k-couture Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 Last year at the end of October I had made a trip to seoul and had multiple consultations to different clinics. I eventually, after meticulous comparison of proposed methodologies and seeking multiple opinions from respectable plastic surgeons I decided on Dr Park Yang Soo and Dr Kim Young Joon at Dream Medical Group for my procedures. 5 days ago i had undergone my 2nd revision rhinoplasty, forehead fat graft and acculift. Dr Kim performed my acculift while Dr Park did the fat graft and revision. And I have to say other than Bryan Mendelson 2008's president of the ISAPS, I have never had so much respect for the skill of a plastic surgeon as I have with Dr Park. This man fixed my botched nose through the use of closed rhino, a technique very few surgeons are capable of pulling off through the closed technique. This technique is far less invasive, has no risk of weakening the elasticity of the collumela and also alleviates risk of scarring both externally and more importantly internally. Internal scarring can cause your alars to be lopsided. Day of Surgery: The schedule was as follows: a) Final consultation with Dr Park and Dr Kim at 9.30am b)discuss final surgical price with the consultant and c)get prepped for surgery at 1pm As far as surgical methodology goes, the main concern for me was my rhino revision. This was going to be my 2nd revision, 3rd rhinoplasty. My nose had been severely damaged by Charles Lee of Beverly Hills, who used a mix of diced ear cartilage and goretex for my nose. I had asymmetry, bumps, a hump nose and cartilage extrusion which caused visible thinning of the skin tissue. The method I agreed upon with Dr Park was using ultra soft silicone placed above the bone and under the periosteum to protect my weakened nose skin from extrusion and prevent and potential deviation. I had mentioned to Dr Park that after speaking to Dr Mendelson, I was concerned that my periosteum might be too damaged to protect my nose from potential complications. So Dr Park's plan B was to use auto dermis should my periosteum be too damaged. He would also use the existng scar tissue in the bridge to protect the implant. While Dr Park and Dr Kim are both fluent in English, not all of the other staff (nurses etc) were. Hence I had the in house translator Daphane, a lovely singaporean lady shadow me throughout my every move in the clinic. She really made the entire experience more comforting. I highly recommend anyone who is a native english speaker requesting daphane as your translator during your activities at the clinic. She is super helpful accommodating my every diva request. I even asked to borrow one of their humidifiers to bring back to my hotel and they let me lol Last thing to do before surgery was discusss price with the consultant. Her name is Mi Yeong Lee and she gave me a nice discount. Initially she already gave me a discount but i felt that i could negotiate a better deal as I was able to recommend alot of people to her, thus increasing her commission in terms of quantity. Basically i told her (with Daphane as my translator) that being a surgical junkie, i know alot of other surgical junkies too lol. And under the caveat of having satisfactory post op results, i would not only recommend my friends to her i would also write a glowing review for the clinic should she agree to give me a better price. She also promised to give my friends a better price too when they come in for their surgery. So that was my bargaining strategy and I actually kept my end of the deal. I am happy with my results hence why im writing this review. Tho to be honest if i weren't happy i would still write a review...a flaming one that is lol During Surgery: So i decided to use Sedation + Local Anesthesia seeing as it is less stressful on your body. It was the best decision i ever made and ill explain why in a moment. First up was the acculift performed by Dr Kim. A minute after he walked into the room the sedation was administered through my iv and i immediatedly felt like i was having the most amazing trip. It was as if i was on a fun relaxing amusement park ride. Then moments later my vision came back and i noticed Dr Kim doing the acculift. This took only 20 mins. Once i was done the nurses took me to the toilet for me to relief myself. I actually took an extra 5 mins updating my facebook about how my swelling made me look like id been face bashed lol....After that we went back to the OR where nurses laid me down while we waited for Dr Park to come in. Daphane had been watching by me this whole time while i got the acculift Next procedure was the fat graft to the forehead. Now i barely remembered much during this part. I was reallly out of it and by the time i regained consciousness again the procedure was done. Final procedure was the revision rhino. This part was surreal. I was actually fully awake albeit a little sleepy. I could even see Dr Park performing the procedure on my nose. I could hear him removing the cartilage and the goretex and was actually speaking to him during the procedure. We were even cracking jokes from time to time. I was trying my best not to do the "are we done yet?"(even tho i did...) while he was concentrating. Anyway we actually encountered some difficulty during the rhinoplasty but Dr Park discussed it with me DURING THE OPERATION. The conversation went like this... Dr Park: Your periosteum is damaged. Your skin is too weak for the 4.5mm implant you chose. I need to use the 3.5mm one. Me: Should we try using our backup plan? The auto dermis? Dr Park: I tried that, it doesn't fit your nose. Your scar tissue also had to be excised because it grew into the goretex so we cannot use that to protect the ultra soft silicone either. But don't worry I can use fascia to protect your skin. Me: The fascia from my diced cartilage graft you just removed? Because I don't want you to harvest any from my scalp. Dr Park: No the fascia from your diced cartilaged is damaged and cannot be used. Since you don't want to harvest fascia I will use donor fascia from Germany. Its really strong, also very expensive, do you want to pay for it? (jokes) Me: No thanks, but put it in anyway lol (we both laughed) Dr Park: So we cannot use the cartilage we removed from your previous surgery, I will use donor cartilage for the collumela and dermis graft to project and protect your tip. Me: Am I bleeding alot? Because i was told by previous surgeons who did my nose that im a bleeder Dr Park: No if surgeon is skilled you won't bleed much. Me: I have a friend from Hong Kong who said a handsome surgeon did her nose Dr Park: Oh, must not have been me (laughs) After he was done he handed me the mirror. I could already tell that it was really well done. Then he placed the cast on my nose with a light packing only for the incision in my nostril. So it was not the one that goes down your throat. I actually had a blocked nose so i ended up removing it myself 4 hours after the surgery. That evening I opted to stay in the ward for an additional 150 000 won. I always believe the first night is the more crucial and the highest likelihood for something to go wrong. Also it really eases your mental state knowing u have professional care. Oh and i forgot to mention that i was actually sick with a sorethroat and cold during the surgery. For some odd reason when i ended up back at the ward all my symptoms had disappeared :S???? 2 hours after lying in the ward I start to notice an odd sensation at the top part of my bridge. That is the part where i had extrusion from the cartilage. I've had 2 previous nose jobs and never felt this sensation before so I immediatedly started to panick as i thought the silicone is going to extrude. I contacted Daphane who arranged for Dr Park to come see me the moment his last surgery was done. 30 mins later Dr Park showed up, removed the cast to reveal a deep bruise in the damaged area on my nose. He explained that the reason for the odd sensations ive been feeling is due to how damaged the skin was by the previous surgeon. Then Dr Park examined the area and told me that there was good circulation going on so there's nothing to worry. But just to ease my worry he will check up on me in the morning once more before I leave the ward. To my surprise, the next morning the brusing had actually disappeared and there was just redness now. Post op Day 1: so swollen i look like id been bashed Post op Day 2: so swollen i look like id been bashed. But this time i noticed 2 slight dents in my forehead above the brow. So panick mode again, i contact Daphane and sent her pics. She showed them to Dr Park who said that ive been having too much muscle movement that is dispersing the fat cells. He told me to come back the next day to get some botox to solve the problem. No extra charge Post op Day 3: Swelling Peaked I looked like id been bashed over and over again Post op Day 4: Swelling finally started to go down. I bought a fashionable black surgical mask (ninja much? ) and walked around a little with it. The dent was also less visible Post op Day 5: Went back to Dream to get all but the stitch in the nose removed. Saw Dr Park for our final post op check up. They provide me with a complimentary Healing Lite II laser to speed up deswelling and to help ensure the fat cells are evenly distributed. I was also given a nose retainer (didn't know there was such a thing) to wear for 3 months while i sleep. I asked him that since we could not use my periosteum or scar tissue to hold the implant, what would protect it from deviation. He said the top of the implant was placed into a pocket in the area between my brows to stop any movement. Well so far im still too swollen to go out without my black fashion surgical mask. Nose is more swollen on the right side since the closed rhino was performed from the right nostril. Tomorrow Im scheduled to meet Dr Kim for our post op check up. Updates then! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbrowneyedgir Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 Wow, sounds intense! I want to see photos of your beautiful new nose! I have never considered Dream clinic before but if I want to get my nose done i would definitely consider Dream after your review. Except I still want to see pics Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k-couture Posted May 13, 2014 Author Share Posted May 13, 2014 im not posting any pics here but i'm happy to send pics to anyone who i've been communicating with once my swelling goes down. Im like a beach ball at the moment. Swelling from forehead went down to the cheeks. Swelling from nose went to the cheeks. Swelling from acculift is at the cheeks lol. Blackheads on my nose and i can't do microdermabraxion or use the blackhead removal tape for 3 weeks EEEEK! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanilla-creme Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 Hi K, I'm curious what is the purposes of a nose retainer and how does it looks like? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k-couture Posted May 13, 2014 Author Share Posted May 13, 2014 its to make your nostrils more symmetrical and hold your tip in place. This is the first time ive heard of it actually lol. Im not even sure if i will use it as long as Dr Park wanted me to cos i have alergies. Anyways something like this but without the two long bits. https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-iuR5zaLtOlQ/TVf3De9osRI/AAAAAAAACgI/dkNxj2NHZaM/s2048/DSC03119.JPG I had to use a smaller one cos my alars are smaller due to an alar reduction years ago Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanilla-creme Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 Woww... Amazing... Hope I will get to see Dr Park's master piece (a pic of your nose) after your swelling have gone down. Will you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloudbusting Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 K, I am so happy for you. Your experience is the kind I hope to have. Now you've got me interested in Dream. Do you know if Dream is any good for eyes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k-couture Posted May 13, 2014 Author Share Posted May 13, 2014 I know Dr Park's speciality is eyes and nose. But i cannot comment on any first hand experience as i only had rhinoplasty and fat graft with him. He is very honest when he analyses his patients tho. My first time meeting him i wanted a lateral cantho to make my eyes bigger cos the concentric malar lift made my eyes a bit slanty. He examined my eyes are strictly advised against it as he could tell that previously i had incisions through my lower eyelids, thus weakening the muscles. So if i were to get a lateral cantho the red of my eyes may show as a permanent side effect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motty26 Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 happy healing K.. is Dream also good in face contouring procedures? thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k-couture Posted May 13, 2014 Author Share Posted May 13, 2014 Dr Kim is their facial contouring specialist. Does the acculift and all the bone manipulation surgery. He is the sort of surgeon who will advise against a procedure for you if he feels you are not suitable for it. After looking at my 3d ct scan, he told me that in my case i couldn't do a cheekbone reduction as my issue wasn't protruding bone but soft tissue. Hence why he suggeste i get acculift instead to alleviate my problem of asymmetry. Should i have gone to any of the other surgeons i consulted with who didn't bother to put my well being first i would have ended up with facial sagging. At this point in time i cannot comment on my acculift results as i am still really swollen as all the swelling from my forehead fat graft and nose has all shifted in the cheek area so i look like a beach ball. I'll update after the 2 week mark as thats when more than 60% of swelling will have dissipated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloudbusting Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 Dr. Park sounds like he's not all about money. So tired of all the clinics giving me lateral quotes without having seen my pictures. I'm definitely going to check out Dream during my trip. Thanks for giving back to this forum with your glowing review K!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paxsky Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 Hi K, Thanks for all the useful info. Your measured and rational approach to PS gives you a lot of credibility, and I agree w/you about not falling prey to clinics showcasing too good to be true before and afters. You got me seriously considering Dream, so I've been researching it, and apparently they have several branches. when i searched them on google maps, I noticed one clinic located in the same building as "hooters"? and the other one was looked like a smaller structure with several decorative doves dotted along the front of the building. Based on the names of the doctors that work in each, I'm assuming you went to the former? I apologize if this was mentioned before... best of luck with your recovery! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k-couture Posted May 13, 2014 Author Share Posted May 13, 2014 lol? hooters? From what I know they have a branch in Singapore Beijing Los Angeles and Melbourne. The melbourne one is only for their skin product line. I think the Singapore one is only for consultation??? The Beijing one im not sure. Los Angeles one is surgical. I'll put it like this, i didn't pick Dream because of the clinic, I picked Dream because of Park Yang Soo and Kim Young Joon, who both perform surgery at the Gangnam branch. At the end of the day we should always choose the surgeon and not the clinic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paxsky Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 thanks, I didn't know about all the international branches except for the LA, which have pretty bad/ mixed reviews... anyway, what i was referring to were the ones in the gangnam area, but the "hooters' one didn't sound right to me either just checked again, and it's actually an ad sign for Dream. I'm afraid to sound stupid again, but is the correct one above a Cold Stone ice cream place! lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noods Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 Post op Day 4: Swelling finally started to go down. I bought a fashionable black surgical mask (ninja much? ) and walked around a little with it. The dent was also less visible Hi K, ninja much??? Classic........ LOL Don't worry about posting post op photos. How about one with your ninja mask on? LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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