The recent consultation review for The CL was not good, so I went feeling unsure.. The consultation was absolutely not worth the 20,000 won fee (even if it were 10,000 won, I would think about it). First, he just recited things he says on his own YouTube or blog (well.. okay.. I should understand that). What I wanted to know was for him to examine my condition and then tell me specifically how much surgical effect I could expect, but if it seemed unfavorable to him, or he lacked confidence, or thought it was uncertain, he just brushed it off with: it differs from person to person~ you have to try it to know~ do not expect much~ And as for professionalism, I am not sure either. One of the things I was curious about was how much difference there is in effect between “grape-cluster” liposuction and regular liposuction (The CL does regular liposuction). If he had logically convinced me by saying that regular liposuction and grape-cluster liposuction are like this and that, and that he therefore performs surgery using the regular liposuction method, I was going to get it there. From a doctor’s perspective, I thought it could be a somewhat rude question, so I carefully said, “This might be rude, but~ Other places say they pick out and remove the fat attached to the platysma one bead at a time.. Would there be much difference in effect between that method and this method?” But he said, “Whether you remove fat bead by bead or slurp it out is just a difference in wording.” (I do not know if he did not understand the point of what I said.. or if he understood but answered beside the point because it was unfavorable to him..) So I was like, huh? about this hospital’s professionalism.
Also, he does not know things in depth, but thinks what he thinks is everything, and no matter how politely I softened my wording, I could feel that he found my questions annoying. Of course, a doctor might be tired of doing the same consultation many times, but that is only something you can say when the consultation is free. Taking 20,000 won and acting like that is unprofessional. Honestly, for over a week I read YouTube and blogs thoroughly and narrowed it down to 2 places that seemed safe and likely to have decent results, but the consultation fee felt wasteful.
On the other hand, the manager was truly kind. She said she had also had double-chin liposuction, and without showing any annoyance at my questions, she calmly explained from the perspective of a fellow patient. She worked hard to defend the doctor by saying he talks conservatively about the effects, but.. in my opinion, rather than speaking conservatively, it seemed like he was trying to prevent complaints and lacked confidence in the patient’s surgical satisfaction.
If, as a doctor, he thought I did not need surgery to that extent, I would have understood a hundred, a thousand times over and not felt offended if he had honestly said, “How about reconsidering double-chin surgery? If I were the patient, I would reconsider.” But looking at it, because the patient’s double chin was not substantial, he was not confident that the surgical result would be dramatic (and in his judgment, this patient seemed likely to complain), but he also had to make money by operating,
so his attitude was exactly this: “I’ll do what you want~ But I take zero responsibility for the effect. And what I say about double chins is right, and what other hospitals do is all marketing. Patient, you do not know more than me to begin with, so why do you keep talking so much.. (clearly showing he did not want to listen.. he did not even try to listen properly..) If you want surgery, do it or whatever..”
I only barely found out about the surgical effect because I asked. What he said on his own, without me digging, was: “About 12.5 cc will come out. (showing a syringe) It is about this much. From the side, it will tidy the line a bit.” (=> Charging 20,000 won for a consultation to say only that much..? I think even I could do that.)
So because I was so frustrated, while pressing my double chin myself, “Doctor, of course I know we have to try it to know, but can I expect a surgical effect about the degree that my finger presses in like this?” I asked, and only then did he say, “Only about the amount from lightly putting strength into your finger.” Ha..... Isn’t that something he should have done first? If it is going to be like this, why take 20,000 won for a consultation? Just so quick to take it... annoying. If it had been free, I would have thought, okay.. and even if it had been 10,000 won, I would have thought, fine.. but 20,000 won is really not it. If I had to find a good point here, maybe that it is completely safety-oriented...? But to pay this money just for safety-oriented...? I think it would be much better to go to another hospital and emphasize that I want a safety-oriented approach.