I visited four clinics, and all of them are known for revision surgery. Two of them seem to have relatively few reviews compared to how many people are looking into them, so I figured I’d leave a post too.
For context, I had my first surgery two years ago, but there was almost no improvement, so I’m looking into a revision because I’m unhappy with the shape. They’re all one-doctor clinics, so I won’t mention the surgeon’s name.
1. ㄴㅇㄷ The consultation manager was kind, and the doctor was proactive too.. I saw a review saying he has a slightly “clear-eyed mad genius” vibe, and I get what that means. He explained the problems with my face and nose, which I’d had trouble putting into words myself, really well. For example, people usually talk mainly about nasal height, and unless I bring it up first, they don’t really mention issues like my asymmetry or nasolabial angle either, since those aren’t my main concerns. But he pointed out that everything is interconnected, and it all felt convincing. If I asked a question, he would answer even more enthusiastically than I asked, and that made it easy to understand. Anyway, thanks to how energetically he explained all sorts of things, even though it was my first consultation, I think I was able to get a good sense of direction for the later consultations. He also seemed extremely, extremely confident. That said, when I looked at the post-op photos, the tip shapes all felt a little flashy... And since it was my first consultation, I didn’t get to ask about that, so I’m torn. Conclusion: It’s possible to do it without an implant, but if I want to reduce the impression that my mouth protrudes and get a meaningful change, they recommend costal cartilage + 2 mm silicone. Price in the 7 million won range.
2. ㅈㅅ This is the clinic I’m most drawn to, but the surgery date is late, so I’m struggling a lot over it. They also said to use costal cartilage here, and in addition to that, to use a custom implant + ear cartilage + Megaderm. But if it were their own daughter, they said it would probably be okay to add ear cartilage and an implant to the previously operated septum. The doctor wasn’t as supremely confident or aggressive as the first clinic, but he explained everything calmly, and when I mentioned questions or requests, he did listen to all of them. It seemed like his approach was pretty conservative, but since the ultimate goal of cosmetic surgery is “beauty,” he seemed to care a lot about aesthetics anyway. More than anything, I liked the review photos. The nasal tip isn’t pointy, and it looks natural yet nicely raised... Honestly, I don’t want to use either costal cartilage or alloderm, but the doctor here said they’ve never had an issue using costal cartilage or Megaderm, so that tempted me a bit. In many ways it’s trustworthy, but the price is high and the date doesn’t work, so I’m still debating. Conclusion: Use costal cartilage for support, shape with ear cartilage, and fill the bridge with Megaderm + a custom 1.5 mm implant. Price in the upper 7 million won range.
3. ㄱㅅ This is the clinic that confused me the most, even though I was basically leaning toward number 2.. Since clinics 1 and 2 both recommended costal cartilage + silicone, I thought that was just their shared opinion, but here they suddenly suggested something bold: using only ear cartilage... After hearing the explanation, they said that whether you use costal cartilage or ear cartilage, there’s a limit to how much height can be achieved depending on my skin elasticity. So maybe the alloderm used at clinic 2 is also just a preemptive reinforcement because they expect the skin to become thin. This was the first clinic to point out things like skin elasticity during the consultation. And they said that since my septal support is currently strong, it might be enough to raise it using only ear cartilage. I also asked whether using costal cartilage would reduce the impression of my mouth protruding, and they said that also depends on the height rather than the material used. That was different again from the other clinics, so it was confusing. At clinics 1 and 2, they said my septum would have to be removed entirely and replaced with costal cartilage before my mouth would look less protrusive. Here, they asked why they’d need to tear out a strong septum and build support from scratch with costal cartilage. They said silicone can be used if I strongly want it, but they don’t think it’s necessary. They seem to like natural results and to avoid unnecessary surgery to an extreme degree. That doesn’t mean they don’t do what the patient wants. It felt more like: if there’s a way to get the same result without doing that, they’ll choose that. And they actually showed multiple surgical cases. Also, because there weren’t many reviews from a clinic focused on extreme-nose cases, I was worried the aesthetic sense might be lacking, but the review photos were all really good. And one slightly sad point... after visiting the earlier clinics, I had started to think my desired shape might be achievable. But coming here, that fantasy got completely shattered. They were very clear about what is and isn’t possible, and the reasons were explicit. For example... my nostrils flare a bit outward, and I wanted them brought in, but they said nostrils flared outward can be reduced while raising them, but they can’t be brought inward. I brought up Song Hye-kyo’s nose, and they said a nose where the cartilage structure shows through like Song Hye-kyo, Min Hyo-rin, or Lee Hyo-ri’s cannot be made through surgery at all... I understood, but I was insanely sad. Anyway, they explained everything very thoroughly, and they only do one surgery per day, so I trust them a lot. It’s just that I’m very sad, that’s all. And when I brought up nostril reduction, they strongly opposed it. They said not to do anything irreversible. Another clinic had also recommended nostril reduction. Lastly, neither the doctor nor the manager said, “You should have surgery at our clinic.” They just said it’s my choice no matter what, so I should think it through and decide carefully, but that their clinic never lies to patients. That clear boundary, without trying to persuade or pressure me, felt cold yet warm at the same time. What’s hard is... this is the only clinic whose consultation advice is radically different from the others. I heard the reasons and explanations clearly, but I still can’t help being confused. And after hearing such realistic advice, even though it makes sense, I still kind of want to believe the pleasant fantasies the other clinics tell me... People really are so fickle. Conclusion: Height enhancement with ear cartilage (silicone only if I strongly insist). Price 6.6 million won.
4. ㅂㅌㅇ By the time I got to the fourth clinic, I had no thoughts left and was just thinking about what to eat for dinner... Especially after the shock from clinic 3, I felt even more dazed. So I don’t have that much to write. First of all, the staff, the manager, and the doctor weren’t especially friendly. Still, in the doctor’s case, he immediately pointed out the problem areas when he saw me, so his aesthetic sense seemed good. But his style also seemed quite distinct, and he looked busy, so communication didn’t go that smoothly. I was tired too. The overall shape assessment and the opinion of costal cartilage + silicone were similar to clinics 1 and 2. (Clinic 3 is making me hesitate again...) That doesn’t mean this clinic isn’t under consideration. It was done by a YouTuber whose result I thought looked beautiful, and the review photos are pretty. Another patient who came for a follow-up also had a pretty nose shape. In my opinion it had a somewhat flashy feel, though. The doctor’s style is clear and the reviews are good, so I’m torn. Conclusion: costal cartilage + 3 mm silicone + some kind of reverse-rotation thing? I don’t really understand. Price 7-10 million won.
Doctor friendliness + communication: 1 Most trustworthy: 2 and 3 (but they’re saying different things) Best review photos: 2 and 4
If all the clinics had the same opinion, I’d probably feel like it wouldn’t matter where I went, but clinic 3 is the only one that’s so different, so I’m torn. I’m also worried that if I choose 2 or 4 for the shape, I might lose out long-term because of nose pulling or overcorrection... But if I choose 3 and the improvement ends up being smaller than expected, that’s a worry too. But then again, at clinic 3 they did say the improvement would definitely be meaningful... Still, I don’t know how much difference there is between what the doctor considers improvement and what I consider improvement...
It feels a bit like: do I accept reality, or do I surrender to fantasy? What should I do?
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