taraunnie Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 I meant out of the good clinics..I am not counting blacklisted or bad ones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sundaelove Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 Hi Tara, Pitangui is the most reasonably priced clinic among all the good clinics... But we are always offered foreign prices everywhere. What surgeries r u doing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taraunnie Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 Hey Sundae ~~ Wow I never knew it was, I just thought that it would be expensive because it is apparently really good and it looks very...um..posh? Haha thanks for telling me. I know! I think it is just a good way to scam us cause they think we are naive and maybe have more money..idk? It's a bit unfair though. I emailed Banobagi and they said they would have to see my pics before giving me an accurate quote, so maybe they are more fair or they just want to see if I'm a foreigner haha.. As to what procedure I want to do..I want to get V line/ Facial contour and zygoma reduction because I have a 'U' shaped square jaw.. Like the first two ladies on the BK b&a pics..I don't know the best and most cost effective place to do it though..I'm thinking Banobagi or Pitangui because they've had really good reviews... Have you had any procedures done yet? If so, where did you go? Sorry if you already posted this..I didn't see it ^ ^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryry0322 Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 Hey Tara. Im thinking of having square jaw reduction done at pitangui coming summer. When are you planning to go to Korea? Ive seen really nice b&a from banobagi for facial contouring. I'm thinking of pitangui because they charge less and they have a good reputation. Do not go to Bk, heard some really bad stuff about them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taraunnie Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 Hello ryry ~~ I have not really decided a time yet....But it looks like I may go the end of this year around New Year or mid next year , maybe earlier The b&a pics from Banobagi are quite good and I find their website more comprehensive than Pitangui. But Pitangui looks nice as well. I was originally going to definitely go for Pitangui but then I read really good review of Banobagi and saw good pics. So now I am undecided. I was surprised to hear they charge less because it looks like a really nice and kind of expensive place. I emailed and online consulted them and they never got back/ I couldn't open it on the website. When I first looked at clinics in korea, I was drawn in by BK and ID's advertising and appealingness to foreigners, but now I know how bad they are and I and I hope everyone steers clear of them. Do you know what Pitangui charges for square jaw reduction? Because they never replied and I haven't found a list of prices anywhere! How long do you think you'll stay in korea and do you know where to stay? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryry0322 Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 Hi Tara. Thats really odd. Pitangui always responds within 1-2 days when I email them. Everyone else in this group also received a response in a short period. When did you email them? When I asked them for square jaw reduction, does not include chin, they quoted me 5000000-6000000 won, approximately 5k to 6k US. For a V line they quoted me around 9k. The thing about all those internationally popular clinics is that the rate they charge is so inflated compared to local clinics which may be just as good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taraunnie Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 Hey ryry. I know right! I emailed them about a month ago and they haven't replied since maybe I scared them off? Jks.. 5-6M Won is pretty reasonable for square jaw reduction..especially compared with other 'popular' clinics. 9M for V line is about average for what I have been quoted. Idk which is better though? I guess they would tell you... Yes exactly! Inflated ++++ (especially as we know, for foreigners ) I'm sure there would be some brilliant local clinics that might do a just as good or better job for probably half the price, where do you find out about them though? And would they be open to foreigners? I guess you'd have to take a translator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterpan88 Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 My experience with Pitangui: Consultation: I booked the consultation on Sunday, and went to the clinic at 10AM. Its very easy to find. When you get out of Sinsa Station, take exit 1, and the building is on your right. Inside the building, there are several floors with different services offered by Pitangui. You want to go to the 3rd floor. Dont make the same mistake as I did: going to the 5th floor where the dental clinic is, and then asking for a nose job. You should have seen the way people at the dental clinic were looking at me. LOL. When I arrived, I liked the way the clinic looked: very chic, with a white piano in the middle, and the staffs are well-dressed. But then again, all PS clinics probably look that way, right? They cater to people with money who care about appearance; you cant have a PS clinic that looks like the Secret Chamber of Harry Potter. (Although that would be way cool) One minus I gave Pitangui was their tardiness. My appointment was at 10AM and they made me wait for two hours. Two whole freaking hours! The excuse Nicole gave me was: Doctor Yoo was performing some surgery and the patient came late so the surgery was prolonged. I guess, in a way, thats acceptable I wouldnt want a surgeon who ran out in the middle of a surgery to greet new clients (and then shake my hands in his bloody gloves). So I kind of forgave them (assuming the excuse was actually genuine). Then came the appointment. Doctor Yoo really didnt talk much at first. I guess hes an established surgeon so he has that aura/self-important attitude around him. But I showed him Im no ordinary patient when I started asking about using ear cartilage, nose septum, and/or rib cartilage versus using silicone. I even printed out a chart with all the chemical ingredients of artificial implants such as Gortex, Silicone, and my conclusion that all artificial implants are inferior to using my own bodys cartilage. After that humble little speech, he started to take me more seriously and explained more medical implications to me. I wasnt really trying to impress him, but I was more worried about the medical repercussions of the procedure. I mean, this is something I will live with for the rest of my life, so I cant really slack off. Im Asian, and my bridge is pretty sunken in (as Doctor Yoo duly noticed). He said to augment my bridge, they would need to put a soft silicone graft on top of my nose bridge. For that reason, I was afraid that over time, my bridge would not support it, especially considering that the Asian nasal bone isnt as strong as Western peoples. But Doctor Yoo reassured me that Soft silicone is a safe material that all the clinics in Korea use. He agreed with me about Gortex being a no-no, but said Soft Silicone should be the best alternative because it is easy to remove if anything goes wrong. (As soon as I heard the word wrong, a loud beep went off in my head). Then I asked him if I could use rib cartilage or ear cartilage instead of soft silicone, and that I would be willing to pay more for those natural methods. He said the Asian nose septum is very weak, thus, its better to leave it where it is, so as not to disturb the supporting foundation. About the rib cartilage, he said its a very complicated procedure because he would have to carve out my rib to make it into an implant. Plus, its a natural material so there is a risk that my body will absorb it later on, causing the nose to become crooked. So these two methods are out of the question. To be honest, I was having the feeling that he wanted me to use the soft silicone, i.e. the default method. So the consultation wasnt so much an intellectual and scientific discussion about which method is better. It was more like a persuasion brief trying to get me on board. Throughout the whole consultation, Nicole was sitting next to me, and she talked more than the doctor. As a foreign patient, I found it difficult because of the language barriers. So most of the communication had to go through Nicole, and honestly, I came there to talk to the Doctor, not the saleswoman. Nicole was nice and friendly, and I have nothing against her. Its just that I understand her job is to book clients. And so its natural for her to try to allay my fears and get me to sign on to the procedure. But I didnt come there to have my fears allayed. My goal was to confront them and find better solutions. One plus I gave them was that neither Nicole nor Doctor Yoo tried to push me into procedures I didnt want. For example, during the consultation, Doctor Yoo felt out my face and said I needed these procedures: a height augmentation for my depressed nose bridge, an alar base reduction, a bulbous nose tip reduction (tiplasty), and a middle nasal bone narrowing. I told them I was ok with the first three procedures but for the last one, I dont want any nasal bone narrowing. I said I dont want to have my bone cut, trimmed, or broken in any way because it would be dangerous. Doctor Yoo said that if I dont do the narrowing, it wouldnt come out as slim as I wanted. But I restated my reluctance to getting the fourth procedure. And he didnt push any further. I actually had two reasons against middle nasal bone narrowing: first, cutting bone is way more dangerous than inserting some implants. Second, I actually love my strong middle nasal bone. Yes, its not slim, but I think its manly to have a rugged middle nasal bone. This is the main difference between Western and Eastern standard of beauty. Whereas in Korea and many other Asian countries, its desirable to have everything slim --- slim nose, slim thighs, slim lips In America and Europe, men are supposed to have angular features, and so a big middle nasal bone is a good thing. Why would I want to get rid of that? And dont get me started on those cheekbone reduction girls. Have you looked at high fashion models? See how high their cheekbones are? Why do Asian girls want to reduce their cheekbones? I will never understand. My Mom told me that in Asia, a woman with high cheekbones is believed to be bad luck for the husband (somehow their husbands will die because of their cheekbones). Unless they pull their bone out of their cheeks and stick it in their husbands throat, I dont see how their husbands could die because of their high cheekbones. Total rubbish superstition. (By the way, that image was inspired by Glenn in the Walking Dead). Ok, enough digression. Back at the clinic, I told Doctor Yoo that I do not want to reduce my alar base too much, and do not make my tip too pointed. I showed him a picture of Michael Jackson and said really loudly: No No No. He laughed (he must have thought I was retarded). Then he said he had another patient waiting for a consultation so I needed to F-off. (That wasnt the term he used though. I was just a bit annoyed because after making me wait for two hours, the least he could do was to give me some extra minutes). But time really did fly by: I didnt realize I was already in there for half an hour. One tip for you guys: save the questions about logistics (like timing of procedure, finance ) for Nicole later, and just focus on the medical questions with Doctor Yoo. Then Nicole took me to a room and told me to wait for her to come back so we can talk money. I said yes, and by the way, could I please use the restroom? She showed me the way and I took my first dump in Korea. It was my biggest one in months. Sorry Pitangui, but I had a lot of bulgogi last night. When Nicole came back, she saw a much more satisfied me. We began to talk money. She pulled out her pen and started writing number 3, followed by a lot of zeros. From reading this forum, I know it is possible to bargain down. But to be honest, I didnt want to treat my nose like some second-hand clothing at Namdaemun market to bargain for. Hey, give me a new nose for 2k instead of 3k yeah? Buy one nose get another one for free? Besides, I was afraid that if I bargained down the price, they may use some sub-standard materials on me to save cost. So its better to spend an extra thousand dollars than to regret it for the rest of my life. The final price Nicole gave me for all three procedures was 3.5k. I didnt bargain at all and just nodded my head. She told me if I decided to do the procedure, I would need to put down 10% deposit, and their office would close at 6PM so I need to put down the money soon. (a little pushy eh?). Anyway, I told her I still had to go to Grand, Regen, Jewelry, Girin, and TLPS before I could decide. As soon as she heard the names of those competitors, her face switched to that hunting mode. She began to make adjustments, and I told her: No no, Im ok with the price. I just want to see all my options. Then she saw me off. To conclude, I didnt do the procedure at Pitangui, so I dont know what the result would be. But from the patients I observed in the waiting room, their results are pretty natural. If you want a dramatic change, Pitangui isnt for you. If youre one of those seeking a moderate improvement while being on the safe side, you may like this place. The reason I didnt choose Pitangui had nothing to do with them. I just found a better clinic and a more experienced doctor. It doesnt mean Pitangui is bad. It just means I like another more. Yes, we men are fickle that way.; Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryry0322 Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 Unfortunately, unless you have korean friends that has relative in korea or has done something themselves, its hard and unsafe to find any local place. I remember asking banobagi for the price and they asked me to send a pic of my face. I sent them a picture but never got a reply...... If you happen to find out, could you tell me? Another reason why I want to do it at Pitangui is because we dont have to pay extra for staying overnight after jaw surgery or for anesthesia. The line clinic quoted me 5.3k-6k but then they charge an extra 300 dollars for overnight stay and on top of that they also have to charge us for anesthesia. Im not sure about banobagi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryry0322 Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 Thank you for your experience. Rarely anyone comes back and post their own experience after their procedures. I think having natural results is a good thing? I mean youve only seen them after the procedure and they look natural, but you havent seen how they looked before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taraunnie Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 Yeah I know....But I don't unfortunately and I don't know what it would be like going to a non 'foreigner friendly' clinic? They asked me that too and I haven't replied yet but I will soon....it's kinda slack they didn't get back to you after requesting your pic to talk more. I hope they get back to me when I reply and if they do I'll certainly let you know what they said. I never knew anesthesia and staying extra was free at Pitangui, that's such a plus and is fair since your paying all that money for surgeries and deposit etc. and an extra $300 seems to be a bit money grabbing....unless they give you extra special anesthesia and a 5 star hotel style recovery room?.....idk.. I'll try and contact Banobagi with my pics and and ask them their policy....if they ever get back..I tried kakaotalk-ing them and they never replied so I guess if email doesn't work I'll probably give up on them for now. Also how long is it recommended we stay in Korea? I haven't really found anywhere to tell me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taraunnie Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 Thank you for posting your consult experience at Pitangui...it was very helpful since no one really does post their experiences after they go to Korea on here....I believe natural is good sometimes especially with jaw surgery because you don't want to look too fake or have people realize that you've changed drastically...idk that's just my opinion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryry0322 Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 I believe they said 1 week. Try emailing Pitangui again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterpan88 Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 I found a good place to stay where they have a kitchen and lounge so we can cook for ourselves. Also, their price is really reasonable, only $32 per night, single room, with a shower and bathroom inside. But I won't mention the name because I don't want to be considered an "advertiser". This forum is pretty strict about that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterpan88 Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 Yeah I can't tell how much they have changed since I don't know their before look. But at first glance, their noses look very natural. At first, I actually didn't notice they had a nose job done. They came for a check-up after 10 days and the bandage/stitch was already taken off, so I thought they were there to consult like me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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