It took four years! One-week post-op lower blepharoplasty with Dr. Park at [Clinic A] (paid with my own money)

My profile: Age 58 (Korean age); Female. Genetically, I have deep double eyelids, so the area around my eyes tends to look prominent. Under-eye wrinkles appeared somewhat early, and the area looked hollow. In short, I had many concerns about my under-eyes. In 2022, four years ago, I started searching for a solution. I browsed several plastic-surgery review sites and influencers' blogs. That was when I found Dr. Park! Four years later, last week, I finally had my consultation, surgery, and suture removal, and today is postoperative day 1. Why did it take so long? The surgeon with the magic hands I wanted to see was preparing to open a clinic at the time, so I could not have surgery with him. I first left a message on the medical blog he ran. At the time, my right upper eyelid was drooping, so I asked about a sub-brow lift. Although he could not operate because he was preparing to open his clinic, he kindly explained in detail what to be careful about in eye surgery. As one and then two years passed, the area under my eyes changed faster than my age would suggest. During that time, I kept an eye on his blog and clinic updates while waiting for the right moment. The [Clinic A] he opened was standing out in eye surgery, and many surgical cases were being uploaded. In fact, plastic-surgery communities often say to get consultations at three or more places. But I had been looking only at [Clinic A] and Dr. Park from the beginning, so I had no time to deliberate. People around me called me brave. Was I? I had continuously watched his medical posts and his firm, confident, and dedicated approach to eye surgery, so I suppose I was not easily swayed. I only needed to keep trying to make time for surgery. From 2022 until I finally decided, there was only one place and one doctor: [Clinic A] and Dr. Park. At last, the decisive day was set. To take leave from work and secure enough time to return to work comfortably, I wanted so-called transconjunctival under-eye fat repositioning: opening the conjunctiva and repositioning the fat, with no suture removal and perhaps a short downtime. However, no matter how much I read, given my age and condition, I felt I would inevitably need a lower blepharoplasty: an incision below the lower eyelashes, removal of excess skin, and fat repositioning, with at least two weeks of visible surgical marks considered. On September 18, 2026, I finally went for my consultation with my heart pounding. I began checking what to mention. In photos, the area under my eyes did not show clearly, but a long horizontal bulge was prominent. It was the part that stood out and bothered me in my reflection in the dark subway window. I looked closely. Could it be a sagging mass of fat? Looking and looking... perhaps it was a remnant of hyaluronic-acid filler that a dermatologist had offered as a service in 2017 or 2018? After the consultation, they said transcutaneous lower blepharoplasty, the so-called lower blepharoplasty, could also lift the midface and produce a somewhat dramatic effect. When I explained my concerns about the lower under-eye area, they said it was more likely filler than a clump of fat, and that dissolving the filler and operating with completely untreated skin would be best. I immediately received an injection to dissolve the filler and left, scheduled for surgery five days later. That evening after the filler-dissolving procedure, my under-eyes looked hollow. Not only had the horizontal bulge disappeared, but it seemed there had also been filler directly under my eyes. On September 23 at 5 p.m., the day of surgery, they said that after seeing how hollow the area looked once the filler was removed, they were able to operate under optimal conditions. I asked whether fat grafting would be necessary because it looked so hollow, but they said I could proceed without grafting. They said it would take one hour. Either way, I just had to fall asleep. It was sleep sedation. One thing stood out: how many staff members were in the operating room? Including the doctor and the assisting staff, there seemed to be four or five. Is that normal? It made me trust them. I regained awareness as they were finishing the sutures, and we chatted a lot. After resting in the recovery room in a daze, they brought me a mirror. This doctor is good at stitching, huh? The sutures were extremely neat—thumbs up! There was less bruising and swelling than expected. The front desk staff said bruising and swelling would peak on days two or three. Well, I suppose I have to endure that much. I am getting younger, after all. How would my eyes change? Today I went in for one-week suture removal. Looking at the photos, it may not look fantastic yet since it is only week one, but to my eyes it is already fantastic. In a month, it will probably be even more fantastic! I mentioned that conjunctival chemosis had made it uncomfortable to fall asleep last night. They reassured me that it is a common symptom, not severe in my case, and should improve with time. There is still swelling on the right, and the left eye area became red and swollen, perhaps from yawning and tearing these past few days. This should improve too. I left after scheduling a hospital visit for observation at week four. I expect they will ask, “What did you have done at week four?” I was braver than I thought, the surgery was more bearable than I thought, and the downtime seems likely to be shorter than I thought (individual results vary, so please take this only as a reference!). [Clinic A] had exactly the extraordinary surgical skill I expected, and Dr. Park was exactly the great magician of eye surgery I had imagined!