I visited the big three first, [Clinic A], [Clinic B], [Clinic C], then [Clinic D], [Clinic E], and every other place I could find T_T. I'm from outside the city, so the appointment times never matched; I think I spent over 200,000 won just on consultation fees and bus fare... but if it's for my nose, I'll do anything.
First, [Clinic A] (follow-up consultation). I've written about this a lot before, but this was a rare case where the silicone had broken badly enough to crack. It was my first consultation with palpation/ultrasound. They started by saying scary things like my nose had probably already collapsed, but they explained the consultation in detail and even drew diagrams. Since I was still swollen from the injury at the time, I flinched when they touched it during palpation, so they handled it very carefully. They recommended Megaderm a lot for the nasal bridge. The coordinator was kind too and spoke so smoothly I didn't even get a chance to ask about her experience. Because my bridge is flat to begin with, they recommended Megaderm + lowering the tip that had turned up, using my own cartilage as much as possible. At the follow-up they said the broken area was indented and the skin condition was worse than expected. At that point I was asking mainly about removal. They said both total removal and partial removal were possible, but if there was indentation they would add a little ear cartilage or ear fascia, and shape the tip nicely. Since it was a follow-up, it felt like they finished quickly. Even then, I heard from the coordinator that they still would have preferred Megaderm. They seemed confident. The price was much higher than the first consultation. Partial removal + sedation anesthesia, surgery time about 2 to 3 hours.
[Clinic B]: Because I was an emergency case, they gave me the earliest possible appointment wherever I went. What matters here is that you have to go in already sure about revision or removal. CT scan. For removal, either total removal or repositioning. For removal, total removal; if there is any sinking, they said they would watch the progress and consider filler or autologous dermis. For revision, Megaderm, autologous dermis, and ear cartilage were used. The doctor only said the essential points. Very cool and reserved. Still, they examined me carefully. I urgently needed removal, so they recommended the removal route right away. They said surgery could be done the same day, and they only operate on two patients a day. They put you to sleep only at first, and after that it is local anesthesia T_T. If you provide pre-op photos, there is an extra VAT charge, and if not, there is VAT too. The coordinator actually explained things better and was kinder lol. Revision surgery fee was the most expensive, in the high six figures. Surgery time about 2 hours.
[Clinic C]: I waited an hour longer than my appointment time ; CT scan, then waited. As soon as the doctor came in, he joked cheerfully and acted like this was nothing and would be over quickly, very confident. He also said the same thing about needing to remove it quickly. Same-day surgery possible, local + sedation anesthesia. For the nasal bridge: removal, AlloDerm or autologous dermis; functional nose surgery is optional and may be covered by insurance. They did bloodwork. The coordinator was cool and only said what needed to be said, neat and clean. Cheapest cost, and they said surgery would be done in 30 minutes; huh?
[Clinic D]: Felt like a tiny internal medicine clinic. The doctor was exactly like the reviews said lol. Palpation, but he explained the things I had been most curious about better than I expected, showed photos of very similar cases, and talked about indentation, worst-case outcomes, and even contracture. Even during the contraction period, contracture can show up within 6 months, and if it does, revision surgery should be considered. If there is indentation after removal, they would use ear cartilage, and for the tip they would preserve as much of my own tissue as possible. When I asked about contraction, he explained it well, but somehow he did not give me a strong sense of certainty. The coordinator seemed like she would be careless, but unexpectedly she was meticulous, and the doctor also explained the cautious parts in detail. Anesthesia is local + sedation, surgery time about 2 to 3 hours. The cost was about 100,000 won different from [Clinic B].
[Clinic E]: The doctor was delayed 30 minutes because of the subway ; the coordinator felt cold from the start T_T. CT scan. The doctor gave the best explanation of all the places I visited and was very confident. He was the first to mention that there would be visible post-op scarring and that they only do 1 to 2 surgeries a day. He applied hand sanitizer and examined me by palpation. He said not to touch the tip at all, and for removal and Megaderm on the bridge. When I asked about Megaderm side effects, he said there really were none, just like [Clinic A], and explained that nowadays they carve it to fit the nose, showing photos and talking freely before I even asked. He also explained why they do not use buttock dermis for the bridge, and that different parts of the nose require different materials. He said from his own surgical experience, this is how it is and that is how it is. Other hospitals suggested ear cartilage, but when I asked, he said there is a high chance of bumps; ear cartilage is mostly used for the tip. They also did bloodwork here (for surgery). They said Megaderm can cause that too T_T... bumps... does anyone know this in detail? Sigh. Surgery under sedation anesthesia, about 1 hour. The earliest appointment is only for the weekend after next, nothing sooner. The coordinator still felt cold. The doctor was nice though T_T. Cost was right in the middle. If photos are shared, VAT comes on top.
[Clinic C] was the place I was most curious about. Waiting time there was also about 20 to 30 minutes. The coordinator was kind at first. Someone called my name, so I said, yes? and just stared blankly, and it turned out the doctor was calling me lol. The coordinators were not visible, probably because it was lunch time, so I looked around and found my way in. As soon as I went in, they greeted me kindly, looked at my chart first, and when I lowered my mask they said oh my and quickly checked my face. Even while touching my nose, they were careful and concerned. Unlike the other places, they recommended not putting anything in the bridge at all. Instead, because the tip was turned up, they suggested repositioning it, using ear cartilage, something about the alar side, and lowering the tip. They explained with photos and drawings. Honestly, I could not understand some of the terms, but they tried to explain it as simply as possible and expressed it with drawings. My mid-nose is missing a section, because the silicone had broken in the middle, and when I worried about indentation if it was opened, they said the chance of skin indentation was high. That is because the silicone first hit the outside, snapped in half, and caused the hollow. If there is anything there, they would watch the progress and recommend autologous cell? injections. For this tip surgery, the coordinator explained the consultation paper. I did not know that removing ear cartilage can also cause deformation, but they explained that too, and said they would make a temporary mold for what would be inserted. They said the bridge would be adjusted to match my original nose plus the step. Surgery under sedation anesthesia for about 2.5 hours. It was the most expensive of all T_T.... They also told me in advance what would be discussed after they move clinics.
I did skip the hospitals I should have skipped, but it's still so confusing and difficult. I really need to get it out fast; making it through a month is already impressive. What I was most drawn to at first was [Clinic A] and [Clinic B], but why am I getting drawn to [Clinic C] again? There are no reviews about Megaderm, so that is scary too. Everyone, among those hospitals, are there any places I should think about a bit more? I have to get it done next month no matter what, and I'll definitely share a verified review too T_T.
Ah, except for [Clinic D], everything else was open approach. [Clinic B] said they would open from a different site too! For capsule removal, [Clinic A] was look-and-remove, and the rest were all removal. For reference, my first surgery was 9 years ago: silicone + septal cartilage, and my original nose already showed my nostrils a bit, but after surgery it looks even more upturned T_T. After the injury, other people say it looks even more obvious. Looking at the CT, they said the silicone was also placed too high, 4 to 4.5... Was removal always this hard T_T?