First, for reference, I had previously undergone autologous dermis and alar reduction surgery. Originally, I was told that the dermis would be slightly absorbed after surgery and that 70-80 percent would remain permanently, so at the time they said they would intentionally overcorrect to about 120 percent of the target, but as time passed, instead of staying at 70 percent, it seemed to keep getting absorbed more and more, so it kept dropping, and I even had filler injected once to make up for it..
The alar reduction was something I had also gone through a lot of research and hospital visits for back then because the fact that my nose flared when I smiled was stressful, but once I actually had the surgery, even though the alar base looked a bit narrower when my face was expressionless, it had no effect at all when I smiled..
Anyway, since I already had filler in my nose bridge, I vaguely thought that someday I would have to replace it somehow, whether by dissolving it or something else, and since my nose flaring when I smiled was also a complex of mine, too, I decided I should get it done quickly while I still had time because I am currently unemployed, and I started looking for clinics.
Like anyone else, of course the reason I was having surgery was to make my nose prettier, but my main additional goal was to also solve the nose flaring, so I was quite strict when I went around for consultations.
I kept searching for clinics that came up when I looked up nostril width or nose flaring, and clinics with good reviews, but all I heard was that it is hard to predict the shape of a nose in a dynamic state, when smiling, and that reducing the alar base could be one method, but when smiling it all flares anyway and there is nothing you can do. But from my perspective, since I had already tried alar reduction once... I did not place much meaning on alar reduction and passed on it. Some clinics talked about tying the alar wings with thread to keep them from flaring, but after looking up reviews, there were too many stories saying it hurts and feels uncomfortable every time you smile, and that the thread can dig in, or later break or come loose, making it ineffective, so I passed. I kept doing research and visiting clinics, and later I even thought, wait, in a world where gender-affirming surgery is possible, is this really not possible..
Then there were exactly two places that said silicone would be necessary, and although I like working out and use my body a lot for work (I am male), so I wanted to avoid implants if possible.. my nose was so soft overall that it flared easily... and above all, because I had already experienced having a non-implant? dermis procedure done only to have it endlessly absorbed, I eventually came to think that using an implant was the answer.
The diagnosis and surgery plan at the two hospitals that argued an implant was necessary were not very different, but one place quoted a price that, even for revision surgery, was just too hard to accept, and if the time spent talking with the doctor was 1, the time spent talking with the consultant was more than 3, so it was hard for me to ask medical questions directly, and while most places are probably like this, it strongly felt like communication was being filtered through another person in the middle. And while a doctor’s strong pride is trustworthy and cool... it felt like (my own pride > my concern) and so on... The nuance was too strong that plastic surgery is about designing a static appearance and cannot predict dynamic features, so I could not feel confident that I would be satisfied if I had it done there. Given my personality, even going to a neighborhood orthopedic clinic makes me feel intimidated already... I also felt a bit like the weaker party... those who know the feeling will know what I mean!
And what I liked most about Dr. Han Dae-hee, my final choice, was that I could talk to the doctor a lot. When I go for consultations, I tend to be quite meticulous and ask about many things, but even so, the doctor kept touching my nose, examining it closely from all angles, and thinking it through together with me. It may simply have been a difference in the doctors’ personalities, and it is not something that can guarantee the surgical result 100 percent, but... as a patient seeking consultation, I felt that this doctor was definitely listening to, understanding, and thinking about what I was saying, so I thought that if I had surgery here, my concerns would be reflected more than at other places.
And while they did not say outright that they could 100 percent fix the nose flaring here, they carefully explained why improvement was possible in areas where there was room for improvement, why limitations were clearly limited, and what side effects could occur if the surgery were forced. I had already checked before-and-after photos from any clinic before going for consultations, so in fact when I left after the consultation, I think I had already made my decision by more than 90 percent.
Honestly, you never know how surgery will turn out until you actually have it, and until you fully recover, so ordinary people like us who are looking into surgery have to make our decision based on the consultation, and in that respect the feeling was very good, so I was able to make my final decision with peace of mind!