One-Month Review After Rhinoplasty Using Rib Cartilage
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Before / 1m post-op
I had always been self-conscious about the wide and flared appearance of my nose,
especially because it became even more noticeable when I smiled.
At the same time, I did not want rhinoplasty to dramatically change my overall appearance,
so I spent a considerable amount of time visiting different clinics in search of a surgeon with a conservative yet refined aesthetic approach.
That was how I eventually came across RU Plastic Surgery.
During my consultation, Dr. Hyunju Kim designed the nose in a way that felt harmonious with my facial features while still reflecting the natural and conservative result I wanted. After giving it careful thought that evening, I decided to schedule my surgery on the same day as the consultation.
The cost was relatively high compared with some of the other clinics I had considered, but I did not find any major concerns that made me hesitate about proceeding.
Most importantly, I felt reassured by Dr. Kim’s extensive experience with autologous rib cartilage rhinoplasty.
I am also quite sensitive to pain, so I had been concerned about discomfort at the rib cartilage donor site.
In my personal experience, however, the donor-site pain was much more manageable than I had expected.
My surgical plan included functional nasal procedures for rhinitis,
silicone augmentation of the nasal bridge, autologous rib cartilage for the nasal tip, and alar reduction.
I was also pleased that the slightly hooked and asymmetric appearance on the right side of my nose was corrected as part of the surgery.
I had actually been uncertain about undergoing alar reduction until the very end.
During my initial consultation, Dr. Kim explained that it was not absolutely necessary if my main goal was simply to reduce the overall wide appearance of the nose.
However, while waiting for surgery, I became increasingly interested in achieving more noticeable improvement from the frontal view.
During the final design consultation on the day of surgery,
we discussed this in detail, and I ultimately decided to proceed with alar reduction based on Dr. Kim’s recommendation.
Since improvement from the frontal view was more important to me than changing the side profile,
I am now very glad that I included the procedure.
My nostrils had originally appeared relatively large and wide,
so I feel that the alar reduction contributed significantly to the overall balance of the result.
I have also been very satisfied with the postoperative care.
Because I underwent functional nasal surgery at the same time,
the inside of my nose felt quite congested during the early recovery period.
I also became concerned after noticing a small amount of blood accumulation around the silicone area
and contacted the clinic several times, including late at night.
Each time, coordinator Hyunju Ahn responded kindly and helped guide me through the situation,
which was very reassuring during the early recovery period.
At my postoperative visits, I received follow-up examinations, laser care, and intravenous treatment as needed.
The staff consistently welcomed me warmly and were very attentive throughout the recovery process.
I unfortunately do not remember the names of everyone who assisted me,
but I was grateful for how kind and helpful the coordinators and other staff members were at each visit.
The nursing staff were also very skilled and efficient,
and even the injections used to help manage postoperative swelling were administered with minimal discomfort.
Because my skin is relatively thin and sensitive, I frequently asked about scar ointments and appropriate scar-care methods.
I appreciated that the recommendations were adjusted according to the condition of my skin
and the stage of recovery rather than being given as a single standardized routine.
At one month postoperatively, there is still some residual swelling around the nasal tip,
so the nose can occasionally appear slightly asymmetric.
The inside of my nose is also still healing and remains somewhat swollen.
However, I expect that the internal discomfort will gradually improve
and that the overall nasal shape will continue to look more natural as I approach the three-month stage of recovery.
Overall, I am very satisfied with the balance between refinement and restraint in the result.
Based on my personal experience, I would recommend RU Plastic Surgery to those who are looking for a natural
and sophisticated nasal shape that complements their existing facial features rather than dramatically changing their overall image.
