1 Week Post Liposuction

Hi all, I wanted to share my review and feedback after my liposuction procedure at Girin Plastic Surgery in Gangnam, Seoul, South Korea. I had liposuction on my double chin, jawline, upper arms, braline, stomach and lower back in August 2024.

Reasons for surgery

After turning 30 I had stubborn fat on my lower stomach, braline and double chin which didn't go away. I go to the gym 6 days a week and eat a relatively healthy diet but my stubborn fat is due to genetics. I was thinking of liposuction for a while but wanted to go to a place that performed it safely. I already knew South Korea had one of the safest procedures so decided to travel there for it.

Consultation process

I was already on holiday in South Korea so decided to have a couple of consultations. At the time I didn't know about Docfinder (government body which offers a free service to help you choose your surgery clinic) so I used the Unni app to check out reviews for different clinics. Two top clinics that came up were Girin and Nana.

My first consultation was with Girin. It lasted about 30 minutes and they asked me about my health and surgery desires. The English translator was present at all times. I liked all the translators at the clinic, I thought they did a very good job (Anisa, Monica, Alissa). It's important you speak to the clinic about your body concerns so they can tell you what's achievable. After this, the surgeon Dr. Park Deok Jun came in the room to assess my surgery areas. I found him to be knowledgeable, experienced and realistic. He told me where the incisions would be, which incision scars take longer to heal, where the fat will be removed from. He even advised I didn't need mid-back fat removal. I immediately liked him and felt comfortable with his assessment. After this, the manager then shared a quote with me for the surgery.

The next day I went to Nana Plastic Surgery. The consultation procedure was exactly the same as Girin. Nana's quote was higher than Girin and they also pushed me for more surgical areas which wasn't my desire. I think it's a good clinic but the price was out of my budget and generally I felt more comfortable with Girin because it felt like they really listened to my concerns and didn't push unnecessary surgery onto me.

Even after both consultations, I decided to take some time to think about the surgery as it was my first time doing cosmetic surgery and I wanted to be really sure. So I spent a few weeks whatsapping both clinics a number of questions which I forgot to ask at the clinic consultation. Both clinics responded to all the questions but Girin was the most responsive (Anisa would come back to me within a few hours) and this was the final factor which encouraged me to go with them.

Booking the surgery

When I was finally ready to book the surgery date, I whatsapped the clinic, paid a deposit and they organised the taxi to and from the airport for me.

Pre op exam

2 days before the surgery, I had a pre op exam when the Dr assessed the areas again and spoke to me in detail about the surgery. I then had a urine test, blood test and EKG.

Day of surgery

I fasted for 12 hours then on the day I changed into the surgery gown, brushed my teeth and had mouth wash. I was feeling nervous but the translator helped me the whole way through. The doctor drew the surgical lines on my body and then I took professional photos. Then it was time for the surgery. At this time I was feeling nervous but within seconds I was administered general anesthesia and slept. Surgery was over in 6 hours.

Post surgery

When I woke up I was shivering a lot and my blood pressure was low. The nurses are fantastic, they administered IV for me, dressed me in my compression garment and took me to the recovery room where I rested for 2 hours. After this, I was able to walk to the hotel myself (my hotel was nearby).

Recovery

I was able to recover without needing a guardian but it will definitely help you if someone is around. The first 24 hours were the most difficult for me as I was feeling tired, had a lot of swelling, and felt stiff and sore. It was difficult getting in and out of bed, I slept for most of the time. Before the surgery I had stocked up on pumpkin juice, arnica tablets, lots of water and food for the first few days. I took the medication as the clinic advised, for 7 days. After the first 24 hours, things started feeling better for me. Although the swelling was at it's peak for the first 72 hours, I started moving my arms and body more. I made sure to eat healthy and go for a walk every day. Bandages were changed after a couple of days. I'm now 7 days post op and will keep you updated on my recovery.

I'm writing a follow up to my initial post. This is a 1 month post op review of the liposuction I had at Girin Plastic Surgery.

7 day check up
I started to feel a lot better after week 1 and was able to move around freely however I had lumps in my arms so I couldn't move my arms around properly. I went for my day 7 check up and stitches removal. This did not hurt and was over very quickly. Doctor Park Deok Jun saw me and said I was healing as normal. He explained its normal for lumps and bumps in the beginning and this should resolve itself over the next couple of months.

Week 1 to 4
After the post op appointment, I flew back home. Over the next 4 weeks I had manual lymphatic drainage massages which helped a lot with fluid retention. The lumps and bumps became softer. I drank lots of water and ate a health diet. Every week my body contour was improving and I am looking better each time. It takes 3 to 6 months to see the full results so it's important to keep your after care up. So far I am very happy with my results. I can see a huge difference on my arms and double chin. My stomach has gone down a lot but it still has swelling so it will go down even more. My clothes from before are already loose. I had 1900ml taken from my stomach and 1200 from my arms and face.

I will publish a post at 3 months :)

3 month review

This is my 3 month review. By now, the swelling has gone and the lumps have fully gone too from my arms and stomach. I can see a fantastic shape being formed. I wore the garment for 12 weeks and regularly massaged the areas myself by hand. I also use a dry brush before showering.

I cannot believe how much of a curvy body I have now. It is so beautiful and I am extremely happy with my results. I would say however please try your best to refrain from eating unhealthily after surgery. I stayed healthy for the first 1 month but then I have been eating unhealthily and I can already see my weight increasing. So I need to be more disciplined with my food and exercise otherwise the results will not stay the same.

Overall this is the best decision I made. I have so much more confidence and can actually wear sleeveless tops as well as tight bodycon dresses - i could not do this before. Thank you Dr Park Deok Jun - you are a genius!