I'm sharing the parts I was curious about before surgery after actually experiencing the surgery.
My surgery time was 2 PM. Following the consultant's guidance, I changed into surgical clothing, took preoperative photos, and went straight into consultation with the director. The director's consultation lasted about 20-30 minutes. Using CT images, they explained the surgical method and expected effects in detail, and made me understand why it can definitely be safer compared with other cheekbone surgeries.
They said they make tiny incisions of about 3 mm in the sideburn area and the skin above the 45-degree cheekbone, then completely osteotomize both the 45-degree cheekbone and the lateral cheekbone. The osteotomy is done with special surgical equipment, and the cut bone is pushed inward by a method called medial movement. They said it is a method that allows union without fixation and without inserting foreign material, while not damaging the muscle fascia that surrounds the bone.
They said the postoperative effect would not be perfectly dramatic, so I shouldn't think that I would become a different person after surgery or have very high expectations. They said it is more about neatly refining the line of the uneven cheekbones, and that I didn't need to worry because it would not create an unnaturally flat facial contour. After consulting with the director, I went to the operating room and lay down on the operating table with a trembling heart. After an injection test like an anesthetic test and disinfection, they drew on my face with a pen, and that took longer than I expected, so I became even more nervous. The surgery was under sedation anesthesia, and I don't really remember when I gradually fell asleep.ㅎㅎ When I woke up in the recovery room, it was around 4:20, and my guardian came to pick me up, so I was discharged at 5.
On the day of surgery, I couldn't do anything at home and really just lay there with my body feeling numb. It was a little hard to breathe because of the compression bandage, and my mouth could open only enough for about one finger. By evening, I was so hungry, but the only thing I could eat was something like soy milk, so it was really difficult, and I realized that soy milk is a food that does not fill you up no matter how much you drink.ㅎㅎ I couldn't brush my teeth because the toothbrush wouldn't fit, and I used mouthwash on the second day.
I was told I could remove the bandage on postoperative day 2, so I thought that meant the day after surgery and tried to remove it right away, but if I had surgery on Thursday, Saturday was the second day. ㅠ I really wanted to take off the bandage so badly, but I held back and endured it. At home, I made cream soup, and in the evening I ate thin rice porridge from Bonjuk with a little soy sauce. I wanted kimchi so badly.
Two days after surgery, I finally removed the bandage and went to a Han River park near my house while wearing a mask. That day, I bought cup soup and spoonable yogurt at a Han River convenience store and ate them.ㅎㅎ The swelling was worse after removing the bandage than during the two days I had it on, and fortunately there was no bruising. After removing the bandage, my mouth could open enough for about two fingers, speaking became much easier, and I could brush my teeth.
Because I have worked as a model since I was young, I was more confident about dieting than anyone, and since it was something I had always done, I had never thought it was particularly hard. But I didn't know that not being able to chew food could be this difficult. When dieting, I could still eat things like chicken breast, bananas, and eggs for protein, but since I couldn't chew and had to look for drink-type foods, it was hard.
Now on day 5, I can clearly see that my cheekbones have reduced, and the before and after are definitely different from before surgery, but I was worried because when I touched the sideburn area, the bone felt a bit protruded. When I asked the clinic, they said there can be major swelling for about a week after surgery, so we decided to watch it a little longer. My face is not noticeably puffed up, but when I touch it, it still feels firm and lumpy. I've been using ice packs every day, and they said alternating with warm compresses is also good, so starting today, I think I need to use both warm compresses and ice packs on the lumpy areas around the lateral cheekbones and focus more on reducing swelling.ㅎㅎ
In two days, I will also have the stitches removed and go to the clinic for swelling care. I'll keep watching the progress and add reviews from time to time.
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