Success Stories

About Me 

I'm a 26-year-old female from Singapore who discovered Braun through their YouTube videos. Impressed by their results, I inquired about a rhinoplasty via their website. The next day, I was contacted by an English consultant, Esther, who provided an overview of the recommended procedures. After some consideration, I chose Dr. Lee Ji Won for my rhinoplasty based on Esther's advice that he specializes in the type of nose I wanted.

Primary Concerns Shared with the Doctors:

Nose: Wide nasal bones causing a flat and wide appearance, with a sloping tip

Eyes: Eyes set too far apart, preference for semi-outline eyelids

Face: Asymmetry with more sunken cheeks on the right side, and a severely receding chin

Procedures I Underwent:

Rhinoplasty (Dr Lee Ji Won)

Eyes: Upper eyelid fat grafting, ptosis correction, blepharoplasty, medial epicanthoplasty (Dr Kim Seung Min)

Facial Contouring: Cheekbone reduction, jaw reduction, chin advancement, paranasal augmentation (Dr Kim Tae Gyu)

Pre-Op Experience

Due to time constraints, I scheduled a video consultation with Dr. Lee before flying to Korea. I expressed my concerns and preferences for a natural-looking nose, which Esther communicated to Dr. Lee. Feeling reassured by his approach, I promptly secured my surgery date with a deposit.

A week before the surgery, I discussed medial epicanthoplasty with Esther, concerned about my wide-set eyes post-rhinoplasty. I selected Dr. Kim Seung Min for my eyelids, having liked his results on the Unni app. Fortunately, I was able to secure both Dr. Lee and Dr. Kim for the same date.

The day before surgery, I visited Braun for in-person consultations. The clinic was clean and grand. After CT scans, I met Dr. Lee and Dr. Kim. Both consultations were brief but thorough. Dr. Lee addressed my concerns about my wide nasal bones and downward-sloping tip. For my nose, we agreed on a slight slope with a slightly rounded tip for a more natural appearance. Dr. Kim diagnosed ptosis in my left eye, which I hadn’t noticed before, and recommended upper eyelid fat grafting. We agreed on a semi-outline eyelid crease that would suit me well.

I also consulted Dr. Kim Tae Gyu for facial contouring, having seen many of his videos. He recommended facial contouring over fat grafting due to my asymmetric face, caused by protruding cheekbones and sunken cheeks, and receded chin. Dr Kimalso highlighted some limitations/drawbacks with the facial contouring to manage my expectations, and I still decided to proceed as I thought the drawbacks would be better than my original receded chin. He also suggested paranasal augmentation to soften my deep smile lines and improve the appearance of mouth protrusion.

Overall, the consultations went smoothly, with Esther facilitating communication throughout.

Day of Surgery

On surgery day, I had a final consultation with Dr. Lee and Dr. Kim Seung Min, where they made surgical markings on my face. I stored my belongings in a locker, changed into a gown, and was wheeled into the operating room. My reference photos were prominently displayed for the doctors. After a brief discussion on eyelid crease height with Dr. Kim, I was put under anesthesia. Contrary to what I’d heard, I was completely asleep throughout the entire surgery, including the eyelid procedure.

 

Post-Op Experience

 

Waking Up and Initial Recovery

I woke up groggy after surgery with blurred vision due to a thick ointment applied to protect my eyes. The blurriness lasted 2-3 days. My throat was dry and uncomfortable from the anesthesia, but the discomfort subsided quicker than expected. My jaw was in extreme discomfort due to tight bandages, but I couldn’t receive additional painkillers as I was already at the maximum dosage.

 

A nurse later brought me my phone and taught me how to drink water using a syringe. My eyelids felt tight and uncomfortable from the stitches. Around 7 a.m., an English consultant explained the post-op care instructions and went through the aftercare pack with me. Due to stiffness in my lower face, I couldn’t speak audibly, so I communicated via my phone. After receiving more painkillers, I was discharged. It’s advisable to have someone pick you up since your vision will still be blurry from the eye ointment.

 

First Days Post-Op

For the first two days, I had to breathe through my mouth due to nasal packing, which was uncomfortable as my mouth quickly dried out. I was on a liquid diet for three days, using a syringe to consume liquids. Braun provided pumpkin juice and nutritional drinks in the aftercare pack, which were essential since I couldn’t eat anything else. I also had to rinse my mouth diligently with mouthwash to prevent infection, as there were stitches inside. The discomfort was significant, so I took extra Tylenol in addition to the prescribed medications.

 

Follow-Up Check-Ups

I returned to Braun for check-ups and stitch removal on post-op days 1, 4, 6, and 9.

 

•   Day 1: The nasal packing and cheekbone stitches were removed, offering slight relief from congestion. The nurses were very careful during stitch removal, so I didn’t experience too much discomfort, which I was grateful for. A nurse replaced the thick bandage with a thinner compression band, which I had to wear for eight hours daily. I also received a hair wash and deswelling laser treatment, which was very relaxing.

•   Day 4: My nose cast, nose stitches, and upper eyelid stitches were removed. It was less painful than expected, thanks to the nurse’s careful approach. All three doctors checked on me briefly. In hindsight, I wish I had requested another check-up before leaving Korea to ensure proper healing.

•   Day 6: Stitches from the inner corners of my eyelids were removed with minimal discomfort.

•   Day 9: The nasal sheets were removed, completely clearing my congestion. The mouth stitches were also removed, which was more painful than expected. I flew back to Singapore later that day

 

After each check-up, I received laser deswelling treatments, which helped reduce swelling significantly. An English consultant was present to facilitate communication during these sessions. However, I regret not requesting a final doctor check-up to address a slight bump on my nasal bridge. The consultant assured me it was just swelling, but I would have preferred the doctor to examine it.

 

Healing and Progress

I transitioned to soft foods by Day 3 and could eat soupy foods by week 1, although chewing was still difficult. I accidentally exposed my nose to steam at a Korean BBQ, which caused temporary redness, but it subsided by the next day.

 

Swelling reduced significantly within the first week but has plateaued since. While major swelling was expected to subside by week 2, my cheeks are still quite swollen, especially in the mornings. My eyelids have mostly deswelled, though the right eyelid remains slightly more swollen. My nose tip has dropped and rounded for a natural look, but I hope it continues to narrow as swelling decreases.

 

Satisfaction (1 Month Post-Op)

 

Eyes: My eyes are more symmetrical as swelling improved, though not as much as I’d like. The crease height is slightly lower than expected, and the eyelids still appear tapered rather than semi-outline as agreed. However, my left eye looks much brighter post-ptosis correction, and I hope the right eye’s asymmetry improves.

 

Nose: I’m happy with the natural look of my nose. Unlike many others, I didn’t experience the ‘piggy nose’ that many others experienced post-op which I’m really happy about, and I hope that the tip doesn’t continue to drop too much. The alar width is currently similar to my original nose, and I hope it narrows further as swelling subsides. The bump on my nasal bridge has become more noticeable, likely due to swelling changes, but I’m monitoring it closely.

 

Facial Contouring: My cheekbones no longer protrude, and my chin is less receded. However, its still early days and my lower face remains swollen, with minimal improvement since week 1 (less obvious in photos cos I try to cover it). I’ve been taking Bromelain for deswelling, but its effectiveness seems limited. My mouth’s mobility has improved, and I can chew much better now, though my lower lip is still numb, albeit improving.

 

Overall, I’m satisfied with the results and post-op care. I’ve had to Whatsapp Esther several times after returning to Singapore to clarify some doubts, and communication has been relatively quick.

 

Additional Tips

Try to avoid sun exposure post-op, as it can cause inflammation and scarring. I regretted visiting Nami Island one day after my nose cast removal due to the intense heat and sunlight.

3 Months Post-Surgery Review 

It’s been three months since my surgery at Braun, and overall, I’m pleased with the recovery process and results. I did not experience common side effects like nausea or headaches fortunately. 

Eyes: Initially, my eyelids were asymmetrical, especially on the right side, but this was due to swelling. Now, they are much more balanced. However, my eyelids did not change to the semi outline shape I had aligned with the doctor on and remain tapered, which isn’t a bad thing as my tapered lids was one of my characteristic features previously (puppy dog eyes appearance). The medial epicanthoplasty initially reduced the inner fold of my eyelids, but over time, it has partially returned. I hope this doesn’t progress further, as my eyes appear brighter without it. The scars on my eyelids and thigh have healed well, though I still experience mild pain and numbness in my lower thigh, where fat was harvested for my upper eyelid fat grafting. 

Nose: My nose has been deswelling steadily, though swelling fluctuates daily. I’m happy with the overall contour, as the bump on the radix is now smooth, giving a more feminine appearance. While I would prefer a slightly lower radix, I’m content with the current result. My only concern is that my nostrils appear slightly pinched, and I hope this resolves over time. 

Facial Contour: While most of my face has deswelled, there is still persistent swelling in my cheeks and lower jaw. I’ve regained sensation in my cheekbones and lower face, and I can now smile normally. However, my lower jaw and the incision sites inside my mouth remain numb. Additionally, there is some uneven bone protrusion on the left side of my lower jaw, possibly from improper healing. I may consider a revision, but it’s too early to tell. 

Overall, I’m happy with how the surgery enhanced my features while keeping me recognizable. I’m very happy with my current side profile, I see big improvements in my mouth protrusion, receding chin, and nose profile. I believe the overall experience would be greatly improved with more frequent post-op checkups, but as a foreigner, it’s challenging to arrange follow-up visits with the doctors at Braun.  

Before