I have a slim size-55 body type. I have no fat elsewhere, but I have broad shoulders and thick upper arms (they have always been thick since I was young. My whole family is thin, but we all have this genetically thick-armed body type). I do not have much muscle and have a lot of fat. One clinic said it was fibrotic fat and they could not remove much, while another said the results would be excellent, so I was confused.
Clinic 3: [Clinic A]
The doctor has been a board-certified specialist for 21 years. After working at Top Line, the doctor opened this clinic three and a half years ago. Ten years of liposuction experience.
Arms + armpits + accessory breasts + semi-scapular area. I thought the price was reasonable, perhaps because the first clinic was extremely expensive, but after visiting other clinics, it seemed slightly expensive.
Iron IV: 330,000 won (required) Blood test: 110,000 won Compression garment: 120,000 won (paid separately to the supplier)
After arriving, they measured my body composition and I had a consultation with the manager. I was going to see the doctor, but they said surgery would continue for another hour and a half, so I left without seeing the doctor. I arrived at the reserved time, so what kind of situation is that?
Manager consultation: They explained everything in detail with a PowerPoint, to the point that I had nothing else to ask. They said they could remove a lot by removing all three layers above and below as well as the central fat layer. They mentioned 2,000 cc (surely that was not pure fat volume, right..), saying my arms might become bone-thin. They showed photos saying not only the doctor's family but also the staff had all undergone the procedure.
Wear the compression garment for eight hours a day for a month and a half. Remove the stitches after two weeks. They said there would be little bruising or swelling, and that staff had returned to work immediately.
They said an iron infusion is necessary. Some people may dislike it because it is expensive, but I have seen people feel dizzy and collapse after liposuction.. I want it because I do not want to collapse.
Disadvantages: The manager consults first. The review discount is extremely large (over 1 million won in the mid-range and above), but you have to post three reviews in each of three places. When I later searched for reviews of this clinic, everyone had posted three reviews each. I could not consult with the doctor; the doctor seemed extremely busy and was said to be operating continuously until 6 p.m. I planned to return in the evening, but ultimately could not meet the doctor.
Clinic 4: [Clinic B]
360-degree arm liposuction + accessory breasts. No event price; if you write a review, they refund the deposit when you pay a 200,000-won reservation deposit. I asked and they told me, but I was not going to pay a deposit, so it was irrelevant.
Features: No elbow incision, no compression garment, 100% hand-made surgery. Surgery takes about one hour and 30 minutes. Opened in 2017 (they said the doctor has over 10 years of liposuction experience including experience at the previous clinic).
After arriving, they measured my body composition. I had only a brief consultation with the manager, and then the doctor came in immediately and explained everything in detail.
They said they could remove about 700 cc. They said my upper-arm fat was fibrotic and had sagged due to age, so removing too much could cause more sagging and they could not remove much (but that is my biggest problem @@).
They said my accessory breasts were fairly large and they would remove only up to the point before wrinkles formed, so some might remain.
This differs completely from the opinions at the other clinics: small accessory breasts, arms with lots of subcutaneous fat and therefore likely to show good results, little skin sagging, and so on. Every clinic has a totally different opinion, so I do not know which one is right!!!!
Stitches removed after one week.
No compression garment: The main reason for a compression garment is hemostasis. Because a vibrating cannula is used, there is more bleeding and the garment is worn to prevent unevenness. With hand-made surgery alone, there is less bleeding. Four assistants enter the operating room, pull the arm flat, and change positions carefully, so there is no unevenness. (One assistant only monitors whether the patient breathes properly after sedation.)
Usually two surgeries are performed a day. There are two operating rooms, but usually only one is opened, and the two doctors take turns operating.
They use a thin 2.5-mm cannula fixed with a protector (there is a slight fixed scar, but it disappears quickly), minimizing scars.
From three weeks onward, five sessions of radiofrequency and Endermologie, plus unlimited scar laser treatment.
Swelling usually takes about three months to subside and the final result to appear, so it is best to check the progress then. If I want to see the doctor before that, I can request a consultation anytime.
It does not seem to be a black-hat clinic, though there seems to be a little viral marketing. I think this level is basic—this is purely my personal opinion!
Advantages: No elbow incision, no compression garment, safety-focused care, the doctor consultation is the main part, the manager is also kind, and there is no pressure to pay a deposit.
Disadvantages: Even from the review photos, the results look minor, and I am worried that the clinic is so safety-conscious that they may remove too little and produce little effect. I absolutely do not want revision surgery.
If anyone here has been to either of these two clinics, please let me know. It seems right to choose the safer Clinic 2 that does not require a compression garment.. but the results cannot be too limited, right? T_T