At the worst of times, things felt uncomfortable vs. being painful

Dr. Edwin Kwon for Mayor!

I come from a family of two anesthesiologists and five surgeons, so choosing the right doctor for my DCF (and septum repair) was an intense process. I literally had a panel of discerning judges up in my business! After hours of my own research on Real Self, Reddit, and other channels, Dr. Kwon was the obvious choice. My family reviewed his CV and papers; they were impressed by his academic achievements in addition to his surgical capabilities.

I live in Canada - so I was worried that booking with Dr. Kwon would be difficult. I emailed his office an inquiry. Lilit got back to me within a few hours. She is the most organized human being ever! She’s beautiful inside and out, which made the whole process a breeze. I had a phone consult the very next day with Dr. Kwon! He answered all my questions warmly, and more than sufficiently. I was totally ready to book, even thought I hadn’t even met him in person. Within 48 hours of the consult, Lilit helped me to complete the paperwork, and pick a surgery date. Very smooth and stress-free.

FYI I spoke to other well-known surgeons in Beverly Hills, Korea, and elsewhere. I liked Dr. Kwon’s aesthetic the most. His skill-set is also unrivalled. I was happy to fly to LA and stay here for the aftercare, even though it would be more costly than doing it locally. You can check out his Instagram and website to get an idea of his work!

Fast-forward to my Pre-op. It was no problem getting to LA. I am fully vaccinated and complied with all Covid and travel requirements. I got to sit with Dr. Kwon and Lilit to go over Pre-/Post-op procedures. There was plenty of time to review any remaining concerns, or questions. My surgery was the following day in Newport.

The surgery center was beautiful. The team working with Dr. Kwon was awesome! I had Jane as my nurse, and a wonderful anesthesiologist. I loved them both. They made me feel so comfortable. It felt like I had a nap when I woke up from the procedure.

My recovery for the first week was almost enjoyable. At the worst of times, things felt uncomfortable, vs. being painful. This is a testament to both Dr. Kwon’s and the anesthesiologist’s abilities! My body transitioned into recovery post-surgery with ease. I could even breathe through my nose somewhat; I had no pain or issues with my throat. The only low-grade discomforts I experienced were with my scalp and ear (where the fascia and cartilage were taken). My nose didn’t hurt. I looked like a dinosaur, which was alarming - but I didn’t really care.

At my one-week Post-op, Dr. Kwon removed my stitches and stents. I basically felt back to normal. He put a new cast on my nose. I went to the Getty Center right after and spent the afternoon touring. At this point, I looked more like an Avatar instead of a T-Rex; things were looking up!

The second week of recovery was totally fine. I visited a gallery or museum each day! I think getting blood gently flowing through my body helped with the speed of my recovery. I was careful to keep my incisions clean, and not exert myself.

At my two-week Post-op, the staples in my scalp were removed. I finally got my cast off! Dr. Kwon showed me how to tape my nose and reviewed aftercare with me.

I’m THRILLED with my results! Even though it will take a few more months for the majority of swelling to go down - I already look like a more refined version of myself. I can’t believe how happy I am!

I’m looking forward to my future Post-ops, because I’ll have an excuse to see Dr. Kwon and Lilit again :)