I have a very large bulbous nose. My nose is so thick that I visited several clinics mainly to improve the front view rather than the side view. A lot of people asked me to write a consultation review, and I’m also writing this for my own records.
Originally I had also booked ㅌㅋㄹㅅ and ㅈㅇㅈㅇ from that list, but I canceled the consultations because of my schedule.
I prioritized making bulbous-nose correction as slim and refined as possible, and my younger sibling also went around with me. My sibling was looking for only a procedure-level, extremely natural improvement for a bulbous nose, and also went for a lower-eyelid fat repositioning consultation because of dark circles. (My sibling’s bulbous nose is not severe; the tip is just a little blunt.)
Before going to the consultations, I organized in GoodNotes on my iPad: six things I disliked about my nose, the exact nose shape I wanted (nostril shape, bridge position, tip, columella shape, front view, nasolabial angle, all broken down in detail + photos), and a full question list. Seriously, everyone, prepare like this before you go. You need to clearly say what you are most unhappy with about your current nose and what you most want to improve. That makes communication with the doctors much more accurate, and they understand your needs much better.
[ㅇㄹㅂ - Dr. ㅂㅈㅅ] CT yes, consultation fee no, septal cartilage, ear cartilage, silicone 4 mm
This was the first place I visited. It’s not a place that became famous through apps; I understood it to be a place known more through word of mouth. My sibling said a lot of celebrities go there. I visited on a weekday afternoon, so I could consult right away with no wait.
The CT seemed to provide a very accurate diagnosis because it wasn’t a regular dental-style CT, but a machine that scans the entire 360 degrees. Initial consultation with the coordinator (10 min) - consultation with the doctor (20 min) - consultation again with the coordinator and price check (10 min)
<Bulbous nose consultation> The coordinator first checked my desired nose needs, then I met the doctor. The doctor came in quickly, maybe after about 3 minutes. First, the doctor scanned my nose from the front and side and immediately gave a diagnosis. But the diagnosis matched exactly the points I had already written down about my nose, so I had nothing more to add. On the CT, there was enough septal cartilage, so they said they would do the surgery using only septal cartilage and ear cartilage.
What was unique was that they placed silicone models directly on my nose and consulted about the desired design that way. They adjusted the design together with the patient while trying on straight-line and crescent-line silicone. But because I wanted improvement in the front view more than the side view, that part was a bit disappointing. Still, it seems helpful for people who want their nose higher.
And the biggest regret was that this was the first clinic I went to. The doctor’s style was to answer carefully when questions were asked, but it would have been an even more satisfying consultation if I had gone to other clinics first and come here after learning more.
The design consultation focused mainly on the bridge, and for the other details I had to mention myself what shape I wanted.
Also, a good point was that they said they do not pack the nose with cotton after surgery. That seems like the biggest advantage. Everyone struggles because of the cotton, right? And they said daily life would be possible after 1 to 2 weeks, with stitch removal after 5 days.
After the design consultation, they showed me photos of surgeries on other patients and discussed what kind of result I could expect, then the consultation ended.
I asked because I had heard that using only septal cartilage can cause deviation, and they said they do not take too much septal cartilage, and because they also use ear cartilage, I didn’t need to worry. They explained that the septum bends when too much is removed, so that reassured me.
The doctor’s skill and experience seemed very solid, but the consultation itself was a bit disappointing. If I had visited after going around to several places first, it probably would have been a much richer consultation.
<Consultation for tip cartilage suturing> My sibling originally wanted only a procedure-like nose surgery, so they asked only about tip cartilage suturing. They said it was possible, but that it would be really subtle. However, once my sibling emphasized that they wanted it to be extremely natural, the doctor suggested doing only a closed tip cartilage suturing procedure.
<Lower-eyelid fat repositioning> The doctor first recommended lower-eyelid fat grafting, and if possible, doing repositioning together as well. They said it was because the under-eye area is hollow. Retouching would be possible within two months. The fat would be taken from the thigh. But I mostly just heard this in passing, so I don’t have much more to write.
<Good points> 1. No cotton packing after nose surgery 2. Free 10-year warranty for inflammation !! I was really surprised. It shows confidence in the results. If the dissatisfaction is aesthetic, material costs are added. 3. The doctor’s skill and experience seem substantial 4. CCTV can be checked in real time by guardians through the staff’s work phones, but it is filmed from the hallway, not inside the operating room 5. Anesthesia is sleep anesthesia, done directly by the doctor 6. Aftercare includes swelling laser + treatment as needed. For example, if there is scar tissue, they give scar tissue injections
The doctor answered every question sincerely and thoroughly! So if you visit ㅇㄹㅂ, I recommend going to other places first and then visiting. The coordinator is kind too.
<Disappointing points> 1. You have to spoon-feed them your questions 2. When I asked how many surgeries they do per day, they said there is no limit during peak season, and if the doctor is available they can even operate until evening. That was disappointing. During off-season, it’s about 2 cases. 3. My sibling had nose filler done 5 years ago, and when the coordinator asked whether the filler was still there, my sibling said of course not. But later we found out the filler was still there. This was partly my sibling’s fault for saying “There probably isn’t any filler,” but if the coordinator or doctor had palpated the bridge once, they would probably have noticed the filler right away. (After we later learned the filler was still there, I touched the bridge and realized the difference in feel between having filler and not having filler is very obvious.)
There is basically no room for price negotiation. I asked about review-writing discounts, cash payment, etc., but they said that because a lot of people already come through word of mouth, they don’t negotiate at all. So when I asked whether there could be an extra discount since my sibling and I would be having surgery together, they gave a 10% discount off the total price. But that actually made me trust them more, lol. I thought, wow, people really are that satisfied here.
[ㅎㅇㅇㄷ - Dr. ㅇㅈㅎ] CT yes, consultation fee no, uses septal cartilage, ear cartilage, donated rib cartilage, silicone 4.2 mm
I visited because the reviews about bulbous-nose improvement were so good. As expected, it was a weekday afternoon, so only my sibling and I were there. We proceeded without waiting. A unique thing on the chart was a separate consent box for face parts / full face disclosure.
Front and side photos were taken by camera, then CT scan (10 min) - consultation with the coordinator (15 min) - waiting for the doctor (25 min) - consultation with the doctor (35 min) - price consultation and questions with the coordinator (15 min)
<Bulbous nose consultation> First of all, the coordinator really understood my needs well. Even when I explained things badly, they understood perfectly, and they checked back to make sure the need I wanted was really what they understood. It was spot on. Good.
The doctor’s consultation was extremely detailed. We analyzed the CT together and went step by step from where the bridge starts to the tip and the nasolabial angle, drawing out the desired design in detail. Then the doctor read the notes I had organized on my iPad directly and said they couldn’t reflect every request, but would reflect as much as possible. In the end, everything that could be reflected was approved. And when the doctor saw that I had studied hard before coming, they were really satisfied lol. There was a vibe like, you qualify to be my patient.
I liked that they drew directly on my side-view photo on a tablet based on the consultation, to show what the nose would look like after surgery. It was good to be able to anticipate the result. They tried hard to reflect all the needs I wanted, so I felt trust.
That said, because they pursue a more dramatic design, they also recommended 4.2 mm silicone and donated rib cartilage. They said using only septal cartilage might collapse, so they wanted to reinforce it with donated rib cartilage. The consultation itself was very satisfying.
They explained each surgical method in a way that was easy for the patient to understand and took the time to make sure I understood. And there was a slight hump on the bridge, so they said they would do a small smoothing step as well, not full osteotomy.
<No implant> In my sibling’s case, the doctor immediately noticed from the face that the filler was still there, without even touching it lol. Then they joked, “Want to make a bet on whether there’s nose filler or not?” and said it very confidently.
My sibling wanted only a slight refinement of the tip, so we consulted for a no-implant approach, but they said the nose filler would need to be dissolved first. They said surgery could not be done without dissolving the filler, and gave two options: (1) dissolve the nose filler, have no-implant surgery, then get filler again (2) dissolve the nose filler and do the surgery with silicone.
The doctor recommended silicone, but my sibling firmly said they absolutely did not want silicone, so the consultation proceeded with option (1).
For dark circles, they recommended lower-eyelid fat repositioning.
<Good points> 1. The doctor’s consultation was really substantial, and time flew by. 2. The coordinator also understood the patient’s needs very well, helping make communication between patient and doctor much clearer. 3. Bulbous-nose correction is definitely effective. 4. The review discount was very large. Even using donated rib cartilage, the total price was not as expensive as expected. But the review condition was writing 4 to 5 reviews. 5. Warranty: functional issues covered free within 1 year; aesthetic issues cost extra 6. Aftercare includes swelling laser and inflammation injections 7. Anesthesia is sleep anesthesia, performed directly by the doctor 8. Surgery volume is 2 to 3 cases per day
<Disappointing points> 1. During the final price consultation with the coordinator, I asked all the questions from my list, but unlike the initial need-check consultation, they spoke so fast that I couldn’t even take notes lol. Maybe they’re good at rap. 2. Viewing the CCTV costs an extra 100,000 won. They said it should be seen as the same kind of extra fee as when a clinic issues paperwork for submission. I was like, huh? They also said CCTV is still not mandatory. 3. The surgery takes about 3 hours. It seems a bit longer than other places. But maybe that’s because they are very meticulous with the design. 4. I still wanted to get the maximum discount, so I asked about the face-full-disclosure condition that had been in the chart form at the beginning. They said the clinic has a specific image they want. (This is just my guess, but I wonder if it applies when doing more than one cosmetic procedure, like eyes and nose.)
[ㅎㅌ - Dr. ㅎㅅㅊ] CT yes, consultation fee no, uses septal cartilage and ear cartilage, silicone 3.5-4 mm
This was the place I had the highest expectations for. It’s famous for bulbous-nose improvement, so I watched all the YouTube videos too.
Chart filling and CT scan (10 min) - consultation with the coordinator (20 min) - waiting for the eye doctor (30 min) - actual lower-eyelid consultation (8 min) - waiting for the nose doctor (30 min) - consultation with the doctor about the nose (30 min) - price consultation and questions with the coordinator (10 min)
The coordinator consultation was very detailed. They analyzed the CT carefully and drew out on paper how my nose asymmetry was, which I liked because they explained in advance that asymmetry could remain after nose surgery.
<Lower-eyelid consultation> I first had a lower-eyelid consultation with the eye specialist doctor, and it was rather disappointing. They briefly explained the surgical method, then repeated it based on what the coordinator had written. Then, after realizing the consultation content from the coordinator differed from the surgical method the doctor had initially in mind, they immediately revised the explanation based mainly on what the coordinator had said. The doctor is the one performing the surgery, so why was the surgery plan being steered by the coordinator’s notes...? I was confused. And more than anything, my sibling wanted lower-eyelid surgery to improve dark circles, but they were told this was a pigmentation issue and the surgical effect would be minimal. It was good that they explained the limitations from the start.
After the eye consultation, the wait for the nose consultation got longer, so they gave us coffee and snacks. This place really is good for coffee. The iced Americano was delicious.
<Tip cartilage suturing consultation & no-implant consultation> When I met the doctor, the first thing they did was talk with each of us about the things we were unhappy with about our noses, then move into a consultation about how to improve them. The doctor also immediately noticed, without touching it, that my sibling still had nose filler.
When I said I only wanted a closed tip cartilage suturing procedure, the doctor said this surgery method is not reconstructive but destructive. Because it is closed, it is basically like the doctor is blindly wrapping the nasal cartilage with thread by feel, and in the end the nose tissue gets damaged, so they did not recommend it.
Also, my sibling wanted no implant and only very slight improvement, so the surgical plan was made using only septal cartilage and ear cartilage. They also said there was no need to dissolve the filler! Since the filler had not dissolved for five years and my sibling was satisfied with the bridge that included filler, they said to operate without dissolving it, and if the filler happened to dissolve after surgery, just get filler again then.
They shaped the nose using a cotton swab and honestly did an amazing job. That was what made my sibling decide to go through with surgery. But after the price consultation, they changed their mind.
<Bulbous nose consultation> Dr. Han’s style is to write an error notebook for the nose together with the patient and then find solutions together. Since I had already written everything on my iPad from the start, the doctor just read what I had prepared and understood my needs.
They said my septal cartilage may be a bit thin overall, but because the inside is thick enough, it should be sufficient. And again, the way they shaped the nose with a cotton swab was amazing. Seeing through the swab how much improvement was possible helped me adjust my expectations. They also suggested doing alar reduction together. For the design as well, the doctor did not insist on their own preferences and instead reflected the direction the patient wanted.
<Good points> 1. The coordinator also gave a very thorough consultation. They carefully checked everything from the visible nose shape to the CT analysis. And they told me about my asymmetry from the start, which was good because they explained that some degree of asymmetry can remain after surgery. For alar reduction, they also explained in advance that there would be some scarring. 2. The doctor communicates with the patient very well. They catch the patient’s needs accurately and try to reflect the patient’s wishes as much as possible. 3. The surgery time is 1.5 to 2 hours, so it doesn’t take too long. 4. CCTV can be viewed in real time by immediate family members. 5. Other places seem to only check how much the septum is deviated when analyzing CTs, but here they also checked thickness and explained how much could actually be used, with real surgical conditions in mind. 6. Aftercare includes scar laser treatment, and if there is a lot of swelling one month after surgery, injection treatment 7. The doctor personally performs sleep anesthesia 8. For after-sales service, it is available within 6 months to 1 year, but material costs are extra. They did not mention functional issues.
<Disappointing points> 1. The price was quite high. But the odd thing is... they pile on extra charges for all sorts of things and then give a big discount at the end as if they were being generous. In my case, I had only a very slight hump, which other clinics said could just be shaved down, but here they charged an extra 490,000 won under the pretext of smoothing the hump. They priced bulbous-nose correction, nasolabial angle correction, alar reduction, bridge, tip, hump smoothing, and cartilage suturing separately, all one by one lol. Then they just say the coordinator will bundle it into some final total. It felt like a strategy of inflating the cost by setting out every item and price in detail, then appearing to give a big discount at the end. My sibling, by contrast, was told by the doctor that their surgery would be really simple and there wasn’t much extra to add, so the discount was tiny too. Only 300,000 won lol. Mine was over 1.6 million won off lol. So my sibling was very satisfied with the consultation but found the price too burdensome and ultimately did not decide to have surgery. 2. In my case, I wanted to have another no-implant consultation later, so I asked whether I could have a re-consultation with the doctor. They asked for an extra 50,000 won. Is that normal at other places too? 3. Consulting with another coordinator costs an extra 10,000 won lol. 4. At the final price consultation with the coordinator, they also started rapping again. Of course it was right before the end of the workday, but it was almost 1.5x faster than during the initial needs-check consultation. 5. The doctor’s daily surgery count is not fixed, because they do not only do nose surgery. If you think only about nose surgery, the average is 3 cases per day. Then if you include their other surgeries too... haha. But they added that they do not schedule surgeries too tightly. Still, the wording is one of those things that can be interpreted very differently depending on how you hear it.
This was one of the clinics I kept debating until the end, and the reason I didn’t choose it in the end was that the coordinator’s attitude changed. They were really kind during the first consultation, but when I came back for a re-consultation because I was considering no-implant surgery too, their attitude had changed a bit subtly. This is just my guess, but maybe it was because my sibling said they wouldn’t have surgery due to the cost, so the potential two-person booking became only one person.
And during the first consultation, when I asked for an additional price discount because I really wanted surgery here, they said they had a number in mind but needed to check with the doctor, and that we should talk again when I decided to go ahead. But when I went back later for a re-consultation and to leave a deposit, they didn’t remember me at all. lol At the desk, they didn’t realize it was me when they saw my face, and only after checking my name did they finally greet me. I know they see many patients, so it’s understandable, but still, it felt a bit off.
Then I put down a deposit, and they tried to proceed at the original price from the first consultation lol. When I said they had said they would give me more of a discount, they finally said they’d take off another 200,000 won. Then they suddenly added a condition that because they had added an extra discount, they would not cancel the deposit. It felt almost like a forced sale. And as soon as I paid the deposit, they drew blood right away. I left the deposit, then went back 30 minutes later and just asked them to cancel it.
And because I was worried about scarring from alar reduction, I asked several questions, and they said that ultimately it depends on how well the patient manages it, and because the alar area has many pores, scars are unavoidable.
I understand that point, but what I really wanted to hear was that the doctor is very sensitive to scars and meticulous, so they would try to leave as little scarring as possible. But the answer and tone were all basically, “it’s just the patient’s responsibility.” So I thought that if something went wrong with the surgical result later, they would just blame me or say it was due to individual differences, and I canceled. Looking back now, I also wonder whether bringing up my asymmetry first during the initial consultation was actually groundwork for later attributing any dissatisfaction with the surgical result to my personal condition.
I also went to three other places, ㄹㄱ, ㅂㅇㅇ, and ㅂㄴㄴ, but I’ll write those later if I have time. Even writing this took almost two hours. I hope this helps everyone.