Because I had my first surgery without knowing anything, I had it done at a clinic that wasn’t specialized in liposuction. They didn’t remove it properly, so I got a free revision surgery. I kept thinking it would get better with time, but even after several years there was no room for improvement, so I decided to go all out and do consultations.
I really do not recommend revision surgery at the same clinic where your first surgery failed. If the problem is that not enough was removed and you just need a touch-up, that’s one thing, but if it’s indentations, sagging, or uneven lumps, just pay more and go somewhere else. Revision surgery is harder than the first surgery, so will a doctor who already messed up once do better the second time? I tried to save money by getting revision surgery at the same place, and it’s the choice I regret most.
I looked for clinics mainly based on lines and safety rather than cosmetic goals, with the aim of improving elasticity and unevenness. I searched through cafes and apps and feel like I read years’ worth of reviews.
<Common points from the consultations> There was one thing every clinic said. The areas that were removed too little can still be removed now, but the areas that were removed too much cannot be fixed. They said wrinkles and sagging caused by excessive suction do not disappear even with revision surgery. Still, they said some degree of improvement is possible. I was going to have surgery because I thought it would be good if the areas that were under-removed could be improved even a little. But as everyone knows, revision surgery costs a lot...
If you care about cost-effectiveness, I do not recommend it. Several clinics also told me not to have surgery there. They said satisfaction would not be very high compared with the money spent. If you add in the cost of the first surgery, it comes to nearly 20 million won. If I had spent this money on a proper clinic from the start, I could have had full-body surgery at the most famous and most expensive clinic
<Listed in the order I consulted> I don’t remember all the additional services, so this is not exact. I am writing only what I felt and remember for the purpose of sharing information, so the following is not objective fact.
1. ㅋㄹㅇ My impression of the clinic was exactly what I had seen in the cafe, and it seemed like there were several managers. My assigned manager was Ms. Park, and I found her a little intimidating. I had seen quite a few reviews saying the managers at this clinic are kind, and they are kind. But it is a rather businesslike kind of kindness? She was also a bit older and had a strong charisma, so it was hard to start a conversation
I was recommended Dr. Seo, and the consultation was refreshingly straightforward and good. They did the consultation by pinch only without ultrasound, and they said all the areas I was worried about could be improved and that things would get better, with a lot of confidence, so I was seriously tempted... The price was also the cheapest.
But after going around to many places, there were quite a few clinics that said I probably could not have the surgery, and he never said anything negative, so later I thought I wasn’t sure whether this was confidence or just saying things without much basis.
And unusually, he recommended fat grafting to the pelvis. When I said I wanted fat grafting for the adhesions, one clinic said there wasn’t enough fat to take from my body for that amount and said it couldn’t be done, so I’m not sure which is right, but it did seem a bit questionable.
It may sound like I only wrote bad things, but overall I was satisfied with the consultation, and if this had been my first surgery, I think I would have done it here. If you don’t have the burden of failure, it seems like a decent choice for value.
The price is fixed at the list price, so there is no pressure about bargaining or anything like that. I just couldn’t ask because I was intimidated by the manager. (Pinch, consultation fee x, compression garment x, touch-up 110,000 won, pigmentation laser 3 sessions free)
2. ㄹㅂㅇㅂㄴ I had a consultation with Dr. Jeong. They looked at the ultrasound carefully for free, explained everything thoroughly and kindly, and the price was not bad either. That said, I got the feeling they were not confident about my body. They said surgery could be done if I wanted, but I wouldn’t get much satisfaction for the money spent. They spoke indirectly, but it felt like they were advising against surgery. The manager was kind, and the clinic facilities are good. (Ultrasound, consultation fee x, compression garment o, touch-up I couldn’t ask)
3. ㄱㄷㄹㅇ (Apgujeong) I had been keeping an eye on this place because it was said to focus on safety and do a lot of revision surgery. They definitely gave a conservative consultation. They said surgery could improve unevenness and remove more of the remaining fat, but that wrinkles or sagging could get even worse than they are now instead.
I think they were being that way because they were worried about complaints about the surgical outcome, but they approached it so conservatively that it was actually disappointing. The price was also on the quite affordable side, and if they had spoken just a little more confidently about the results, I think I would have gone ahead with surgery here right away. But they were so cautious that I ended up hesitating, wondering whether the result would really turn out well.
It felt like there were absolutely no brokers or promotional activity, and I liked how generous they seemed with touch-ups. It seemed like they would handle most cases. (Pinch, consultation fee x, compression garment o, touch-up 50,000 won, handmade, radiofrequency 5 sessions free)
4. ㄹㅇㅋㅊ They looked at the ultrasound in great detail. I paid a consultation fee and had ultrasound exams at several places, but this was the most detailed and accurate in telling me how many mm each area had.
If you mention the photos taken before the consultation, they will send them to you on KakaoTalk. Although the consultation fee was the highest, it didn’t feel wasted. The manager is also nice and kind.
The cost is on the higher side. It was not priced as one full abdomen, but rather with extra charges by area such as the flanks, love handles, and pubic area. They said there wasn’t much fat, so it would be hard to work on. They didn’t seem especially aggressive about surgery. (Ultrasound, consultation fee 20,000 won, compression garment o, touch-up 300,000 won, regenerative laser 3 sessions, radiofrequency 2 sessions, scar injections free)
5. ㅊㅇㅅㄹㅇ Maybe because I said I had already consulted at another clinic first, they did not look at the ultrasound that actively. The feeling was, like, “You already know everything, right?” Here too, they did not strongly recommend surgery.
The amount was also on the high side here. There were separate extra charges for each area such as the scapula and pubic area. While exchanging comments and private messages here, I got the impression that there might be some brokers involved, but that is just my personal opinion. (Ultrasound, consultation fee 10,000 won, compression garment o, no touch-up fee, radiofrequency 1 session, endermologie 2 sessions, scar laser 3 sessions free)
6. ㄱㄴㄷㅅㄹ I heard Dr. Kim focuses on taking out a lot, and Dr. Jeong focuses on revision surgery, so I consulted with Dr. Jeong. He pointed out my body condition exactly and spoke very clearly, and explained which parts could be improved and which parts could not. More than the surgical result, I felt like he understood my current body the best. He caught all the subtle things I feel myself, as well as details I had not heard from other clinics.
However, when I looked at reviews and after photos, there were many comments saying that the line work and amount of fat removed were disappointing, so I worried. I wasn’t confident that they would handle touch-up well if not enough was removed.
Most clinics are clustered in Sinsa, Apgujeong, and Gangnam, but this one is out on its own in a somewhat remote location, so it is a bit hard to go for a consultation. The clinic is a bit sparse, and the manager is really cute and kind. It was the first place that sent me a summary of the consultation by KakaoTalk the next day. (Pinch, consultation fee x, compression garment x, touch-up fee x, handmade, radiofrequency 5 sessions, scar laser free)
7. ㅃㄴㄱㅃ The clinic facilities were really, really good. It was very spacious and the most grand-looking. I even wondered if the surgery fee was high because they had to cover rent and interior costs. The doctor was very kind and gave an excellent consultation.
But aside from specific areas where a lot of fat remained, I was surprised they said surgery would be difficult. Personally, I get the feeling there may be some brokers or promotional activity here.
Before visiting, I saw a photo in the cafe of someone whose body condition was exactly like mine now. The lower abdomen had been over-sucked, leaving a hollow and wrinkles... When I asked by private message, they said they had it done here, so I was considering it, but there were so many positive reviews and comment recommendations that I added it to the list.
I got the feeling at a few places that they were hesitant or unwilling to do the surgery, but this was the first place that flat-out said they could not do it. It’s a place with clear pros and cons, where they can really define the line and remove a lot of fat, but the risk of side effects is also high, so if this had been my first surgery, I think it might not have been bad. Honestly, though, I’m not sure whether the doctor’s skill is as good as his reputation.
Because it is a style that removes a lot of fat, it feels like either a total jackpot or a total flop. I was quite satisfied with the consultation itself, and they answered sincerely. The price range is quite high. (Ultrasound, consultation fee x, compression garment o, touch-up I couldn’t ask)
8. ㅂㅇㅇ Overall, it felt similar to ㅃㄴㄱㅃ, but relatively more focused on safety. They honestly said that if they were not confident, it would be better not to do the surgery. Again, I’m not sure the clinic itself is as skilled as its reputation suggests.
Still, it is not a place that says, “Let’s do the surgery first and see,” without guaranteeing results. They say that if something cannot be done, it cannot be done, and if something can be done, they will do as much as possible. Honestly, I think it is better to speak that honestly. It seems like a good clinic for a safe first surgery.
The manager is also extremely kind and knows more than most doctors. She even noticed things during the pinch measurement that other doctors had missed. The price range is quite high. (Ultrasound, consultation fee 10,000 won, compression garment o, touch-up I couldn’t ask)
9. ㄹㅇㅌ It was the worst of all the consultations I went to. The system where you can only consult about one area each visit was also surprising, and the attitude of the doctor and staff was terrible.
I had seen posts that felt like broker-style posts (asking which among famous clinics was good, or comments recommending a clinic, or private messages received after asking for info based on review photos), and I had seen a lot of negative reviews on this community, but some people’s photos had exactly the line I like, so I put it on the list. Now that I think about it, I don’t even know whether those were real reviews.
Because they said you had to consult separately for each area, I consulted about an untreated area, not a revision area, and they refused, saying there wasn’t much fat so surgery could not be done.
The areas other clinics said were difficult or not recommended were all revision areas. This was the first time I was rejected for a first surgery. Most places said there wasn’t much to remove so I might not be very satisfied, but that they would still do it if I wanted; this was the first clinic that outright said they could not do it, so I was very startled.
When I came out after being refused surgery by the doctor, I guess since I was no longer a customer who would bring in money, nobody saw me off. There were four staff members at the desk, not just one or two, but I waited for the elevator right in front of the desk, took it down, and they just chatted among themselves the whole time and didn’t even glance over.
The doctor’s consultation was also only about 2 or 3 minutes, just a quick look, and he bluntly said surgery could not be done. When I said I wanted to consult about another area too, he said then I should make another appointment and walked out, so it was a properly awkward and unpleasant experience. (Pinch, consultation fee x, compression garment o, touch-up I couldn’t ask)
<Personal opinion> After consulting at several places, I clearly felt that the doctors who are good at revision surgery, difficult surgery, and surgery on thin people are the ones with real skill. If it’s someone who has never had anything done and has a lot of fat, I’m sure most doctors can handle that without major issues. Of course, even among them, there are differences in how beautifully they shape the line and how much they remove.
The first thing I felt was that the clinics that are hugely famous in the cafe are not quite at that level. Of course, all of those doctors are excellent and skilled. But what I mean is that the feeling was more like, “Hmm, maybe not quite that much?” so I hope there is no misunderstanding. That was the impression I got from seeing how often they seemed unsure in front of someone like me, who didn’t have much fat to remove and needed revision.
The second thing I felt was that ultrasound is not that important, and I really felt that strongly. Rather, there were many clinics using pinch examination that pointed out exactly the things I normally felt, and with clinics using ultrasound, I got the impression that they were looking at the fat amount only as numbers.
What matters to me is not how many cc are removed, but how beautifully they shape the line. Yet many places spoke only in terms of fat measurements, saying things like, “Since there are only this many mm of fat left, we can remove this much,” or “There are only this many mm here, so we can’t touch it.”
In fact, there was also a clinic that said a certain area could not be worked on because ultrasound showed there wasn’t much fat there, but after looking by pinch, they said they could make it somewhat smoother. (We can’t know which is right until we see the result, so it can’t be judged before surgery.)
Thinking about it, once surgery actually begins, they can’t keep checking ultrasound anyway, and they will be removing fat while directly feeling the skin with their hands, so rather than someone who relies only on a machine, I started to think that someone who can accurately understand the body and knows where to remove fat even without a machine might be better suited for surgery.
I narrowed it down to 3 clinics and got re-consultations at all 3. Then I decided on the clinic for surgery. Even so, honestly, I still wasn’t fully confident, so I decided to have surgery at just one place first and then decide whether to continue at the same clinic based on that result.
I haven’t had the surgery yet, so I don’t know whether my judgment is right or wrong. But since I also received a lot of help from various cafes, I’m posting this to share information in the hope that it helps others.
These reviews apply only to me, so please treat them as reference only and get your own consultation. My case is very unusual, so I can’t tell you the prices, so if you have any questions, leave a comment. It is hard for me to check private messages.