Phew, I haven’t had the stitches removed yet, but I’m satisfied so far. --- I mainly had consultations at places that aim for a natural-looking nose and also do functional nose surgery. After going to about 6 consultations, I decided on this place, where I had my last consultation.
1. Consultation They explained things using 3D(?) CT photos. They said my hump was on the larger side, so they would probably perform an osteotomy. They also said they would use septal cartilage for the nasal tip, and if that was not enough, they would additionally use ear cartilage.
They showed me many before-and-after photos of cases similar to mine, and I liked the before-and-after photos so much that I decided I should do it here. Overall, the director treated me gently.
Then came the consultation time with the consultant.. The price was in the mid-3 million won range for the cosmetic part and the low-1 million won range for the functional part. For the functional part, I didn’t think too much about it because it would be covered by actual-expense insurance anyway. For discounts, if you put down a reservation deposit of about 100,000 won, they reduce the price quite a lot. But the reservation deposit is also refundable if you just tell them about a week before surgery? I think. (I thought there was basically nothing to lose.) In the end, if you only look at the cosmetic part, I think I had it done in the low-3 million won range.
After a lot of worrying, I finally scheduled the surgery date.
2. Day of Surgery I scheduled the surgery for the first time slot in the morning. I arrived around 9:30, was guided to the recovery room, changed into surgical clothes, and washed my face. I went into the operating room feeling a little nervous.. They secured my arms and legs, and then the director came in. He came in full of energy, as if he was deliberately trying to raise the mood. Maybe he could tell I was nervous, because he also said things to help me relax. After injecting the sleep-inducing medication, he told me to blink my eyes. But I wasn’t falling asleep, so when I said, “I’m not getting sleepy..” he told me to close my eyes.. --- And when I opened my eyes, I was in the recovery room There was no pain at all, but my nose was blocked, so it was uncomfortable to talk. The consultant? came and explained various things to me.
Then about 2 hours later, the director came and explained the surgery to me. He said it turned out nicely, and that my nasal bones were thicker than expected, so there was no concern about an open roof, and instead of an osteotomy, he simply shaved it down. He also said my septal cartilage was sufficient, so they didn’t have to use ear cartilage. (Thankfully..) After staying for the required time, I went home.. I called a taxi and came home.
3. After Surgery Honestly, the hardest day after nose surgery is when the cotton is packed inside the nose. Since I had to breathe through my mouth, breathing and eating were uncomfortable.
What’s unusual about this place is that they remove the cotton inside the nose after 1 day. I think that is a very big advantage. (Usually it’s 2-3 days) They said it’s possible because the doctor works quickly and has good technique, so there is less bleeding.
At night, I kept waking up and falling back asleep every 30 minutes, just waiting for tomorrow to come. Morning finally came, and I went to the hospital, had the cotton removed, and came home, which is where I am now... Even just having the cotton removed made me feel like I could finally live.
I still can’t really tell the overall shape because I still have the splint on, but I like the visible nasal tip area for now, and the function also seems good. Originally, less air went in through my right nostril, but now it feels like air is going in evenly on both sides. I’m satisfied with the function too. (+ Blood scabs were blocking my nose so I couldn’t breathe, so I gently cleaned it with a cotton swab moistened with saline, and it opened up.)
One-line summary: Satisfied with both functional nose surgery and cosmetic nose surgery. Cotton is removed after one day. The price seems reasonable too.
4. PS. Introducing a rhinitis injection I strongly recommend for people with allergic rhinitis.. There is a dermatology clinic in Myeongdong called Han Dermatology, and for 29,000 won they give a rhinitis injection. I heard it contains steroids + vitamins, and after getting this, the inside of my nose didn’t swell and I didn’t have a runny nose either. They say the effect lasts 2-6 months. (Women should search for the side effects and look into it carefully before getting it..)
Once my allergic rhinitis disappeared, I could clearly feel my deviated septum. I definitely had more trouble breathing through my right nostril.. Now, since I did the functional nose surgery as well, I seem to be breathing evenly through both sides.
Now I plan to focus on reducing swelling and wait for the day I get my stitches removed... Hoping it turned out well.. I’ll end the post here.
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