Specs: 164 cm, 52 kg Before surgery: AAA cup -> After surgery, by no-wire bra standard: C cup Implant: Mentor Extra, left 340 cc, right 310 cc, accessory breast tissue removal (done with endoscopic approach) Cost: 800 Surgery date: early April 2025 Hospital: NST, Dr. Lee Jae-su (style prefers natural beauty that fits the body rather than large and flashy)
Before surgery, there was no flesh on my upper body, so I could see my chest bone and ribs, and even the nipple position was an unfavorable condition, slightly offset from side to sideㅠ I wanted to be around an E cup, but because there was not much tissue, Dr. said if I put in implants too large, it would look unnatural and I was worried about wrinkling/rippling. So I asked to use the largest size possible within the permitted range, and he placed 340 cc on the left and 310 cc on the right. Now, after the swelling has fully gone down, from a full B cup size it comes out around a C cup. (Chest circumference: 72 cm)
Because the nipple positions were different, he adjusted the dissection sites left and right to match nipple height. At NST, the dissection was done slightly upward, so in the early phase the upper fullness was strong and it looked like a sandwich shape, not pretty, but the advantage was that no wire bra procedure would be needed. One month later, the upper bulge has mostly come down. Since it is new breast tissue, the chest center is still like a highway, but Dr. Lee disseceted so the cleavage would gather inward, and he said that from the third month on, the tissue would gradually soften and the breasts would come together more, so I’m hoping for that.ㅎㅎ
<Reason for choosing the endoscopic approach> When surgery is done endoscopically, the risk of delayed bleeding is larger and recovery is slower, but when I saw before/after photos from the hospital, even with laser treatment, the cases where the incision line scar from below looked almost invisible were only about 1 in 10. Also, because I can’t make my breasts very large, I thought it would likely stand out more for me, so I chose the endoscopic method. Until one-month post-op, I had to wear an upper band while sleeping, sleep in an upright posture, and avoid the “victory pose.”
(Every time Dr. Lee and the staff reviewed postoperative precautions with me, they asked if I had set phone notifications so I could memorize the instructions by heart. I keep repeating them over and over. This is the first private clinic where I’ve seen patient education taken this seriously...good)
<Reason for choosing this hospital> Dr. Lee from NST, as a surgeon with a long career in a major plastic-surgery center and mainly focused on breasts, gave very direct and careful one-on-one consultations and aftercare, so trust was high. Also, because it is not factory-style, because he does not force “wire bra” methods, because he continues laser scar care until satisfied, because there is no over-promotion pressure, because there is no separate marketing team, because the staff are kind—these were all reasons. I paid 500,000 won deposit right after the consultation. I didn’t know before surgery that I might also be charged around 400,000 won for Rejuran Healer. For people interested, since Rejuran hurts, it may be better to have it together with general anesthesia.
<Pain and swelling> Pain differs from person to person, but it seems to vary greatly depending on how well the doctor performs dissection without injury and as neatly as possible with minimal bleeding. When I woke up, I was dizzy because of general anesthesia, but since they gave me a pain-relief injection before waking, there was no pain when I was discharged 1–2 hours later after removing it, except for a feeling of heaviness. Also, I couldn’t change clothes by myself, so I had to wear buttoned tops and have a helper come with me.
I couldn’t take home a pain-pump IV, so they prescribed a medication to reduce swelling plus painkillers. On day 1, because I had a heavy pain, I took painkillers every 3 hours and also extra Tylenol. I couldn’t move to the point of being unable to stand alone, but my upper body felt very heavy and my shoulders and back hurt. When I walked about 10 m it felt like a turtle, so on the first day I lay down with a triangular cushion for the whole day. On the second day, my abdomen was even more swollen and the heaviness was greater, but I could still go out for a walk alone.
The surgery was on Saturday, so I couldn’t remove the drain the next day and went on Monday to remove it. Once the drain and compression bandage were removed, I felt like I might fly away. The heaviness and a strange discomfort disappeared, and I could start walking at my normal pace. It was hard to move only until day 3, and other than heaviness, there was no sharp, prickly pain. My armpits did not hurt, but the area where the accessory breast tissue was removed had bruising and hurt when brushed.
Swelling lasted about one week in my stomach and thighs; by eating lightly and keeping salt low, I returned to my original weight after about a week. Breast swelling seems to last for about two weeks. NST says the drainage should be kept until the day after surgery. If that fluid does not drain out, it can go into abdominal or breast swelling, which is inconvenient, but keeping the drainage seems better for recovery and swelling.
<Satisfaction> These days many people are doing much larger than E cup, so I sometimes feel jealous thinking, what if I had gone bigger? But compared to where I was before, I’m really grateful even with this result.ㅎㅎ If I wear tight clothes and only use a nipple patch, it still looks glamorous; but in ordinary clothes, nobody notices.ㅋㅋ To be noticed as “big” in normal clothes, I think even A-cup people would need at least 380 cc. Still, being able to wear a no-wire bra without uncomfortable padded bras is giving me confidence. Summer is no longer scary, and not having to stress about breast size is really nice!! I feel cosmetic surgery is something to do as soon as possible, even if it means doing it one year earlier.
<Management> Because Dr. Lee kept repeating the risk of delayed bleeding, I did absolutely no “victory pose” for one month, and raised my arms only up to about 110 degrees. When lifting anything heavy, I always made sure to wear the upper band. I did not buy any scar cream. Instead, I just applied body lotion and oil I already had at home. Dr. Lee emphasized repeatedly that pumpkin tea and over-the-counter swelling pills improve blood circulation and may increase delayed bleeding risk, so for breast surgery I should not take anything—so I only did a low-salt diet and took nothing else.
He said scar ointments like Contravex are not particularly effective and told me to start laser management from the one-month mark, so I didn’t buy scar cream separately and just wait for laser care. I was told to sleep with the upper band on, and until one month wear only nipple patches or a no-wire bra so there is no effect on breast shape. I’m currently using a Preple nipple patch and Uniqlo Airism bra. Compared with before, it feels so comfortable that I sometimes think, “how did I live through the old wire bra days?” nice
This is a 100% self-paid review, no sponsorship. If you have any questions, leave a comment~!