I decided that I needed facial contouring without knowing anything at all about famous, well-regarded hospitals for consultations or surgery. My boyfriend said it would be good to look on a community, so I started reading clinic visits and studying from his account. Thanks to that, I got a huge amount of help when choosing a clinic, so I’ll write this as detailed and thoroughly as possible for reference!!
First, my facial features and the areas I wanted to improve: my zygomatic bone / side and 45-degree zygoma were overall very large, a style where the cheekbones stand out a lot. From the front, the side zygomas especially projected a lot, so I wanted to smooth out the facial contours. I do have some angle of the jaw, but the cheekbones were so large that I couldn’t focus on anything else. And I did not consider clinics that only do contouring together with double-eyelid surgery at all!! Please keep that in mind.
Factors I considered when deciding on a clinic: 1. Safety / whether I could wake up healthy and whether the clinic had measures in place to ensure I could have surgery safely (including the possibility of ghost surgery, CCTV, etc.) 2. Whether they could accurately point out the problems with my face (the cheekbones are wide and sit close to the eye area, which makes the eyes look smaller) 3. Whether they would consult sincerely and carefully (and whether that would also be possible during surgery / absolutely no factory-style clinics...) 4. The clinic director’s face and the clinic atmosphere: I thought the doctor’s standard of beauty = the manager’s face, so whether the managers’ appearance matched my standards (focused more on natural harmony than just looking pretty)
I visited 5 clinics considering these four points, and since I had already quit my job when I decided to get contouring, I took my time with the consultations. (One clinic per day) The prices written are the prices without any event discount. I’ll write them in the order I consulted them.
- Clinic name (doctor’s name): Recommended surgery 1. ㅂㄹㅇ(ㄱㅌㄱ): 3 types - It also comes up the most when you search for contouring on YouTube, and at first I decided on the clinic just by looking at cosmetic surgery apps, so I went with high expectations (I liked the reviews)
- The waiting time was really... unbelievably long. I think I waited more than an hour. Since I was also planning to do double eyelids, including that waiting time it felt like almost 3 hours...
- CT -> consultation with manager -> (very long) wait -> doctor consultation (contouring) -> (very long) wait -> doctor consultation (eyes) -> manager guidance
- From the beginning, the manager said things like, ‘You watched our doctor’s YouTube, right..?’, ‘Ah, yes.’, ‘You know the doctor speaks quite directly, right?’ so I waited feeling tense
- As soon as the doctor came in, he said, ‘I’ll talk casually,’ and then hit me with brutally honest remarks right away (to the point it was hurtful)
- ‘Just cheekbones? No. If you only do the cheekbones, your face will become square.’, ‘Your face is on the large side. Both the cheekbones and jaw angles are really big.’ -> he spoke so bluntly that I remember both his tone and expression clearly
- In the end, he recommended 3-type contouring. He said he absolutely would not do cheekbones alone
- He said I also had a lot of facial fat, so it would definitely sag and I’d need a lot of liposuction too...
- The consultation happened extremely quickly, and if I didn’t have questions he would just leave -> you need to prepare questions before going / Since it was my first time, I didn’t really know, so when I said I had none, I think the consultation lasted about 5 minutes...
- He kept emphasizing until the end that I should not do only the cheekbones
- What I felt during the consultation was that it would not be strange if ghost surgery happened here... All the doctors were in such a rush. It was to the point I wondered if they were consulting while leaving a patient behind during surgery. Even while I was on the bed, I strongly felt they would still want to keep consulting.
- I couldn’t ask about CCTV because my mental state was already wrecked
- The price was 1,220 for 3 types, and if I added double eyelids and liposuction it came close to 2,000 (the important thing is contouring, so I’ll focus on contouring in detail)
2. ㅌㅇㅅ(ㅇㅅㄱ): 2 types (cheekbones, jaw angle) - They didn’t handle the reservation properly, so when I went on the day I booked, they said there was no reservation and I couldn’t even get a consultation (trust dropped)
- When I went back after rebooking, the CT was taken 3 or 4 times again because of a possible machine error (trust dropped even more)
- It took even longer because a staff member seemed new, explained how to use the CT machine, and had me try it. Why explain that in front of the patient...? (trust dropped even more)
- The consultation manager was too artificial-looking. It was off-putting... (trust approached zero)
- I liked the doctor’s consultation. He examined me in detail.
- At first he said cheekbones alone would be enough, and when I said I was also considering the jaw angle, he looked at that too. On CT measurements, he explained it as average to slightly above average in size.
- My face would be fine with cheekbones only, but when I get older and the facial fat decreases, the jaw angle could stand out more, so in the end he recommended 2 types: cheekbones and jaw angle
- What was interesting: during surgery, the guardian could watch CCTV in real time. That felt new to me and increased my trust.
- I remember you could watch the CCTV, but there was a set period. I think they said you had to view it within 2 weeks and then after one viewing it gets deleted... I was surprised
- I remember the double-eyelid price was quite high. (Double eyelids alone maybe 500?) The total seemed similar. (around 1,200 / contouring 2 types, double eyelids) -> this was with the deposit placed on the first day
- The consultation fee for the chief doctor was 30,000 won. It would be excluded if I proceeded with surgery, and paid if I didn’t.
3. ㅁㅇㄷㅇ(ㅅㅂㅅ): 1 type (cheekbones) *final choice - I chose this place in the end, and I’m currently 5 days post-op. So I’ll also write why I chose it
- I think the consultation fee was 50,000 won, but I made the reservation right away so I didn’t pay separately.
- First of all, the consultation managers had very natural and beautiful faces. I could see the doctor’s standard of beauty, and that played a big role in my decision.
- I know the doctor has a pretty strong fandom, and I think I understand why. He has a very good impression and makes people feel comfortable. (He’s so pleasant-looking that he also seems like he might scam you. A bit like Sang-cheol from Transit Love 4? Anyway, I just mean he has a good impression.)
- He asked which part of my face I most wanted to improve, and I said my cheekbones were extremely large so I wanted a face without such sharp contours, and that I ride a motorcycle, so when I wear a helmet only my cheekbones show, which stresses me out.
- I think he was the person who explained my facial problems the best. (He explained that because the cheekbones are large around the eye area, the upper part needs osteotomy.)
- I also liked that he didn’t recommend anything first.
- He showed me cases and recovery progress of patients similar to my face, which reassured me. He also explained possible side effects in advance. (Possible nerve damage near the eyes, difficulty improving hollow cheeks, etc.)
- I had originally booked 3-type contouring, but he said it probably wasn’t necessary for my face. I kept bringing up the jaw angle several times because I was uneasy, but he kept refusing it, saying it didn’t seem necessary (it would benefit the clinic if I did it, so the fact that he said it wasn’t needed gave me trust.)
- When I said I had a lot of cheek fat and it seemed like it would sag, they decided to remove a little fat from the buccal fat area too. (They said it would be done as a service.)
- This clinic is famous for pursuing natural results, right? I feel like I understand why. Since I value safety, I was very satisfied.
- CCTV access was possible, and if side effects occur within 1 year (nonunion, different double-eyelid lines, etc.), free aftercare, so I strongly felt it was safe in many ways.
- I got my double eyelids done by the doctor there too. I’m satisfied with the line as well.
- The price was around 490 or 500 for 1 type, and 300 for double eyelids plus ptosis correction, so the total was 800
4. (ㅈㅅㅁ): 3-type contouring - The doctor was very gentle and calm. I liked that he explained things in detail too
- However, although I said I was worried about the cheekbone area near the eyes, he said that part would be difficult to improve, so I didn’t consider it further. That’s why there isn’t much content here..
- And the consultation managers talked a lot. (About patients.) I felt like my face would also be used like that, and that really put me off...
- The manager felt really like an older woman type of vibe, in the sense of being quick and friendly, but when I said I’d think about it and come back, she laughed and then immediately froze her expression.. They probably need to manage the managers there better
- The doctor who does the eyes turned out to be an ophthalmology specialist. I’m noting that here for people who go
- I can’t really remember the CCTV or the price either.. I just felt like I wanted to escape quickly
5. ㄴㅌ(ㅇㅈㅎ): 3-type contouring (2.5 types) *I agonized a lot before deciding - I can see why everyone says the consultation is good. He examined me in detail, so people planning contouring might want to get a consultation here first.
- He took a facial CT and also took photos of my face on a tablet, then looked at them together during the consultation. I thought, wow, the doctor is modern
- He also asked me to describe the face shape I prefer, and then counseled me in that direction. (I prefer a Jennie-like face.)
- Cheekbones: strongly recommended, jaw angle and chin tip: optional (finless)
- Again, he explained that because the cheekbones were large toward the eye area, the upper part would need to be cut
- He gave me a small separate booklet about post-contouring precautions and the planned areas, which made it easy to remember and review
- CCTV access possible
- The manager was naturally pretty
- I remember the price as 550 for 1 type, or 1,100 for finless, and if you added 2 liposuction areas (buccal fat, double chin) and double eyelids, this also seemed to come close to 2,000
I visited all 5 places like this, and I was thinking of proceeding at either ㅁㅇㄷㅇ or ㄴㅌ. The reasons were safety-oriented care, accurate explanation of the areas my face needed improved, the appearance of the managers, recommendations that weren’t excessive, consultation time and content, and many other things... After considering everything comprehensively, I had the surgery at ㅁㅇㄷㅇ. Writing this also reminds me of how hard it was going around for consultations... I hope this helps even a little for people deliberating about contouring!!!! If you have questions, ask and I’ll answer as far as I know!!!