DCF Rhinoplasty and Upper Blepharoplasty

I relied on reviews when researching surgeons, and reading reviews also helped to soothe my nerves right before my procedure, so here goes mine.

Dr. Kwon did my primary rhinoplasty and upper blepharoplasty in February 2025. I was an out-of-country patient and initially consulted with other surgeons as well. From my own research I concluded DCF to be the best option for me personally. As solid rib grafts can warp over time, I excluded this option. I also have a history of my body rejecting piercings and I did not want to find out how I would react to artificial implants like silicone or Gore-Tex. In my country (and even region) there are not many surgeons with extensive experience in DCF rhinoplasties, so I was willing to go abroad. Additionally, I wanted natural and subtle results, so the margin of error was small for both the surgeon and me. In a sense I wanted to maximize my chances of my surgery being a one and done deal, and by choosing dr. Kwon, I believe the both of us succeeded.

When I researched surgeons specializing in DCF rhinoplasties, I came across dr. Kwon’s website and immediately liked his before and after photos, and more specifically, his natural aesthetic. At my first consultation with dr. Kwon, we discussed aesthetic goals and techniques. I then e-mailed Lilit to schedule a second consultation because I had a few additional practical questions. After that consultation I committed formally, and my procedure was scheduled for 2-3 months later.

There were different factors that set dr. Kwon apart from the other surgeons I consulted with.

I have read many horror stories on the internet about patients who had less-than-stellar rhinoplasty results but whose surgeons would not admit to anything being technically off and would therefore refuse to perform a revision. After asking him about it, dr. Kwon explained his revision policy and I also read a review from a patient stating that dr. Kwon did perform a revision on her. I knew that there are many factors, some of which may be external, that influence rhinoplasty results, and unexpected things can show up even with the most experienced surgeons. It did put my mind at ease knowing that dr. Kwon could help me with a revision if I ended up needing one.

When I pictured the scenario of being on the operation table and some (aesthetic) choices needed to be made that for some reason could not be discussed in advance, I wanted dr. Kwon to be the one making those decisions for me. Though there was not anything wrong with the other surgeon I consulted with, I aligned more with dr. Kwon’s aesthetic philosophy.

Before flying to the US, I had pre-surgery blood work done in my country and sent the results to dr. Kwon’s office. I had a pre-op consultation in Newport Beach a few days prior to the procedure where I signed standard documents and consent forms. I also showed dr. Kwon some inspiration photos and examples of what I did not want.

On the day of the surgery, performed in Newport Beach, I was very nervous which – in hindsight – was unnecessary. Everyone at the surgery center was very good at their jobs and everything seemed to be streamlined. After checking in at the reception, I was assigned a nurse (Molly, if I remember correctly) who guided me to my bed in the recovery room, did a pregnancy test and placed an IV in my thin veins in one take! Molly was so nice, clearly experienced and took good care of me the whole time I was there (if I remember correctly, she was also with me in the OR, alongside dr. Kwon, the anesthesiologist and surgical tech). I was especially nervous to be put under general anesthesia, but the anesthesiologist took time to answer my questions. Dr. Kwon marked my eyes for the upper bleph portion of the procedure. Things then went very quickly: before I knew it, I was in the OR, then on the operation table, and not a minute passed before I was under anesthesia.

My procedure was quite lengthy, I believe 7 hours, but I was of course not aware of time and space. The first thing I remember is waking up in the recovery room and asking Molly (I really hope that is actually her name) if I died under anesthesia and her saying “no” :)

The procedure went very well, and my recovery afterwards was standard. I had a family member taking care of me, but they could only arrive a few days after my procedure, so I spent the time in between in a recovery facility. For those interested, I had a good experience at Laguna Village Recovery and can recommend them.

The first week post-op was difficult as I was recovering from the procedure (and effects of the anesthesia) and taking my prescribed medication. After one week, dr. Kwon removed the stints from my nose and stitches. After another week, my cast came off and I flew home the next day.

My nose was very swollen at my cast removal, which was quite frightening but even then, I could see the intended vision. Lilit sent me some table photos of my nose before and right after the procedure and I was over the moon with my results! I pulled up these pictures whenever I felt frustrated with my swelling.
After cast removal, my swelling got worse, before eventually getting better. I noticed a sudden decrease in swelling at around 4 months post-op. At around 6 months post-op I had an in-person consultation where dr. Kwon administered a small dose of Kenalog in the tip of my nose.

At about 6 months post-op, I am halfway through my healing journey, and I am already thrilled with the results!

Even though my procedure went as well as it could have, and my recovery was nothing out of the ordinary, I experienced some challenges along the way (most of which are just inherent to plastic surgery):

1) Swelling. While I knew, intellectually, that it takes at least 1 year to see the results, having to wait that long turned out to be more difficult than I expected. As I was seeking a natural rhinoplasty, having any amount of swelling was quite unsettling as it gave the impression of a more dramatic nose job. On top of that, my swelling was very asymmetrical which gave my nose a crooked appearance. Some days I had additional swelling in the columella region which gave my nose a droopy appearance. I am not exaggerating when I say I looked like a baked potato! At the 3rd month mark my swelling got even worse as my radix area expanded up to my eyes which gave me an extraterrestrial appearance. Mind you, this whole time I was taping my nose constantly and steering clear of things like salt and alcohol.

Around 4 months post-op I started noticing an improvement in my radix. The swelling then remained present in the lower half of my nose. At around 6 months post-op I received a small dose of Kenalog injections in my tip which helped with the swelling in that area. I have another 6 months to go before I can see the final result, so I know my nose will change a lot. I do have residual swelling, but that amount is appropriate for this stage.

All this is to say that while I technically looked presentable (not bruised) after cast removal (so two weeks after the procedure), it was still too early for me to completely return to my normal social activities. The swelling could have been mistaken for a more dramatic nose job and I was not quite comfortable yet.

I also asked for a very subtle upper bleph, and most of the swelling went away within the first two weeks (unevenly though, as one eye ‘dropped’ faster than the other). The crease was of course still red and bumpy, and looked to be cut too deeply. This also improved over the next months, but very slowly. At around 5 months post-op my crease started to look better, and the scar is now barely visible. As my scars keep maturing, the skin above my fold falls more ‘naturally’. I can now say that dr. Kwon gave me exactly was I was looking for. Again, while I was technically presentable about two weeks post-op, I still looked like I had something done, and it took some time before I could go about my usual routine.

2) This one is self-inflicted: I opted for a nose graft using my own rib cartilage instead of a donor rib. While I am still happy with this choice, I have to say I underestimated the pain. I had to rely on someone to help me get up because I could not lean on any side or arm without causing impact on my rib. This pain could be managed with medication and luckily the pain only lasted for about 4 days after which I no longer needed any pain medication. The rib graft was the most painful part of my recovery.

The cut was made under my right breast, in the crease, so it is not noticeable. There is still a (small) scar there, but it keeps getting better over time.

3) I was lucky to not have any complications, so I did not have to fly all the way to the US to manage anything. It is however one of the risks of going abroad for surgery but one I was willing to take. I had an online consultation a few months after the procedure, and it was confirmed that my nose looked appropriate for that stage of the healing process. Especially in the beginning of my recovery, I had quite a few questions, which Lilit helped me with over text or e-mail.

I am so glad I trusted dr. Kwon with my face, and I am thrilled with my results which (if everything goes according to plan) will get even better in the next months.