tummy tuck at 43 alone in Seoul

Gave birth 26 years ago, no matter how skinny or how much I exercised, the excess skin and flabby tummy is forever and real.

I am born 1980, easier for u to calculate age regardless when you reading this. I been contemplating this surgery for as long as I know it existed but let's be honest about the pricing, it's not cheap.

I have known Doctor Kim since 2017 when he did my lower eye blepharoplasty, he has main fingers and I been going back to Regen hospital since, having routine PRP, and 2 fat graft done in his hospital but by another medical director (See previous review if you need details).

Regen Medical has ceased operations and Dr Kim started his own establishment "Wooa" in Apujeong, just 5 mins walk away from Apujeong station Exit 4.

- lack of waist line curve
- bulging tummy, belly fats
- diastasis recti

I need to emphasise that I am an active person, working out more than 3 times a week, clocking in 5-8 hours weekly which includes strength training in gym, cardio in spin classes and dancing, I also train my flexibility taking contortion classes but despite so, my tummy issues never go away, even during my peak form, it shows as unflattering excess skin which bothers me.

Especially after 40 when my physical form changes as I put on weight even though my diet remains the same.

At 43 I decided to rid it once and for all - yolo, I always wished for a better physique and I also want to talk about my suffering for diastasis recti since after giving birth 26 years ago, weak non existent core muscle, weak pelvic muscle which leads to urinary incontinence when I cough and I hates it. Again I want to emphasise that I do train and stretch on a frequent basis but it does nothing much.

0900hrs - I had my appointment for consultation, blood test and surgery on Dec 23, 2023 in Wooa, Seoul, South Korea.

I was assigned a non English speaking coordinator even though I have requested for one, the English speaking coordinator was not around, there was no replacement and they assigned a mandarin speaking because I’m Chinese. I can speak mandarin but discussing about the options, surgery, downtime and aftercare - I preferred it to be English, for this I’m rather disappointed. Talking about aftercare, I was given no information after my aftercare because there was no English or Mandarin speaking staff when I woke up from my surgery, there was a very kind and helpful caregiver at the medical institution though. 1 yes only 1, mayb because it is Dec 24, Christmas Eve.

I vaguely remembered in pain and cold when I was awaken to be shifted to the resting room from operating theater, shivering and crying.
Was then put on painkiller drip and in warm clothes thereafter, they also gave me extra blanket and I’m sleeping in heated bedding. I slept through out until 9pm ish and I asked for water. I also remembered drinking 3 bottles of water at 1 go and then regretted ????. Just to explain, I been fasting since I arrive at Wooa at 9am, no water and food until I woke up. The 3 bottles of water tasted like magic but then after a tummy tuck, unsure if I can walk or sit up, I panicked after drinking, worrying about using toilet if needed.

It was uncalled for. I can sit up with some help holding the rail of the bed, slight discomfort along the lower abdominal area, it was numb, can’t feel a thing, instead I just felt that skin was pulled tight and I have to be careful. No issues going to the loo, or dressing myself.

I strongly recommend that you rest for the night in the hospital where u have tummy tuck, for this I’m grateful to Wooa who recommended this. There was no extra charge to it. The remote controlled adjustable reclining bed is a god sent after the surgery. Aftercare for surgery is important. The caregiver was getting me water and food (Congee), switching on and off the lights, adjusting my painkiller drip, room temperature and covering me with ample blanket for warmth.

Day 2 after surgery was manageable, movement slow but I can walk, bend slightly, wear my own clothes and use the toilet without help.

For this again, I would like to express my disappointment that Wooa didn’t arrange my transport back to where I’m staying even though I have requested for it, and the caregiver didn’t know how to do it either. As mentioned above, there was no one else, I tried to contact the English speaking coordinator via WhatsApp but was told to hail a taxi off the street myself. At that moment, I’m just utterly disappointed because I just had a major surgery (tummy tuck), with a post surgery drain on me, alone, I do not speak Korean and taxi drivers in Korea do not speak English at all. It was also snowing, temperature -5 to -10 and I was sent out to the street to hail a taxi myself on Christmas Eve. Yes, even after I have put in the request for them to arrange a taxi in advance, of which I will pay the ride myself but it was overlooked. I’m indeed a survivor.

I have mixed feelings about Wooa, my surgery was done perfectly by Dr Park Young Ran, I can see the nice waistline and flat tummy immediately after the surgery but the aftercare is almost non existent. I been with Regen since 2017, their service is so good and I’m been so well taken care of - it doesn’t matter that I always go Seoul alone for my procedures but for this trip, I am disappointed, not with the surgery or doctor but with the hired staff.

There was also no aftercare information at all, I have a bag of medicine that I do not know if I have to eat before or after meals, I do not if there is anything that I should not or should be doing after surgery, I don’t know if I can shower, I know nothing, I remembered being told that I should pour away the fluid in the drain from the wound if it is more than 2/3 but do not know how. I was told by caregiver to measure how much fluid was poured away if I did pour away. I only know that I should come back on Tuesday, Dec 26 to see the doctors and remove the stitches but I do not know what time too.

I was given zero information.

I’m blessed though, post surgery next day, I actually hailed a taxi off the street on Christmas Eve and managed to alight somewhere near where I’m staying and walked back in snow. Yes I can walk and I got back safely.

I rested for abit then I went out to get food. Walking is slower than usual but manageable, nothing to abstain from, I had seafood ramen and sashimi thereafter. I even went Seoul tower the next day on Christmas.

I did contact the English speaking coordinator via whatsapp to get the green lights for walking and all the lacking information, I felt bad to be disturbing him during Christmas but I also feel sorry for myself that the aftercare is so lousy.

I believe the cold makes everything more manageable because wearing the waist band feels more like protecting me from the cold, I can wear a coat to cover up the drain and I will not be sweating in winter.