Asian DCF Rhinoplasty by Dr. Edwin Kwon. If You Want Natural Looking Results - He is Your Doctor!

Here I am at exactly 6 months from my rhinoplasty surgery date. Included are some side by side before & after photos as well. At the moment I do have somewhat two different side profile which I think is kind of unique. I really don't mind it at all.

Still a little swelling in certain areas though looking a lot better. :) The tip is still hard (like that of our forehead). I've had a few post-op follow up appointments up to date plus another one coming up towards the end of this month. Even though appointments are usually scheduled for roughly 30 minutes, it always went beyond that. There was always enough time to get all questions/concerns in without feeling being rushed through.

Well these are my up to date photos so far. Not sure if you can tell a difference so maybe I'll post again months from now once the swelling in the radix area goes down more. :)

This review is to help others out there like myself in search for that right surgeon for their procedure(s) – because I myself, love to read other’s reviews and experiences (especially their before/after photos and healing journey). I find that it helps tremendously when you get to read the experiences of other’s outcome and what they have to say about their surgeon. So I hope future potential patients will be able to appreciate this review to give them that extra boost to make a choice.
First off, I have to stress that I am one EXTREMELY picky person, especially when it comes to anything medical or beauty related service. Because of this, I have always been very diligent at researching my doctors. I feel it’s so important to emphasize the importance of doing your research – like picking a plastic surgeon and the results of what could happen if you don’t do it right the first time. This is my face and my nose is in the center of my face here. How can I not be?
So I’ve waited until my 40's to finally take the plunge to do my nose. The thought have always sat in the back of my mind since I was in my 20's though my desire for a nose job back then wasn’t as high. Maybe because I've seen so many relatives with really bad nose jobs – that of the 90’s bad. I guess that was enough to make me want to just keep my own nose. Lol. My nose had a very low bridge though it did fit my other features. It wasn't until I got older that my nose tip started becoming more bulbous. My nose did slightly change with age and have also changed with weight gain. Then the time finally came to where I really wanted to do something about it. This was when I started doing my intensive research within the country and also outside of the country for a plastic surgeon that specializes in Asian rhinoplasty. I had a consultation in South Korea while I was there visiting however after some thought, I felt that follow up appointments may be important and the communication barrier might become a problem if post-op problems were to arise months down the line. There could be drawbacks going abroad as well, such as no aftercare. Especially after a DCF rhinoplasty procedure where rib + ear cartilage is harvested along with fascia from the head. Follow up appointments are important and why wouldn't you want to see your surgeon again? Once the thought of going abroad was no longer an option, I was adamant to find the right surgeon for my Asian rhinoplasty here in California. One with the right credentials, board certifications, years in experience, patient outcomes, etc. The most important is finding someone who specializes specifically in DCF rhinoplasty because that was the procedure I wanted for my nose.
THE SEARCH
So I had followed the work of many rhinoplasty specialists over the years (via social medias) however once I stumbled across Dr. Kwon’s Instagram and his website’s gallery of before and after photos, it was love at first sight! His works appealed to my aesthetic the most because of how natural most of his patient’s outcomes were. If you want natural looking results – he is your doctor!
Not only was I doing the research for myself at the time but I was also researching for a surgeon who would be able to perform a rhinoplasty revision for my friend. Once I decided to go for the consultation with Dr. Kwon, I sent my friend all his info and she also booked with him. She actually got her revision surgery in with him a week before my initial consultation and so when I saw her at her 1 week post op (stitch and cast removal) – I knew I didn’t have to search any further. Dr. Kwon does estimable work and my mind was set on him to do my surgery! Dr. Kwon is in the L.A. area which I’m quite familiar with – not too far and just an hour flight for me. I also have friends and family in the area so I’m always visiting which made all my post op appointments turned little mini vacations which are a bonus.
MY DOCTOR
Dr. Kwon has such an unpretentious, calm, yet competent and confident demeanor. Oftentimes, surgeons can come off as cold and too clinical but Dr. Kwon has this gentle and kind disposition and will crack jokes with you once he gets to know you better. What I respect most about him is that he gives you realistic expectations, explains the why/how to his methods and not one to promise you something that shouldn’t or cannot be done according to your nasal and facial structure. He took his time to listen, explained things precisely and will confidently shares his expertise and provides honest and straight forward advice. In addition to being extremely talented, he is also very big on patient safety. Blood work, medications, EKG, chest x-rays – very meticulous about safety measures to make sure every patient is not at risk in order to go through a major surgery (and to be put under general anesthesia). I truly appreciated his medical screening process to make sure I was healthy enough to go through with my surgery.
During my consultation, Dr. Kwon considered my total facial structure in his renderings to give me an idea of what my new nose would look like. Know that plastic surgery is an art within medicine, so a surgeon shouldn't be giving out cookie cutter noses to every patient of theirs’. Also keep in mind that Dr. Kwon is very good at what he does so he will already have a plan in mind the minute he sees you (your nose). He’s meticulous I would say which is amazing for this line of work. He clearly does not have a 'one size fits all' approach.
Dr. Kwon can take your consultation and surgery appointments at 2 different locations: Beverly Hills or Newport Beach. I had my initial consultation in person at his Beverly Hills office back in April. My 2nd consultation was over zoom in case I had any last minute questions. The 3rd time we met was on surgery day, which was in Newport Beach and that is the surgery center where he performs all his rhinoplasty surgeries.
SURGERY DAY
My surgery was scheduled for 7 AM and I had to fast for 8 hours the night before. When I arrived to the surgery center I met the nurse, Dr. Kim (the anesthesiologist) and of course Dr. Kwon. Some before photos were taken that morning then off I went to get prepped for surgery. My surgery was scheduled for at least 5 hours under general anesthesia. Dr. Kim was very friendly and made sure I wasn’t feeling too nervous by having small conversations while she was injecting medication into my I.V. I remember joking with her about not needing the general anesthesia because of how I had barely 1 hour of sleep and that I’d knock out in no time with or without the medication. Lol! We spoke about what I do for work and how she’s going take me on a trip to Bora Bora and that was the last of what I remembered. I was K.O. then woke up to a new nose! (Too bad I wasn't in Bora Bora though. Lol!)
So the procedure I got is called a DCF Rhinoplasty (diced cartilage fascia) using cartilage from the ear, rib and fascia of the head. My surgery was carried out via open-rhinoplasty. There is a scar between my nostrils (which sits in the shadows of my nostrils) though it’s hard to tell unless someone is obviously looking for it. I’m now 9 weeks post-op as I’m writing this and by the look of the scar right now, I know it will heal beautifully and eventually go unnoticed. His stitch work is amazing and that's also one thing I pay attention to when I look at other people's surgical sites!
I brought a stack of photos to show him all the possible nose shapes that I DIDN'T want and a few shapes that I liked. I had a short nose to begin with and Dr. Kwon also agreed. I did not want a super tall nose, just a better one than my previous. I asked for a dip in the radix, a bridge that’s not too high along with a higher tip to refine it a bit. He was able to reshape my nose so that it fits my face and worked with my features. I still look the same but just with a slightly different shaped nose (higher on the side profile). My ¾ profile looks so much better! He gave me such a cute nose and I love it! I've had multiple people afterwards tell me that it was a beautiful change. Even some of the friends who tried to convince me not to do it couldn't agree more that my outcome was beautiful. This was coming from both male and female friends. )
COMING OUT OF SURGERY/RECOVERY
The first few hours after surgery were a bit rough as I was still very slumberous from the general anesthesia. I felt better several hours later as it wore off and so I was able to move around like normal again. I believe the motion sickness patch that Dr. Kim had put on my wrist prior to surgery helped a lot. I’ve been put under general anesthesia several times before and this was probably the first time I didn’t feel the side effects as much. (One time it was so bad that I threw up as soon I woke up from the general anesthesia.) Sleeping was probably the most annoying because I had to sleep propped up on a few pillows to help with the swelling. I should have taken the narcotics prescribed to fall asleep easier but I really, really hate the feeling of being on any narcotics unless I'm in total excruciating pain. I ended just taking regular Tylenol for the pain around my ear where the cartilage was harvested from. I opted for donor rib cartilage so no pain in the rib area for me. Dr. Kwon did mentioned that he had great results using donor rib cartilage with his other rhinoplasty patients so I chose donor rib cartilage to save myself from having another surgical site – and another scar. My throat was a little sore only for the first night from the breathing tube so by the next day I had forgotten all about it. My nose was not really ever in pain, it was more just annoying and stuffy while having to be extra careful completing everyday tasks. Dr. Kwon did not pack my nose so I was actually able to breathe through at night time when I slept. Gauze was taped right under my nose to help with any bleeding or nasal mucosa. Every time I would eat anything warm (which was hot soup for the first 3 days), my nose would start running and I’d have to change it after every meal. I iced under my eyes every hour for the first 3 days and I think that helped a lot. By the 7th day post op, I had no more discolored bruising besides the swelling of my nose itself. Everyone was quiet surprised at how fast all my bruising and swelling subsided – all within a week.
As far as the recovery period, I had watched a plethora of YouTube videos/read rhinoplasty blogs of recoveries so I sort of knew beforehand what to expect post-op. Pre and post-op instructions was also included in the email weeks/days before surgery took place. The 1st week's recovery period looked brutal by appearance however the nose pain itself was second to none. The splint that was inside the nostrils holding everything together caused more of a discomfort. It held the nostrils together so tightly that I seriously thought that was the outcome of my nostril work. Lol! Once those inner splints came out and when I saw my nostrils back in its normal position – what a relief! It was so weird seeing my new nose for the first time in the mirror. I really had no reaction because I didn’t know how to feel about it. I mean, I saw myself with my previous nose for 40+ years. Then here comes something different on my face. I thought I was ready for it but I guess I wasn’t. My mind just didn’t register the new nose I guess? Lol. Dr. Kwon then put new taping back on my nose and I wore the external splint for another week. At my 2 weeks post-op both external splint and staples on my head were removed. Dr. Kwon showed me how to tape my nose so that way I was able to do so myself for the weeks to follow. The tape was to help with the swelling. I did so for up to 2 more weeks but mainly at night time before bed.
HEALING
How is my nose now at almost 9 weeks post-op? There was some level of anxiety and different emotions during the weeks to follow because of all the uneven swelling, especially right above my radix. The swelling can be discouraging and a mental struggle, but I remind myself there's still so much healing taking place. The puffiness is up and down, but everything is healing great. One side of my nose is going down faster than the other which gives the illusion of some crookedness. Dr. Kwon did check me at my 2 week post op and ensured that it was all due to some swelling in that area. After all, he is the professional here so I all I can do is to be patient and trust the process. I still have some uneven swelling that the photos aren’t showing (thanks to makeup and photo angles)! Just have to remember that DCF rhinoplasty surgery is a whole year healing process! What you see in other people’s photos may not be exactly healed, either. So don’t compare your healing process so easily is what I’m trying to say. The site where fascia was removed is well hidden in between my hair so the scar is barely visible. The ear area have also healed though can be a little sensitive to touch from time to time, especially during the earlier weeks after surgery.
I have been asked several times if the surgery was worth the money and recovery time. Absolutely YES! I am truly happy with my surgery and always look forward to my post-op visits. Any concerns I had were always addressed by Dr. Kwon’s incredible patient care coordinator Lilit. She is such a sweetheart! Lilit was there every step of the way leading up to the surgery date and after. Appointments were easy to make, pre-op and post-ops well organized. She was very accommodating and always worked with my crazy schedule. She makes sure you have every piece of information you could possibly need from scheduling, financing, and answers all questions promptly. Having Lilit as the coordinator for the whole process was an absolute pleasure!
If you are seeking natural and harmonizing results for your look, Dr. Kwon should absolutely be at the top of your list! Dr. Kwon is incredibly thorough, gifted and highly skilled. He truly cares and wants the best outcome for all his patients. He’s patient and also very easy to talk to. His consultations are also free so schedule one if you’re considering a rhinosplasty – before he gets too popular! It was truly a great experience all around and I’m so glad it was him whom I chose to trust to go under the knife with.
Thank you, Dr. Kwon & Lilit!