1 Month After My Fourth Revision Rhinoplasty Using Full Autologous Rib Cartilage
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Over the past 7 years, I had undergone three rhinoplasty surgeries.
Back then, I believed that if I chose a well-known clinic, everything would go well.
So I kept getting revision surgeries even if I was only slightly dissatisfied.
But after going through multiple surgeries, I realized that popularity or the size of the clinic doesn’t mean much.
People around me said that when you start consulting for a revision,
you eventually find that one surgeon who truly understands what you want—
someone who shares your aesthetic sense and truly listens.
For this (hopefully last) revision, I visited more than seven clinics that specialize in complex rhinoplasty.
Surprisingly, there were many skilled surgeons I felt comfortable with,
so it actually made the decision even harder.
I couldn’t quite make up my mind until a friend who had undergone a severe contracted nose revision
introduced me to RU Plastic Surgery.
I learned that Dr. Hyunjoo Kim specializes in autologous rib cartilage
and has extensive experience handling complicated cases involving previous infections and scarring.
That intrigued me, so I went for a consultation.
There was no aggressive consultant pressuring me, and Dr. Kim himself was meticulous during the consultation.
From experience, I know that some surgeons act attentive during consultations
but completely change after surgery.
But Dr. Kim was consistent, and thankfully, continued to be thorough and sincere post-op.
The goals of my surgery were to correct a short nose, lower the alar rim,
and avoid any use of silicone due to previous inflammatory concerns.
So we decided to use a solid piece of rib cartilage (full-thickness rib graft) even for the nasal dorsum.
At first, I was worried about potential warping with solid rib grafts,
but Dr. Kim explained that he monitors the graft over time for any curvature
before carving it and implanting it, which gave me peace of mind.
Now that it’s been one month post-op, I can say the swelling was quite significant,
especially since the dorsal graft was also made from rib cartilage.
I’m still quite swollen, but friends who have seen me since the surgery say
my new nose suits me much better, and the nostrils are much less visible than before.
Their positive reactions have helped ease my worries.
