Hello. It has been 4 weeks since I had double-jaw surgery plus triple contouring surgery (cheekbones, square jaw, and chin), so I am leaving a review.
I have been stressed about my underbite and facial asymmetry since I was a student. To be honest, I thought I was the only one who paid attention to it, but during my school days people often talked about my face shape to the point that I even had a nickname, and I think that is when I first started thinking I definitely wanted to have surgery someday.
When I was younger, I also went to the dentist and had orthodontic consultations, but I was told that it would be difficult to improve with orthodontics alone and that I should consider double-jaw surgery after jaw growth was finished. So I never started orthodontic treatment, and because I thought I might eventually have surgery one day, I did not receive any extra treatment or procedures.
In my 30s, I started talking with my parents again, and after a long time of thinking it over, I decided to have the surgery. Looking back now, it feels closer to finally solving something I had been carrying in my heart since childhood, rather than simply improving my appearance.
I researched hospitals a lot through [Clinic A], [Clinic B], [Clinic C], and cafe reviews.
Among them, I watched YouTube videos and read reviews for [Clinic D], and above all, the fact that a specialist in oral and maxillofacial surgery performed the operation directly gave me the most confidence. I also liked that post-op orthodontic treatment could be done in one place, and for me as an office worker, the fact that no-tie double-jaw surgery would allow relatively fast recovery felt like a big advantage.
On the day of the consultation, the hospital was extremely clean, and the director and staff sincerely empathized with my concerns and helped me through the consultation. I also remember my consultation with Director Lee Seok-jae. Rather than saying only good things, he explained my current condition and the surgical direction realistically, and after the consultation my mind was almost made up.
In the end, just a few days after the consultation, I scheduled the surgery and even paid the deposit.
[Pre-op preparation] I had about 3 weeks until surgery, and I visited the hospital once more for wafer fabrication and various tests. In the pre-op blood test, my hemoglobin came back low, so I had to get an iron injection, and there was even a small incident where I had an allergic reaction to the first iron shot. Fortunately, after switching to a different type of iron injection, I was able to proceed with surgery without any problems.
The day before surgery, I enjoyed one last feast before fasting and ate as much of the food I wanted as possible. I also packed the things the director had told me to prepare in advance, such as sauce containers from Daiso, a charger, and sleep socks. At home, I also stocked up on New Care, pumpkin juice, and products for swelling care.
[Day of surgery] To be honest, I was very nervous on the day of surgery. More than hoping for a certain result, I was mostly thinking, “Let’s just get through the operation safely and come out okay.” Even while changing into the patient gown and preparing for surgery, I was tense, but the medical staff guided me calmly, which helped me gradually settle down. After I entered the operating room and anesthesia began, when I came to, I was already in the recovery room.
Right after surgery, I felt more stuffiness and discomfort than pain. My nose was blocked and I had to breathe through my mouth, so it was not easy to adapt at first, but because I had already looked up many reviews and mentally prepared myself, I could get through it by thinking, “So this is just how the process goes.”
In particular, the nurses kept checking my condition and making sure I did not have any discomfort, so I never felt alone. Whenever they saw me looking tense, they reassured me that I was okay and took care of me so carefully; I was truly grateful.
Right after surgery my body felt heavy and I could not sleep well, but as time passed I gradually settled down, and the biggest feeling was relief that the operation had ended safely. There were difficult moments, but looking back they were the first stage of recovery, and above all I was most satisfied that the surgery had been completed well.
[Hospital day 2] In the morning, the urinary catheter, nasal tube, and drainage tube were removed. Just having those removed made me feel like I could live again. Breathing became much easier, and I could go to the bathroom by myself. The director checked my progress and also taught me how to adjust the wafer bite. From that day on, I started walking a little in the hospital hallway. I also started drinking New Care and rinsing my mouth. It was difficult at first, but I gradually got used to it.
[First week after discharge] After discharge, the real battle with swelling began. On days 3 to 5 after surgery, my face was really swollen. In particular, my lips and cheeks were very swollen, and the bruising was not severe but gradually started to show. At first I mainly ate liquids such as New Care and sports drinks, and because I was eating so little, my stamina dropped sharply.
In fact, a few days after discharge I felt dizziness severe enough that I nearly collapsed, so personally I want to say that even if you do not feel like eating, you should absolutely keep up with nutritional food. I felt that stamina is ultimately the most important thing for recovery. I also went for walks several times a day, and I consistently used warm compresses and pumpkin juice. Swelling is truly something that time resolves.
[First follow-up visit] I visited the hospital for cheek suture removal and a progress check. The suture removal was more tolerable than I expected, and the inside-mouth disinfection only stung a little. More than anything, I was finally able to remove and put the wafer back in myself, and when they told me I could brush my teeth with a baby toothbrush, I was really happy. Being able to brush my teeth after only rinsing for so long felt like my quality of life went up a lot. I also started eating soft foods I had not been able to eat before, little by little. (rice gruel, soup, etc.)
[Week 2] I had the stitches inside my mouth removed. I had seen many reviews saying stitch removal hurts, so I was nervous, but personally, except for the philtrum area being the most painful, it was at a tolerable level. Still, after removal, my mouth felt much more comfortable, and the director told me I had to work hard on mouth exercises, so since then I have been practicing opening my mouth and also practicing facial expressions and pronunciation.
About 15 days after surgery, I returned to work. Wearing a mask made daily life possible, but on the first day back at work, it was definitely not easy physically. Personally, if possible, I would recommend taking about 3 to 4 weeks off.
[Current, 4 weeks after surgery] I am now 4 weeks after surgery. The swelling is not completely gone yet (about 30 to 40 percent has gone down), but compared with before surgery I can feel that my facial symmetry, lower-face proportions, and jawline have become much more refined. In particular, the improvement in the underbite and asymmetry I had worried about for so long is what satisfies me the most.
There is still the orthodontic process ahead, and it is too early to call this the final result, but so far I feel that deciding to have the surgery was truly the right choice. More than anything, it was a meaningful surgery because it solved a worry I had kept in my heart since I was a student.
I am grateful to the director, staff, and nurses who kindly took care of me from consultation to surgery, hospitalization, and follow-up checks, and I plan to continue doing my best through the rest of the recovery process. I hope this review can help anyone who is considering double-jaw surgery.