Thank you for all the well wishes and kudos. I received a number of PMs, but am unable to reply back, because, apparently, that feature is disabled for newbies, until I make more posts (I've written to the admin to request an exception, but haven't heard back).
I hope it's ok if I respond to the most common questions publicly, in case other folks find my answers useful.
1) Can I share my before/after pics?
Although I'm very happy with my new nose, I'm sorry, but I don't feel comfortable with the feeling that my pics are floating out there somewhere, even if it's just of my nose. I received assurances that they won't be circulated, which I believe are sincere, but I know of several people who did share their pics, and later found out that their pics ended up being posted some place without permission. It's important to me to maintain my privacy and anonymity.
Also, Dr. Jung's web site has tons of pics for you to see, and there are more and better ones (I think) that he'll show you during your consultation.
2) How am I healing, especially the alar base scars?
At 15-days post-op, I'm still healing, but I doubt any one can tell I've had surgery, other than the obvious changes to my nose dimensions. There is still some very slight bruising on my upper eyelids - it looks like eyeliner I'm embarrassed to say. I have natural double eyelids, so no one can see the bruising unless my eyes are closed, and even then it's barely visible. Other than my nose, which is still slightly swollen, all swelling around my face is completely gone.
Regarding my alar scars, I can't see any scarring. Under a magnifying glass, I can see very small indentations where the stitches were, but I'm hoping those will go away with time. If not, I doubt anyone can see anything, even if they examined me up close (unless they had a magnifying glass in their pocket!). I'm sure everyone heals differently and whether you have any visible scarring or not depends on your own body's healing characteristics. For me, it was worth it, even if there is some minimal scarring, because I had a very wide alar base that I just couldn't live with.
I wanted to comment about my bruising a little bit. Some of you have told me that immediately after your surgery you had virtually no bruising at all, and was wondering why my bruising was so pronounced. I think what caused me to have so much bruising was due to the osteotomy to make my bridge more narrow. This procedure is quite traumatic as they use a chisel and mallet to actually cut your nose bones and move it closer together. It was a good thing that I was unconscious, as I certainly didn't want to heard the sound of the mallet hitting the chisel to cut my bones!
3) How much did I spend on the surgery, airfare, accommodations, food, etc.?
Surgery: $4000 USD all inclusive (includes post-op checkups, meds, etc.)
- Dr. Jung also lists this price on his Web site (go to the FAQ section)
- Forgot to mention in my original post that they did give me meds, consisting of pain killers and antibiotics. You are to take them 3 times a day (after a meal) for 5 days, so by the time they remove your splint, you should be done.
Airfare: FREE (I used/borrowed mileage points)
Accommodations: ~$400 USD
- I stayed at the same services apartment recommended in this forum. It's called Twin Haus located in Naksongdae (see
www.evchain.com). They have very small but clean rooms, with a tiny kitchen that includes a microwave, and free Internet access. It is very close to the subway, and is only 5 stops from Dr. Jung's clinic in Gangnam.
- Note that Twin Haus is located on top of a hill, but I think it was good exercise walking up and down that hill.
Food: ~$200-$300 USD
- I ate at a nice restaurant the day before my surgery. The rest of the time I subsisted on microwaveable food, fruits, and veggies.
- There is a 24-hour convenience store called "Buy The Way" at the bottom of the hill from Twin Haus. If you walk across the street, there is an open market if you want to do some cooking. If you keep going down that same street (for about 10 minutes), there is a full-service grocery store called "FamilyMart" (I think) where you can get anything you want. Also, if you make a right on the street down the hill from Twin Haus, there are other convenience stores, a bakery, and a Subway sandwich store.
- I would recommend you stock up on groceries prior to your surgery if you are alone, since you will probably want to stay indoors for at least the first 5 days.
Transportation: ~$70-$80 USD
Dr. Jung provides free pick-up from the airport, but you do have to pay for the taxi ride back, which costs about $50 USD. The subway only costs about $1 USD (900 won) to get to Dr. Jung's clinic in Gangnam. His clinic is right at the opening of Gangnam station exit #3, so it's very convenient. I did take a taxi back to Twin Haus when I left the clinic the morning after my surgery, as the subway can be very crowded, and I didn't want anyone to accidentally hit my nose, given how fragile it was at that time.
TOTAL COSTS: ~$4,800
4) What is Dr. Jung's email address?
Since he does post his email address on his Web site, here it is:
rhinojdh@hotmail.com
You can also email his assistant, Wennie Kim, at:
master@ocmi.co.kr
Lastly, I wanted to briefly comment on a couple of posts saying that Dr. Jung is not that highly regarded in Korea. I've actually seen those comments too, prior to selecting him, but could not find credible evidence for those comments, other than what someone heard someone else say. For what it's worth, I spoke with a young Korean doctor at Dr. Jung's clinic who had just started his fellowship there in March. I asked him about Dr. Jung's reputation in Korea for rhinoplasty, and he told me that Dr. Jung is so highly respected among the young aspiring plastic surgeons that there is a long waiting list for the fellowship program with him. This doctor waited 1.5 years until he was accepted by Dr. Jung. He talked as if he won the lottery to be working with Dr. Jung!
I hope people can use this info to make an informed decision.
