patient at a time, lol, I had to wait about 3 hours in an empty recovery room before I could go into the operating floor. I was very anxious of course, with 3 hours to kill. Daphne and Jasinee frequently checked in on me to see how I was doing.

Finally, it was time for me to be prepped. I was taken to the operating floor and directed to lie on the surgery bed. I saw Dr. Park finishing up on my mother in the next room. Then, I noticed a big clear container near the my surgery bed that was filled with blood(!) and an old towel that had spotty blood stains. That freaked me out. So I lied down and was directed to shift certain ways while the nurse wiped me down with disinfectant. Jasinee was by my side the entire time. An IV needle was inserted into my left inner wrist and then I was out.

I woke up while Dr. Cho was harvesting my septal cartilage. She had already finished with my ear. I could feel her scraping away and I began to moan "PAIN PAIN," I began to tear quite a bit. Dr. Cho ignored me and kept going at it aggressively. I felt so vulnerable. Maybe she was pissed that I chose not to have her do my eyelid surgery? Who knows. The nurse was also aggressive and had her elbow resting on the IV needle that was inserted into my wrist. I remember thinking that they were like two mean school girls torturing me. I wanted to be put out again.

After Dr. Cho was done, she pushed all the surrounding trays and stormed out of the operating room. I remember thinking that she was temperamental. The nurse threw some kind of wet nap over my nose, which I knew was "open" while waiting for Dr. Park to take over. I heard clinic staff laughing outside of the operating room, because the doors were always kept open. The outside noise startled me. When Dr. Park finally came in, I began to feel calm. Another round of sedation kicked in and I was out (but not completely). Dr. Park finished up my nose and I completely regained consciousness while he stitched me up. The stitching hurt because I could feel the needle go in and out.

When I was all done, I was directed to sit up and lift myself into a wheel chair. Jasinee said I was awake for almost the entire surgery. The nurse who wheeled me out practically raced me over the elevator. I think she was trying to see how fast she could go before I vomited all over the place. She took me to the recovery room where my mom was already resting. Jasinee came in and informed me that they are going to charge me an additional 1.65 mil won for donor rib that was used on me (not my mom). She asked us when we wanted to pay, and I replied that it would be convenient for us to pay at our follow up appointment. She said that's not possible and the clinic needs to be paid immediately. Luckily my friend (who was waiting on the 2F) had his travel credit card on him, so we charged it onto that. My mother and I got dressed after that and a driver at Dream drove us back to our flat where I had a small bowl of plain oatmeal and then passed out until the next day.

POST-OP DAY 1
No swelling or bleeding the day after surgery. I got up and made a smoothie with a mini lightweight blender and fresh produce I purchased from E-mart. I used lettuce, pineapple, apple, banana and lemon. I had a small bowl of oatmeal sweetened with stevia for breakfast. For lunch and dinner I made vegetarian baechu-doenjangguk (cabbage and soybean paste soup) with fermented soybean paste I purchased from the Hyundai Department Store next to Dream the day of my consultation. To avoid excessive sodium, I only added a little paste and also tofu and napa cabbage.

POST-OP DAY 2
I woke up with the worst swelling. My face had completely ballooned overnight. I went to Dream for my follow up and to have the gauze removed from nostril. It was a little painful because the wound was still sore of course. The nurse was very nice and gentle. Jasinee was by my side translating for me. I was told to wait an additional 40 minutes to see Dr. Park. He evaluated me and said that I didn't need a nose retainer and that everything looks good. The nurse informed me that they won't be able to get all my stitches out and I'll have to have the rest removed in my home country.

POST-OP DAY 3
My nose is leaking like crazy and is so stuffed, I can only breathe through my mouth. I walked to Orange Pharmacy in Gangnam to buy Arnica Cream for my mom's bruises. Orange didn't have it but the pharmacy two doors down did. It's called "BRUISING+" and it's made by Kadis Natural Health Care. A 30g tube cost 10,000 won. I also purchased saline solution and cotton swabs. Now I'm going out to buy pumpkin and more pineapple from a local market. Produce in Korea is SO expensive!

My final check-up is three days from today. I will update later and I might post pics

 

[k-couture]

Im so surprised u were sedated tho for open rhino. I've always been told by western surgeons that open rhino is done under general. I guess the koreans do it differently.

lol u are so meticulous with food! All i did was get room service, jajangmeyeon (that korean black bean noodle stuff) and cheese cake for just about every meal lol. Anyways good luck with your healing process and i hope ure nose turns out good

 

[cloudbusting]

K Couture said: ↑

Im so surprised u were sedated tho for open rhino. I've always been told by western surgeons that open rhino is done under general. I guess the koreans do it differently.

lol u are so meticulous with food! All i did was get room service, jajangmeyeon (that korean black bean noodle stuff) and cheese cake for just about every meal lol. Anyways good luck with your healing process and i hope ure nose turns out good

Click to expand...

I was surprised too, I said the exact same thing to the consultant that I heard most open rhinos are done under GA. I asked for "extra" sedation before the surgery and was told by the nurse that it's too dangerous. I think the accident at Grand got all the clinics shook up.

Lol, I have to be meticulous because of dietary restrictions. I researched beforehand where to buy specific products and recipes to make, etc. Cheesecake does sound good though.

Thanks K, my nose is looking pretty good so far. I can't say for sure but I think my tip looks more defined than I thought it would. I won't be able to say whether or not I'm satisfied until much later. From my experience so far, I think open rhino is very suitable for those with bulbous noses who are looking for more tip definition.

 

[heping94]

I am looking for a more euroasian look mhmmmm... any suggestions?

 

[dallas101]

kkim120 said: ↑

What is this "executive" thing you speak of?
I do appreciate K's posts. Since she's undergone so many rhinos I'm sure it's really helpful to many of the forumers.

But I guess y'all must find me annoying since I drop in and ask a bunch of questions hahaha. The first time I did surgery, I was super involved on purseforum, but now there are so many mixed reviews I can't keep up D:

Sorry guys and thanks for sharing your experience with us all

Click to expand...

There is no such thing is stupid questions Kim. Questions and ideas are encouraged in a healthy team environment

 

[lavenderspice]

lemonpeel said: ↑

Hi guys, here is an update. It may be a lil lengthy for some.

It has been 6 days since I removed and to be honest, my nose isnt exactly up to my expectations. I do know that it takes up to 3 weeks for most of the swelling to go down and 6 months to a year for your nose to settle and take shape. But i have seen amazing results of some just a week after their cast has been removed. However, i'm being patient and giving it time. Don't get me wrong, i'm glad how it has turned out to be thus far. There were no complications whatsoever. The current nose is an improvement of my previous nose too. But well, it looks like my old nose with a slight enhancement.

When I was in my cast, I had a slightly piggy nose but i actually quite liked it! I could see definition and for some strange reason, it also looked smaller. lol.

Currently, i can see slightly more projection from the bottom up angle and it does look better from the side view. But it is roundedly projected, if you know what I mean. From a dead straight frontal view, it looks the same. The thing is, I specially said during my consultation that how my nose looks from the front is very important. I also showed pictures of noses that were similar to mine in terms of shape and condition which had excellent results.

Dr Park is a great doctor. He is capable of giving change and many are very happy with their results with him. He does err onto the conservative side but he is an excellent doc. But it does boil down to your expectations and perception. Not forgetting the type of procedures you choose too.

To be honest, I would have chosen Real clinic if not for the material they use which i'm not comfortable with- goretex. Both consultations said my nose was in excellent condition and had good structure to make change- that is, it is possible to excise more tissue than most patients. At Real, I was initially recommended a closed rhinoplasty. However upon closer examination from the doc, he said open would be better for me as it would produce better results, especially since i'm mainly getting tip work done. He said he could a closed but an open would be better. But I chose Dream because, firstly, I prefer ultra soft silicone and secondly, since it is my primary, I thought a closed would be a safer option.

There are many factors which can influence the outcome of your surgery. The surgeon, the structure and condition of your nose, the procedures done, whether it was an open or closed rhinoplasty. But the bottom line is, you have to manage your expectations too.

Here's my two cents worth, If your nose is in good condition, and you are mainly looking to get your tip more defined, an open may be a better choice. Although I had a round nose tip, both consultations affirmed me that a lot more tissue could be excised. So yes, it really depends on the condition of your nose. I have seen many who have done open rhinoplasty and tip work done with excellent results.

I may head back to korea if my nose remains more or less the same after a year.

Ultimately, do you homework people!

Click to expand...

I have consulted some doctors in the States for tiplasty and they all said that to get more definition you need to have open rhino but to be honest I prefer closed for primary.

 

[vichyk]

cloudbusting said: ↑

Finally posting an update on my surgery @ DREAM. I have been busy watching re-runs of my favorite TV show. I'll start from my surgery day^^

SURGERY DAY
My mother and I had our surgeries scheduled for 10:30am. There was an issue with billing (my mom forgot her credit card at our flat!) and so a driver at Dream drove my friend back to get it. I was so embarrassed! Jasinee, our coordinator at Dream, held onto our passports as collateral so we could proceed with our scheduled surgeries. We were taken to another floor to change and store our belongings in a locker. Nail polish had to be removed on both index fingers for the heart rate monitor. We went through a checklist and signed some final paper work with Jasinee.

My mother went in for surgery first. Because Dr. Park can only operate on one patient at a time, lol, I had to wait about 3 hours in an empty recovery room before I could go into the operating floor. I was very anxious of course, with 3 hours to kill. Daphne and Jasinee frequently checked in on me to see how I was doing.

Finally, it was time for me to be prepped. I was taken to the operating floor and directed to lie on the surgery bed. I saw Dr. Park finishing up on my mother in the next room. Then, I noticed a big clear container near the my surgery bed that was filled with blood(!) and an old towel that had spotty blood stains. That freaked me out. So I lied down and was directed to shift certain ways while the nurse wiped me down with disinfectant. Jasinee was by my side the entire time. An IV needle was inserted into my left inner wrist and then I was out.

I woke up while Dr. Cho was harvesting my septal cartilage. She had already finished with my ear. I could feel her scraping away and I began to moan "PAIN PAIN," I began to tear quite a bit. Dr. Cho ignored me and kept going at it aggressively. I felt so vulnerable. Maybe she was pissed that I chose not to have her do my eyelid surgery? Who knows. The nurse was also aggressive and had her elbow resting on the IV needle that was inserted into my wrist. I remember thinking that they were like two mean school girls torturing me. I wanted to be put out again.

After Dr. Cho was done, she pushed all the surrounding trays and stormed out of the operating room. I remember thinking that she was temperamental. The nurse threw some kind of wet nap over my nose, which I knew was "open" while waiting for Dr. Park to take over. I heard clinic staff laughing outside of the operating room, because the doors were always kept open. The outside noise startled me. When Dr. Park finally came in, I began to feel calm. Another round of sedation kicked in and I was out (but not completely). Dr. Park finished up my nose and I completely regained consciousness while he stitched me up. The stitching hurt because I could feel the needle go in and out.

When I was all done, I was directed to sit up and lift myself into a wheel chair. Jasinee said I was awake for almost the entire surgery. The nurse who wheeled me out practically raced me over the elevator. I think she was trying to see how fast she could go before I vomited all over the place. She took me to the recovery room where my mom was already resting. Jasinee came in and informed me that they are going to charge me an additional 1.65 mil won for donor rib that was used on me (not my mom). She asked us when we wanted to pay, and I replied that it would be convenient for us to pay at our follow up appointment. She said that's not possible and the clinic needs to be paid immediately. Luckily my friend (who was waiting on the 2F) had his travel credit card on him, so we charged it onto that. My mother and I got dressed after that and a driver at Dream drove us back to our flat where I had a small bowl of plain oatmeal and then passed out until the next day.

POST-OP DAY 1
No swelling or bleeding the day after surgery. I got up and made a smoothie with a mini lightweight blender and fresh produce I purchased from E-mart. I used lettuce, pineapple, apple, banana and lemon. I had a small bowl of oatmeal sweetened with stevia for breakfast. For lunch and dinner I made vegetarian baechu-doenjangguk (cabbage and soybean paste soup) with fermented soybean paste I purchased from the Hyundai Department Store next to Dream the day of my consultation. To avoid excessive sodium, I only added a little paste and also tofu and napa cabbage.

POST-OP DAY 2
I woke up with the worst swelling. My face had completely ballooned overnight. I went to Dream for my follow up and to have the gauze removed from nostril. It was a little painful because the wound was still sore of course. The nurse was very nice and gentle. Jasinee was by my side translating for me. I was told to wait an additional 40 minutes to see Dr. Park. He evaluated me and said that I didn't need a nose retainer and that everything looks good. The nurse informed me that they won't be able to get all my stitches out and I'll have to have the rest removed in my home country.

POST-OP DAY 3
My nose is leaking like crazy and is so stuffed, I can only breathe through my mouth. I walked to Orange Pharmacy in Gangnam to buy Arnica Cream for my mom's bruises. Orange didn't have it but the pharmacy two doors down did. It's called "BRUISING+" and it's made by Kadis Natural Health Care. A 30g tube cost 10,000 won. I also purchased saline solution and cotton swabs. Now I'm going out to buy pumpkin and more pineapple from a local market. Produce in Korea is SO expensive!

My final check-up is three days from today. I will update later and I might post pics

Click to expand...

I am kinda scared, what's with the blood and the old towel. I remember one forumer said a clinic's OR smelled like feet. Gee... I don't think dr. Cho was very nice from what you've described, was she nice during consultation? Anyways, the nice thing is u are happy with ur nose. Rest well and happy healing.

Ps. Would u mind if I ask what implant did u get? Or is it just tip plasty? I got an reply from magic nose (fresh), the dr. is also trained in the closed method, he said that my nose is too short to be corrected via close rhino. Sad.

He also said that it's the irregularity of the silicone, I.e. Poorly carved silicon, that leads to contracture. He said maybe I should just get allo derma instead if I am worried. He made it sound that contracture is a must, and unless I can live with a contracted nose, I have to avoid silicone?

Pps. What do u think of clinics that aren't being honest with their before and afters? I caught a few clinics posting the same patient several times by altering her skin tone. And some photo shop just got wild that even I was able to spot them.

A few threads back, someone posted a list of blacklisted clinic from a Korean website. A few clinics I like and am planing to consult with were on it. I don't know what to think. Picked one that was the most black listed and looked it up on naver, a lot of good reviews came up. That or they were being sacaristic and I didn't pick up on the negativity reading the google translated version. I don't think reading any type of review is helping me out directly anymore, the information I'm getting is no way systematic and often does not reflect my situation. Medical journals give mixed review too and are often highly biased depending on the publisher, cause the researchers are also the clinicians in these cases who would benefit by manipulating the evidence.

I just want to point out these things for pp to consider while doing research, having done much medical research in my school yrs., I think we need to understand that medicine is really an art. While the technology advances, u can't really predict the outcome (good or bad) every-time., nor pin point an precise single cause to a complex situation

Initially I wanted a certain material and a certain technique so much, then well, I can't pin point what has made me change my mind, but I did change it, and I think for the better.

 

[moody]

After 7 years on this forum, I'm finally making the leap this November to Seoul for rhinoplasty. Is anyone going around that time?

 

[cloudbusting]

VichyK said: ↑

I am kinda scared, what's with the blood and the old towel. I remember one forumer said a clinic's OR smelled like feet. Gee... I don't think dr. Cho was very nice from what you've described, was she nice during consultation? Anyways, the nice thing is u are happy with ur nose. Rest well and happy healing.

Ps. Would u mind if I ask what implant did u get? Or is it just tip plasty? I got an reply from magic nose (fresh), the dr. is also trained in the closed method, he said that my nose is too short to be corrected via close rhino. Sad.

He also said that it's the irregularity of the silicone, I.e. Poorly carved silicon, that leads to contracture. He said maybe I should just get allo derma instead if I am worried. He made it sound that contracture is a must, and unless I can live with a contracted nose, I have to avoid silicone?

Pps. What do u think of clinics that aren't being honest with their before and afters? I caught a few clinics posting the same patient several times by altering her skin tone. And some photo shop just got wild that even I was able to spot them.

A few threads back, someone posted a list of blacklisted clinic from a Korean website. A few clinics I like and am planing to consult with were on it. I don't know what to think. Picked one that was the most black listed and looked it up on naver, a lot of good reviews came up. That or they were being sacaristic and I didn't pick up on the negativity reading the google translated version. I don't think reading any type of review is helping me out directly anymore, the information I'm getting is no way systematic and often does not reflect my situation. Medical journals give mixed review too and are often highly biased depending on the publisher, cause the researchers are also the clinicians in these cases who would benefit by manipulating the evidence.

I just want to point out these things for pp to consider while doing research, having done much medical research in my school yrs., I think we need to understand that medicine is really an art. While the technology advances, u can't really predict the outcome (good or bad) every-time., nor pin point an precise single cause to a complex situation

Initially I wanted a certain material and a certain technique so much, then well, I can't pin point what has made me change my mind, but I did change it, and I think for the better.

Click to expand...

Thanks, I am pleased with my results so far but my mother isn't pleased with her revision. I told her it's too soon to tell and it will get better over time. She thinks her nose is too short, pig-like and worse than before.

Dr. Cho doesn't seem like a very nice doctor. I didn't meet her at the consultation. Daphne told me right before my surgery that Dr. Cho would be working alongside Dr. Park for my operation. So I only "met" her during surgery, and my opinion of her is based on her aggressive bedside manner.

I got an ultra-soft silicone implant, 3.5mm. Dr. Park said I couldn't go higher because my forehead is too low. I also got tip plasty.

In general, most clinics ridiculously photoshop B&A photos. Some v-line photos on the TLPS website are laughable, in the before photos the patient purposefully rests her chin on her chest, creating a double chin look. Don't go by B&A photos. Dream hardly has any on their website and it doesn't mean that they don't have good results. During my consultation at Dream, the consultant showed me a ton of B&A photos that aren't on their website.

 

[mrslucky]

cloudbusting said: ↑

Thanks, I am pleased with my results so far but my mother isn't pleased with her revision. I told her it's too soon to tell and it will get better over time. She thinks her nose is too short, pig-like and worse than before.

Dr. Cho doesn't seem like a very nice doctor. I didn't meet her at the consultation. Daphne told me right before my surgery that Dr. Cho would be working alongside Dr. Park for my operation. So I only "met" her during surgery, and my opinion of her is based on her aggressive bedside manner.

Click to expand...

I woke up while Dr. Cho was harvesting my septal cartilage too. I could feel her scraping away and i keep on asking them to put me back to sleep... i keep on saying i can feel the pain and its so painful even though its not, i just don't like to hear the scraping sound and tugging of my nose... its too much for me..

 

[cloudbusting]

mrslucky said: ↑

I woke up while Dr. Cho was harvesting my septal cartilage too. I could feel her scraping away and i keep on asking them to put me back to sleep... i keep on saying i can feel the pain and its so painful even though its not, i just don't like to hear the scraping sound and tugging of my nose... its too much for me..

Click to expand...

Mrs. Lucky,

Dr. Cho could have responded to us through the translator. My translator was present during the entire surgery. I am sure she at least understood what the word "pain" meant in english. I mean, she is a doctor! I don't know if they gave me enough local anesthesia even, because I swear I felt it when she scraped at my septal cartilage.

Anyway, the worst is over. Enduring the surgery was the hardest part for me unless I'm in for a surprise when my stitches are removed, lol.

How are you healing Mrs. Lucky? I recall you saying that you weren't too pleased with your nose? Maybe you can tell us how you feel.

 

[mrslucky]

cloudbusting said: ↑

Mrs. Lucky,

Dr. Cho could have responded to us through the translator. My translator was present during the entire surgery. I am sure she at least understood what the word "pain" meant in english. I mean, she is a doctor! I don't know if they gave me enough local anesthesia even, because I swear I felt it when she scraped at my septal cartilage.

Anyway, the worst is over. Enduring the surgery was the hardest part for me unless I'm in for a surprise when my stitches are removed, lol.

How are you healing Mrs. Lucky? I recall you saying that you weren't too pleased with your nose? Maybe you can tell us how you feel.

Click to expand...

I am happy that you're are pleased with your nose and i hope your mom's nose will look much better soon and she will be happy with it.

Actually i want to update in 6 month times when most of the swelling goes down, but since you ask.. here goes..
its been a month and 2 days since i did my revision, my results are exactlly like lemonpeel, i am not proficient in english so its difficult for me to explain until lemonpeel helps to put what i had in mind into words/writing .

The good thing is as days goes by, my nose look much better and i feel its kinda cute on me
i just wish its smaller and the tips are more define because looking from the front it still look too bulbous for my liking but i guess with my thick bulbous nose its hard to achieve what i had in mind..

I had L shape Silicone from my primary and the tips are at wrong place making my nose had this pollybeak deformity and drooping Nasal Tip. I think my primary nose bridge height are just right for me because according to Dr Park i can have higher bridge, but i request to maintain the bridge height but request for more projection and definition on my tips since its to bulbous/fat and depressed and to remove something that blocking my right nostril.

I do think Dr Park did a good job, i am grateful that my nose look much better then my old nose and i can breath much better. My daughter keep on saying it look nice. Hopefully in 6 month time the nose tips will be smaller and i will update again. Thank you.

 

[cloudbusting]

mrslucky said: ↑

I am happy that you're are pleased with your nose and i hope your mom's nose will look much better soon and she will be happy with it.

Actually i want to update in 6 month times when most of the swelling goes down, but since you ask.. here goes..
its been a month and 2 days since i did my revision, my results are exactlly like lemonpeel, i am not proficient in english so its difficult for me to explain until lemonpeel helps to put what i had in mind into words/writing .

The good thing is as days goes by, my nose look much better and i feel its kinda cute on me
i just wish its smaller and the tips are more define because looking from the front it still look too bulbous for my liking but i guess with my thick bulbous nose its hard to achieve what i had in mind..

I had L shape Silicone from my primary and the tips are at wrong place making my nose had this pollybeak deformity and drooping Nasal Tip. I think my primary nose bridge height are just right for me because according to Dr Park i can have higher bridge, but i request to maintain the bridge height but request for more projection and definition on my tips since its to bulbous/fat and depressed and to remove something that blocking my right nostril.

I do think Dr Park did a good job, i am grateful that my nose look much better then my old nose and i can breath much better. My daughter keep on saying it look nice. Hopefully in 6 month time the nose tips will be smaller and i will update again. Thank you.

Click to expand...

Thanks for giving us an update, Mrs. Lucky. Yes, I hope my mother's nose will look better soon. Your comment made her feel better. Did you have open or closed rhino? I had a slightly bulbous nose and was recommended by Dr. Park to have open rhino for better tip definition.

So glad for you that you're liking your nose more and more. It seems like Dr. Park's style is undoubtedly subtle and natural. I look forward to your update in 6 months time

 

[mrslucky]

cloudbusting said: ↑

Thanks for giving us an update, Mrs. Lucky. Yes, I hope my mother's nose will look better soon. Your comment made her feel better. Did you have open or closed rhino? I had a slightly bulbous nose and was recommended by Dr. Park to have open rhino for better tip definition.

So glad for you that you're liking your nose more and more. It seems like Dr. Park's style is undoubtedly subtle and natural. I look forward to your update in 6 months time

Click to expand...

I had closed rhino, anyway I will keep in mind..just in case one day I opt to do another revision I would ask if open rhino can give my "kind of" nose better definition

For anyone who is about to have surgery, be prepared that you may end up with something different than what you were hoping for and that it is a very long recovery process but after it settle down and you see your final result you will think it looks okay. I knew all that going into it, but it's a little tougher to actually go through it.

 

[davincci]

mrslucky said: ↑

I woke up while Dr. Cho was harvesting my septal cartilage too. I could feel her scraping away and i keep on asking them to put me back to sleep... i keep on saying i can feel the pain and its so painful even though its not, i just don't like to hear the scraping sound and tugging of my nose... its too much for me..

Click to expand...

Omg is it common to wake up in the middle of rhino surgery!? I'll definitely freak out if I do!!!