Hi all! This will be my 2-part review regarding the initial steps of a vline procedure with TFD including the consultation and surgery.

Surgery Goal: reduce slight protruding chin, slim down face with reduction of angular jaw

Part 1:

Online Consultation in Home Country

I contacted Olivia in June with concerns regarding my slight protruding chin (visible from the side) and wider square jaw. She was helpful in determining what it was that I wanted to fix and what procedure would best fit my situation. In addition, she helped answer any concerns and questions I had regarding the surgical details, the differences between procedures, and the various promotions. The recommendations she provided were V-line surgery and double jaw surgery. After much consideration, I eventually decided to go with a V-line surgery for the following reasons: (1) I was aiming for more natural and subtle results as opposed to dramatic; (2) The recovery process for Vline is shorter and less intense; (3) I did not want to go through orthodontic treatment again.

Face-to-Face Consultations in Korea/ First Impression on Doctor

Since I am from North America, I wanted to be completely confident in my decision when choosing a surgeon. Thus, after flying to Korea in August, I decided to consult with TFD face-to-face amongst other clinics before paying the deposit of 1 million won. The clinic itself is quite easy to find and the building is several floors high. Most of the staff do not speak English but that didn’t hinder me from getting my message across. One of the most important aspects for me was Dr. Lee’s English communication. This made the consultation process easier as I did not need to find an external translator. I also found that he understood the differences between Western and Asian beauty ideals. I emphasized that I did not want too much of my jaw reduced and I did not want a very pointy chin. When consulting with surgeons, I would recommend bringing a document of your ideal features, as well as an altered photo of yourself that you would like, using face apps or Photoshop. I thought Dr. Lee understood my vision the most and ultimately decided to go with him. During the consultation, I took X-rays and before photos. He showed me where my nerve line was as one of my concerns was losing nerve function and feeling in my lower jaw. He was kind and understanding in person and reassured me that my face shape would be a good candidate for the procedure. After discussing the details of my procedure with Dr. Lee, I then talked to the manager of the clinic who went over the overall cost, precautions, and necessary pre-surgery instructions such as fasting prior to the surgery. This was a bit difficult as she did not speak English. Nonetheless, using a translator app, we were able to get through all the details. I did not know my blood type, so I had to get my blood tested on the following day. I was still able to book a date relatively soon after, despite the blood test delay. I think there may be some more leniency when scheduling if you’re a foreigner as clinics likely understand that you’re only there for a limited time before having to travel back to your home country.

Part 2:

Surgery Day

Immediately after vline surgery booked in the morning, I woke up back in my room around late afternoon feeling very tired from the anaesthesia. It was not advised not to sleep after waking up so I was trying my best not to nod off by distracting myself with my phone and the tv in the room. Expectedly, it was uncomfortable as there is a compression wrap that was wound tightly around my jaw to the top of my head. Blood often leaked from my mouth and the soreness of the jaw was felt. Although there was a language barrier, the nurse that attended to me was incredibly caring and helpful. I was nervous and a bit emotional and she helped me through it. I was hospitalized for less than a day and could go home in the evening. The nurse helped me order a taxi and get my medicine from a nearby taxi which was really helpful as I was still tired and out of it from the effects of the anesthesia.

Recovery Process

The first 3 days post-op were the hardest for me as I was the most swollen and uncomfortable during this period. Sleeping was also not the best as I had to sleep with the compression wrap, with my head propped up on several pillows at around 45 degrees (head above chest level). The lower jaw peaked swelling on day 3. After a week, the swelling reduced and instead started to bruise. There are bruising creams available at the pharmacy but for me, the bruises went away in less than a week. The swelling, although diminished, is still prominent more so near the chin. Olivia checked up on me via Whatsapp to see how I was feeling and if there were any complications. She’s also available to answer any questions you might have and responds relatively quickly. I was stuck with a liquid diet for around a week but I could eat soft foods like porridge after day 5/6. My diet mainly consisted of pumpkin juice, orange juice, protein shakes, and porridge. I would recommend protein in your diet as your body will need the amino acids to build up your muscle again. Also, if you’re traveling alone like I was, I’d suggest buying your meals beforehand and stocking them up in your fridge as personally, I didn’t have the energy or feel comfortable venturing out to the grocery/ convenience store with my face wrapped up and swollen. I ate my prescribed medicine along with my meals and made sure to keep the stitches clean with the mouthwash as well. Brushing teeth can be difficult, especially my lower teeth so it’s important to use the mouthwash they prescribe. I was only in Korea for 2 weeks so Dr. Lee scheduled checkups within that period to ensure my chin and jaw were healing okay. I had a total of 4 checkups and each time I came, Dr. Lee would look at the surgical sites and answer any concerns I had. One of my concerns was that there was a hole where my chin was when smiling. He advised me that it was because the muscles had to be cut and were reforming which may take a while. Another concern I had was the uneven swelling and my inability to lift both sides of my mouth at the same time, he said that asymmetrical swelling is normal and to make sure I ate and talked a lot to build up the muscle. After Dr. Lee looked at my jaw, the nurses then do a deswelling treatment on me for 20 minutes. There were no traces of bruising by the end of the 2nd week. By this point, I could also eat slightly harder foods like meat. Swelling on the other hand takes quite a while to subside. As I write this review, I am currently on my 4th-week post-op. There’s little to no discomfort now and I can go about my daily life. However, I do feel numbness and swelling on my lower jaw. It also feels a little weird when I talk, the feeling is akin to shaking off a leg that’s been asleep. I can eat most foods in my regular diet, save for large, hard, and uncut pieces of vegetables or tough dry meats.

Overall thoughts/ feelings

Genioplasty and jaw bone shaving are more on the invasive side when it comes to surgery. As such, I felt very anxious traveling to a foreign country by myself and having to handle the consultations and recovery process with little knowledge of the Korean language. During the online consultation, I constantly mulled over my decision and experienced doubt and sleepless nights regarding my decision to do it. I contemplated which procedure I should get for several months and researched all possible complications that might arise during surgery and the recovery period. Allaboutmei team is there to provide you with answers to any concerns and questions you might have. They also don’t rush or pressure you to do any procedure you don’t feel comfortable doing. They can provide advice, but ultimately what you want to do and how you want to look is your decision to make. A good surgeon should be able to reassure you of the procedure that you’ll be undergoing. Through both the consultation and the various before & after photos Dr. Lee provided on his website, I had confidence in Dr. Lee’s ability to make my vision come to fruition. Currently, I'm satisfied with the outcome. It's not overly done or incredibly narrow. That being said, there's still quite a bit of swelling and my lower jaw does feel numb to the touch. After swelling completely subsides, I'll update my final review for those interested to let you know how I heal after a few more weeks post-op. 

For anyone reading this, I would advise them to prepare themselves mentally and emotionally, especially if this is their first surgical procedure. I’m glad that Dr. Lee, the nurses at TFD and Olivia were attentive and understanding as my nervousness would’ve gotten the best of me otherwise. Best of luck to anyone who will/ plan to undergo a similar procedure.