Comestic and Plastic surgery in Taiwan

[missybellz]

Hi all...as you all can see, i am new to this forum..and i am a 22 yo female here, intend to get my nose done after seeing nice results from Dr Kao..I really want to thank the nice people in the forum contributing..I have some questions to whoever is of help(note: i read every single page of this forum already..not lazy! hehe)

1)for rib grafting, does it actually help with the BRIDGE, or TIP, or BOTH? I am quite confused..because using rib graft they normally have nicer tips(dr kao) so i do not know if it's because of the rub cartilage that is causing the better definition OR is it because upon using the rib cartilage, dr kao actually refined the tip also, that in turn cause the nice tip definition

2)quite a continuation of qn #1, if it's the tip refinement that is making the nose sharper/pointy, does that mean that the rib is for the bridge height only(to replace silicon/goretex only? if that's the case i personally feel it's not worth the pain, and scar to just augment the bridge..

3)those who've been to dr kao, i notice removal of stitches is at day 7(correct me if i'm wrong), so after such a great difference of the nose(and to add on is the swelling), would you people be able to cross the immigration borders? were there difficulties?

4)i emailed dr kao and he also suggested rib for me..would like to ask those who've done rib by dr kao, how is the scar? i am not expecting it to disappear totally..but if it's long, thick and red i am quite bothered..if it's a faint pink line..i actually do not mind..

5)those who've done with dr kao, can you please update us with pics like maybe from post few months op to post 6 months or post 1 year or smth(is possible?) that is because i am aware of the changes it can have and i am afraid that it might cause an inaccurate gauge for the tip projection/bridge height due to individual absorption of the rib cartilage..


sorry for the long qns..really appreciate those who've done or anyone to enlighten me! thanks a million!

[cersepn]

Hi all...as you all can see, i am new to this forum..and i am a 22 yo female here, intend to get my nose done after seeing nice results from Dr Kao..I really want to thank the nice people in the forum contributing..I have some questions to whoever is of help(note: i read every single page of this forum already..not lazy! hehe)
Thank you for reading through and doing your homework! It's very rare these days, most people just don't bother and start asking questions that have already been repeated countless times

1)for rib grafting, does it actually help with the BRIDGE, or TIP, or BOTH? I am quite confused..because using rib graft they normally have nicer tips(dr kao) so i do not know if it's because of the rub cartilage that is causing the better definition OR is it because upon using the rib cartilage, dr kao actually refined the tip also, that in turn cause the nice tip definition
It depends. The rib cartilage can be used for both the tip and the bridge. But it is almost certain that the rib is always used for the bridge. Some reasons why rib is generally not used to augment the tip is cos it tends to be harder and might be more unnatural to some people, since a natural nose tip tends to be soft. For that reason, usually the softer ear or septal (the tissue in between the two nostrils) cartilage is used for tip work. I'm not sure what is dr kao's practice though.

2)quite a continuation of qn #1, if it's the tip refinement that is making the nose sharper/pointy, does that mean that the rib is for the bridge height only(to replace silicon/goretex only? if that's the case i personally feel it's not worth the pain, and scar to just augment the bridge..
Somehow people have this misconception that silicon/goretex is totally safe in a person's body. I don't know where that came from, but that is not true. Think about it, the nose is probably the part of the face that is the most mobile, and experiences the most movement. I will continue this rant another time, but the most important thing about rib is that.. it is part of your own body. You don't have to fear that your body won't accept the rib cartilage. People will say that silicon/goretex is inert and while it's true that the material ITSELF does not react with the body, there is something called calcification (Again, something not talked about very much here, but it is very real.. just google and you'll find out more). Anyway, i'm willing to bet that in most cases, people don't get rib rhinoplasty without getting the tip done at the same time.

3)those who've been to dr kao, i notice removal of stitches is at day 7(correct me if i'm wrong), so after such a great difference of the nose(and to add on is the swelling), would you people be able to cross the immigration borders? were there difficulties?

4)i emailed dr kao and he also suggested rib for me..would like to ask those who've done rib by dr kao, how is the scar? i am not expecting it to disappear totally..but if it's long, thick and red i am quite bothered..if it's a faint pink line..i actually do not mind..
You can see some pictures of the scar in his website.. and it is very faint and small. By 3 months it's very very light, almost undectable

5)those who've done with dr kao, can you please update us with pics like maybe from post few months op to post 6 months or post 1 year or smth(is possible?) that is because i am aware of the changes it can have and i am afraid that it might cause an inaccurate gauge for the tip projection/bridge height due to individual absorption of the rib cartilage..


sorry for the long qns..really appreciate those who've done or anyone to enlighten me! thanks a million!

[missybellz]

thanks a lot cerspn!!!! really helpful..i am actually considering Dr Pat from Tokai Clinic as well..after seeing nice results on the other thread..i want a tip projection that is somewhat similar to boii18, just that maybe i want my alar to be slightly higher, revealing some abit of the nostrils..that was why i asked if rib was for bridge or tip..my plan now is to do at Tokai first and replace the implant with my rib cartilage maybe next year or so..is this recommended?

reason is because: rib cartilage by dr kao at TW needs more leave, more COST(air tics, hotel), and definitely more swelling/post-op! So i was thinking do at Tokai this march and maybe dr kao next year, something similar to Angeluv has done(she did with DR Chuang before Dr Kao)..Thanks a lot!

[babyangel]

Any evidence to show that goretex will expand? That's the first time i've heard of that potential side effect and i'm curious to know where you got that info from.

And no, korea uses much more silicon implants than gortex ones.. hands down.

hi,

b/w goretex and silicon, i think silicon may be preferred. Cos if you read on goretex from this forum and around, goretex has a tendency to be fused together with your own skin fibres, etc overtime cos of the holes on the goretex. The skin fibres, etc wud grow over it n shud you decide to remove it down the road, the surgeon may hv alot of difficulties trying to remove and pull the goretex out and while doing so, they may remove some of your own skin fibres, etc also.

Skin fibres, scar tissues, etc wud grow over the silicon implant also but bcos it doesnt hv holes on it, it is much easier for the surgeon to remove a silicon implant compared to a goretex.

cheers.

[cersepn]

hi,

b/w goretex and silicon, i think silicon may be preferred. Cos if you read on goretex from this forum and around, goretex has a tendency to be fused together with your own skin fibres, etc overtime cos of the holes on the goretex. The skin fibres, etc wud grow over it n shud you decide to remove it down the road, the surgeon may hv alot of difficulties trying to remove and pull the goretex out and while doing so, they may remove some of your own skin fibres, etc also.

Well, i suspect that this whole 'tissue-growing-into-gortex' thing is blown way outta proportion by the doctors who are anti-gortex. I've read in a few med journals that while on paper, tissue intertwines with the gortex and makes it harder for removal... in practice, it's not totally true. There's also a few docs, can't remember who exactly, but some forumers consulted docs who said that removing gortex is no issue.

missybellz: I don't think that's a good idea. Don't you think being a little bit more patient and saving up enough money for one great rhinoplasty is better than going for two surgeries? After every rhino, the internal structure of your nose is weakened. Don't take surgery lightly.. and most definitely, not your nose

[Jocundster]

Hi Cersepn,

i could understand your concern~ However i read this in a book and i have asked another doctor who is wrking with Dr. kao about and he said there is such cases... Goretex (related to windbreaker material) is still a foreign material that one is inputting on itself, so we got to prepare for all situation.

Korea does use silicon but they use goretex too.. its the kind of effect that you are looking at... Silicon is more defined and goretex is much natural looking. Silicon is very much commonly used in korea in the past because it is cheaper and easier to get rid of if there is any problems.

But nowadays, the in-thing in Korea is looking natural and ultimately its the cost and the person who opt for the operation that make the decision.
Before i had my surgery with Dr. kao, i have seeked advise from korea's doctors too and they have offered me 2 options, Silicon or Goretex where Goretex is a much X option.

That still doesn't explain anything lol but nvm. Silicon is still the most commonly used in korea hands down.

About korea celebrities having natural noses - i don't think that's true. There's plenty of korea celebs with odd looking noses, presumably from past nose jobs. Just because it is natural looking does not mean it must be gortex, nor does it always mean it's silicon also. Alot of it is dependent on the doctor's skill.

cersepn:
Actually you are able to get high bridge with goretex and your ears cart. together. I got to admit that Silicon is commonly used there but right now on the current situation, i'm not so sure about the ratio. I don't think you will know too neither will you do a research on the percentage of who's using silicon & goretex right? lol~

Doing what you needed & trust most will be the best option to all.. I trusted my instinct and went ahead with the rib cart. No regret so far...
Talk to your doctor and explain what you want is the best, I bombed 4 doctors with tons of emails before I made my choice to do it with Dr. Kao.

missybellz:
i agree with cersepn that you might as well, save up for one good Rhinoplasty than doing twice... It takes months to heal for one job done and you are considering 2?????? You got to consider the time, money & mind straining moments while you wait to heal after each operation. Be a little more patient with your needs and i'm sure you won't regret waiting & saving awhile more to have a better job done..

[kittygirl8]

Hi all...as you all can see, i am new to this forum..and i am a 22 yo female here, intend to get my nose done after seeing nice results from Dr Kao..I really want to thank the nice people in the forum contributing..I have some questions to whoever is of help(note: i read every single page of this forum already..not lazy! hehe)

1)for rib grafting, does it actually help with the BRIDGE, or TIP, or BOTH? I am quite confused..because using rib graft they normally have nicer tips(dr kao) so i do not know if it's because of the rub cartilage that is causing the better definition OR is it because upon using the rib cartilage, dr kao actually refined the tip also, that in turn cause the nice tip definition

2)quite a continuation of qn #1, if it's the tip refinement that is making the nose sharper/pointy, does that mean that the rib is for the bridge height only(to replace silicon/goretex only? if that's the case i personally feel it's not worth the pain, and scar to just augment the bridge..

3)those who've been to dr kao, i notice removal of stitches is at day 7(correct me if i'm wrong), so after such a great difference of the nose(and to add on is the swelling), would you people be able to cross the immigration borders? were there difficulties?

4)i emailed dr kao and he also suggested rib for me..would like to ask those who've done rib by dr kao, how is the scar? i am not expecting it to disappear totally..but if it's long, thick and red i am quite bothered..if it's a faint pink line..i actually do not mind..

5)those who've done with dr kao, can you please update us with pics like maybe from post few months op to post 6 months or post 1 year or smth(is possible?) that is because i am aware of the changes it can have and i am afraid that it might cause an inaccurate gauge for the tip projection/bridge height due to individual absorption of the rib cartilage..


sorry for the long qns..really appreciate those who've done or anyone to enlighten me! thanks a million!

Hi Missybellz,

I just did rhiniplasty with Dr Kao last mth and here's my take with regards to your queries:

3)those who've been to dr kao, i notice removal of stitches is at day 7(correct me if i'm wrong), so after such a great difference of the nose(and to add on is the swelling), would you people be able to cross the immigration borders? were there difficulties?

I did face some questioning at the Taiwan custom on my way back. The lady officer noticed the difference and after several repeated look at my passport photo and my physical self standing infront of her, she asked me did I do something to my eyes....

I told her I did eyelid surgery and the funny thing is, she started to get really interested and asked me lotsa questions such as where did I have it done, how much was it and was it painful etc etc. She seem genuinely interested so I told her everything she wants to know, all the while trying to keep a straight face cos never in my life did I expect this from the custom officer! Then she started sharing with me she wanted to have it done too cos the crease of her eyelid is falling, but she's concerned about the pain etc....

Only after awhile did she realise that she must have crossed the line a little (must be the growing queue behind me!) and composed herself quickly and told me okay I can go now with a straight and stern face and I just cant stop laughing about it even till now -what an experience! lol!

I do have colleagues and family members commenting that I look really different, one even said he probably wont be able to recognise me if he sees me on the street! Somehow or rather, the eyes took all the attention from the nose cos everyone noticed the eyes but not the nose. I did have the optician with whom I went to for a new spectacles commenting that my nose looked so natural that she couldnt even tell I did something to my nose.

I'm just back to my office today and its kinda funny to see my colleagues all doing a double take when they see me, its kinda hilarious really looking at them lol.

One thing I must emphasise is that every PS is a risk and gamble. I used to have really flat nose and from my own point of view, somehow, it tends to make one look younger. I have quite a babyface before PS but after the surgery and with higher nose bridge, my looks have totally changed. What I wanna say is that PS is pretty much irreversable. Please think twice before you decide to do it cos if it turns out great all the merrier, but there is also a chance that it might not. Not everyone can turn out to be like Vicky or Jovin.....I'm not saying that I do not like my new look now, but it does takes me awhile to accept it - especially whenever I look myself in the mirror and see a stranger looking back at me. Somehow with this new look, I look kinda witchy looking and am quite sad about it......I miss having a babyface hiazzzz.....

4)i emailed dr kao and he also suggested rib for me..would like to ask those who've done rib by dr kao, how is the scar? i am not expecting it to disappear totally..but if it's long, thick and red i am quite bothered..if it's a faint pink line..i actually do not mind..

Dr Kao did not do any enhancement to my tip, thus the only scar I have is the one between the nostrils. It is pretty much none existent now, no scar, no nothing. The scar at the rib area is still there though, and I presume that would take a while to heal. The scar for the eyes are pretty obvious though and Dr Chuang did told me that would take a longer time to heal...

Hope this helps and all the best to you in your PS journey....

[kittygirl8]

To those of you who have done rhinoplasty,

May I check with you does any of you find that after rhinoplasty, the nose has become more sensitive? I find it so for me even after 1 month post op, where I tend to sneeze alot more than before, followed by running nose after that. I can feel my nose becoming more sensitive than before and I never have any problem with my nose before surgery.

Is this normal...?

[chubbycasper]

I did have the optician with whom I went to for a new spectacles commenting that my nose looked so natural that she couldnt even tell I did something to my nose.

hi kitty, hey that was what I thought too... your nose already looked very natural to me even on the 1st day you took off your cast

[missybellz]

thanks to cerspn, jocundster, and kittygirl8 for replying. very appreciated!

sigh, i agree with cerspn and jocundster..2 surgery means going through damages twice..and both are open rhino..sigh..but i really cannot wait to have a new nose..and my work commitments restrict me from doing that..i am still considering if i should go ahead with the original plan or be patient..cause if i don't do it this coming march, i might have to wait till end of the year and end of the year, with all the christmas and CNY, i cannot afford to swell like a pig..so i might even have to wait till next year! O.O

kittygirl i think dr kao did tip for you(or he said he didn't?) because if you went for open rhino, by right he should have done tip refinement for you together with your rib right? did you go alone? i am only considering nose for the time being..eyes maybe not in the near future! so i guess crossing the borders will be easier? hope i get the same immigration officer as you, hahahah!

[babyangel]

To those of you who have done rhinoplasty,

May I check with you does any of you find that after rhinoplasty, the nose has become more sensitive? I find it so for me even after 1 month post op, where I tend to sneeze alot more than before, followed by running nose after that. I can feel my nose becoming more sensitive than before and I never have any problem with my nose before surgery.

Is this normal...?

Hi kittygirl8,

Do u hv any Before and After pics to share for your eyes and nose?

For your eyes, did Dr Chuang do the full incision method or mini incision?

which celebrity or model did Dr Kao try to make your nose look like?

thanks.

[kittygirl8]

thanks to cerspn, jocundster, and kittygirl8 for replying. very appreciated!

sigh, i agree with cerspn and jocundster..2 surgery means going through damages twice..and both are open rhino..sigh..but i really cannot wait to have a new nose..and my work commitments restrict me from doing that..i am still considering if i should go ahead with the original plan or be patient..cause if i don't do it this coming march, i might have to wait till end of the year and end of the year, with all the christmas and CNY, i cannot afford to swell like a pig..so i might even have to wait till next year! O.O

kittygirl i think dr kao did tip for you(or he said he didn't?) because if you went for open rhino, by right he should have done tip refinement for you together with your rib right? did you go alone? i am only considering nose for the time being..eyes maybe not in the near future! so i guess crossing the borders will be easier? hope i get the same immigration officer as you, hahahah!

Hi Missybellz,

Sorry I think I got it wrong. He did do the tip refinement for me with a less obvious nostrils and columella. Yes, you're definitely on the right track about not doing both at the same time (unless its with the same doctor) Although it'll be more costly this way, it is definitely safer as the doc will be able to do a better work without all the swelling....

Well maybe you'll get a handsome male officer who knows? *wink wink*

[kittygirl8]

To those of you who have done rhinoplasty,

May I check with you does any of you find that after rhinoplasty, the nose has become more sensitive? I find it so for me even after 1 month post op, where I tend to sneeze alot more than before, followed by running nose after that. I can feel my nose becoming more sensitive than before and I never have any problem with my nose before surgery.

Is this normal...?

Hi kittygirl8,

Do u hv any Before and After pics to share for your eyes and nose?

For your eyes, did Dr Chuang do the full incision method or mini incision?

which celebrity or model did Dr Kao try to make your nose look like?

thanks.

Hi Babyangel,

Dr Chuang did the 3 point mini incision for me. Well I dont think my nose turn out to be like any celebrity nose to be honest

[missybellz]

kitty: haha, i wish to have a handsome officer who wouldn't question much too!

u did 3 point incision with dr chuang..how is it? i heard the 3 pt incision method is for people who want a more permanent results(like full incision) but have lesser fats on the eyelids right? thts why use the 3 points to extract the fats? did u do epi? u did eyes with dr chuang and nose with dr kao..must be some stunning beauty now..hehe, share with us your censored b4 and after if possible yeah!!

[boii18]

kitty: haha, i wish to have a handsome officer who wouldn't question much too!

u did 3 point incision with dr chuang..how is it? i heard the 3 pt incision method is for people who want a more permanent results(like full incision) but have lesser fats on the eyelids right? thts why use the 3 points to extract the fats? did u do epi? u did eyes with dr chuang and nose with dr kao..must be some stunning beauty now..hehe, share with us your censored b4 and after if possible yeah!!

i tot the longer the incision the more effective but more down-time? thats only logical ma... i think 3pt incision is abit diao, cos later end up three holes on the eyes, lols.