Here’s my story on how I hid my under eye bags permanently! That extra luggage that just sits on your face gets super annoying and I couldn’t deal anymore.. it needed to go!! Living in California you are exposed to the term “plastic surgery” very easily, but that is not true for other parts of the world. It’s such a huge deal in other places that people would never dream of changing their bodies and going under “the knife”. EXCEPT when you live in Seoul, Korea, it’s actually hard to find someone from Korea who hasn’t had some form of surgery.
{lets talk about blepharoplasty}
Medical tourism is a huge money maker in Korea, meaning foreigners will fly to Seoul for medical procedures and stay for a week or two (sometimes shorter), then fly back home to fully recover. Common procedures are done to the face, particularly with the eyes known as blepharoplasty. There are several forms and I’m going to share my FULL experience here.. be prepared, this is going to be lengthy.. I wanted to make one post so you could bookmark for reference easily if you decide to go this route. Let me preface this by saying I was NOT compensated for this post and the decisions were 100% mine with zero influence.
It’s so hard to find “reputable” bloggers who would actually write about changing something on their face. Initially, I didn’t want to even mention it on my social media. Why would I want to tell the world “I got plastic surgery”?! Starting to sound like an MTV special. But I’m so glad I did.. the amount of messages/inquiries I got after posting my first IG stories about the procedure I had done was incredible. That’s when I knew I made a good decision to share my personal experiences of:
- being a foreigner living in Korea
- getting plastic surgery
- a foreigner living in Korea who got plastic surgery..
{investment talk}
It’s such a hush hush topic among the elite pretty girls of the world.. but I’m so glad I went against my intuition because I want to spread the word on my particular procedure and I’m not at all ashamed of it. Sure, sure, beauty is from within.. but ahem, our face is an investment that will carry us for a lifetime and it’s the first thing people see when you meet them, so why not put forth the effort to maintain your facial business card?
Since I don’t speak Korean, I had a friend come with me that could translate as I went from clinic to clinic in case there was a language barrier. I didn’t want to get ripped off and I also wanted help singling out the shady places. Gangnam, Apgujeong is a very popular place for plastic surgery in Korea, so we started there to gauge cost, doctors, and services. I jotted down three places prior to our consulting trip so I had a base of reviews to go by.
Protip: You DON’T need appointments with most clinics, you can walk in and ask for a consult and usually they can accommodate you. Only 1-2 places said we needed an appointment, but there are hundreds of clinics, so getting turned away isn’t a big deal. These were the places I personally stopped at for my FREE consultations:
- JK Plastic Surgery – Beverly Hills type of clinic with white marble aesthetics and plenty of english speakers – huge foreign marketing. Private consult rooms.
- The Line Plastic Surgery – Pricing on point with the others, but didn’t have the right feels – office just didn’t seem inviting (not the tall office building pictured on the site).. this mattered to me..
- Good Line Plastic Surgery – Pricing was half off of what was typically estimated, Korean language only – caters to Koreans. Aesthetics were great with all white and pink touches. (at the time of this review, their website was no longer in operation – very interesting…) In case it gets restored, this was the english link here but did find their Korean link was still functioning here.
- Dream Plastic Surgery – well known place and huge with celebrities from Singapore and other asian countries. Massive waiting room which made it seem like they can get pretty busy and high turn around. Really helpful and stayed late to answer all my questions.
{the lowdown on the consult for eye bags}
Each was pretty similar in that they sit down and consult with you individually. You wait your turn (usually this takes about 10 minutes with the exception of JK Plastic Surgery which took about an hour because the doctor was in surgery and I waited to talk with him). The manager/consultant brings you to a more private room and you let them know what kind of surgery you want done and they provide you with whatever information your surgery entails. They explain the surgery costs as well so there’s no shying away from the financial part of it. It’s up to you if you want to stay and talk with the doctor who will perform the surgery (recommend if you are really interested in a place – they give you their PhD recommendation on the way forward). There were two kinds recommended for me; fat repositioning and fat removal of the under eyes. Since mine weren’t too bad (I’m not 60 years old, just need a little help), I got the fat repositioning to basically fill in where the eye bag forms. This surgery has no scaring because the small incision is made underneath/behind the lower eyelid while you’re under heavy anesthesia and zero stitches.
I had my work cut out for me to figure out who I was going to let CUT OPEN my FACE! This was probably the most stressful part of the whole process. Someone was going to change my face and I didn’t want to chance that to someone who was inexperienced, I couldn’t communicate with, or I felt like I wasn’t going to be valued as a patient. After a few more hours spent googling my final two; since Yelp doesn’t exactly exist in Korea, I used their website and Facebook to see how many likes and reviews they received. With this I made my final decision. I went with JK Plastic Surgery with Dr. Kim.
Not only did they check all the boxes as far as personalized care, english language, price, and great reviews on Facebook and a website that was extremely helpful, the clinic itself is beautiful! When I first saw the outside, I was afraid of how much this place was going to be with the aesthetics alone. They are on par with some extremely nice clinics on Rodeo Drive (from what I’ve seen and because I watch reality TV.. duh) and the staff exemplifies this. My consultant I worked with (shout out to Gemma), was amazing!! Answered all my questions via text after I left the clinic – her english was awesome because she lived and worked in LA for a few years before moving back to Korea..
I followed up on a Monday and booked my appointment for Friday of the same week. When it comes to medicine in Korea, it is plentiful and you can always book an appointment within a reasonable amount of time. I have no patience (not trying to be punny) for hospitals that give care and it involves coming back in “weeks” or “months”.
{surgery day and timeline – make these designer bags go away – k thanks}
I was told to fast for 6 hours prior to my surgery time to include no water, wear no nail polish (affects the machine that monitors your vitals on your finger during surgery), and I recognized I needed to bring my contact lens case and glasses for post surgery.
9:30 am – Arrive to the clinic to check health and ensure you are ready for surgery two hours prior to surgery time.
9:35- 10:30am – Draw blood, checking my heart, blood pressure, temperature – beware, you are given pajamas to wear instead of your street clothes. I hadn’t shaved my legs and the pants were short on me. Hair city… shave at least your lower ankles ladies.. you’re welcome.
10:30am – Sign all consent forms
10:40am – Pass out (literally, I passed out from being dehydrated and hungry). During the consent form signing and hearing about how I might get nauseous, I think the nervousness got to me and I passed the eff out. Luckily I was sitting down and just kind of rolled to my side. I don’t recommend this, but figured I would share my details. Gemma helped me out so much here.. she got me a little cup of water to help.
10:45am – Pass out.. again. At this point I was worried they weren’t going to operate. I knew I was ok, I wasn’t sure they knew that. Sometimes when I get my blood drawn (especially when ordered to fast) my body’s nerves can’t handle it and I’ve been known to pass out. They were very gracious in helping me this time off the floor and onto a chair. Major love you guys! I recuperated and finished the consent forms. Phew!
11:00 – 12:45pm – I was brought to a room with a bunch of beds but it felt individual because they could close the curtains so you don’t actually see other people hanging out waiting their turn for surgery. Probably 20 beds in this waiting room. You get your own locker with locker combo you create so leaving your valuables isn’t a problem. My original time was for 11:30am but the doctor had a patient that needed more time in surgery before me – I was ok with this, it happens and I had a bed to lie in.. besides I figured I would want him to spend extra time on me if necessary. Multi-task if you want and bring a laptop if you’re gangster on surgery day.
12:45pm – 3pm (approximately) – The consultant came and got me to get prepped for surgery. I put on a cap and slippers and headed to the operating room. It was all blue and felt like something in an old school Grey’s Anatomy episode. The doctor drew lines on my face where my eye bags were prominent. The anesthesiologist came in to give me my happy juice and send me on the way to dreamland. Moments before I was talking about how I was going to eat burgers and pizza and asked how soon after surgery I could eat. I was kinda nervous at this point but Gemma (the consultant) literally was making me feel better with the Mom voice I needed.. She was soothing and assured me I would be fine and I couldn’t have asked for a better person to be there (for someone I just met) by my side at that point. Lights OUT!
4pm – wake up. I feel warm and my eyes don’t feel good. I must have been given a heat pad to lay on top of and was placed just outside the operating room doors. I think they just like to monitor patients immediately after surgery and basically let you wake up on your own. I remember waking up and moving my fingers and toes to almost signal I was starting to come to. I had a compress on my face and I wondered how it went. Someone came by and removed the compress and I asked if I could open my eyes. My response was “do I have to?!”… Those effers hurt like someone took sandpaper to them. I used all my might to squeeze them open till just enough light shined in to ensure they could be opened. I was helped into a wheelchair to be taken back to my bed so I could relax a bit longer. Apparently I was being extra and a wheelchair isn’t typical.. yup.
4:00 – 6PM – Rest, relax, and ignore the scratchy pain coming from my eyes. I did not anticipate having to “rest” this much. I felt fine for the most part, but there was no way I was going to be able to open my eyes much. The ointment they put in my eyes I think was the culprit to the scratchiness.
Day one is over.. Finally made it back home and before I left the clinic I ate a small sandwich for my first meal of the day. I took another nap when I got home because I think I was just so exhausted and I’m guessing the meds they gave me made me feel groggy.
{road to recovery – caution.. very incriminating & unflattering pics from here on out}
One thing I didn’t know before agreeing to the surgery was NOT being able to wear makeup or contacts for TWO WEEKS!! What!? I could handle a few days but TWO weeks of not wearing any makeup or contacts? Geez, this was like a double whammy. My fault for not asking..
The next couple of days were the worst in waking up.. my eyes had some crusty ass junk in them that I can only guess was a mixture of the ointment, medicated drops, and whatever disgusting puss my eyes created. If you want real, there it is. I woke up, didn’t open my eyes and blindly went to the bathroom to splash water on them till the gunk loosened up and I could pat them dry with a clean towel. I cleaned up my face (water only) and had some bruising appear on the second day. A small amount of blood would appear too from under the eyes.. totally normal.
The doctor put some tape on the eyes where the eye bags were to compress the area. My surgery was on a Friday and on Monday I went back to remove the tapes (day 4 below shows no tapes) and get a laser facial treatment to help with swelling and bruising. The facial lasted only 20 minutes and was basically a bright light that shined around your face.
I took pictures daily for the first week to show the changes then each week “anniversary” thereafter.. I went from bruised and swollen to looking like a yellow bruised panda, to having little bruises my glasses perfectly covered up. The very next day I was up and walking around and living life as if the surgery hadn’t happened (sorry to all the random strangers I’m sure I freaked out – I wasn’t sick). I kind of liked not having to spend a full hour getting ready by doing my makeup.. I just focused on keeping my hair cute and throwing on clothes that made me feel better about my bruised face. For those of you who aren’t blind, you could cover your eyes easily with sunglasses.. I couldn’t do that because I’m blind as a mother-effing bat and need my glasses.
These are the daily pictures from day of surgery to week 1 – obviously with zero makeup and absolutely no filters on these photos – sorry for the very angry faces in advance:
I took a picture on day 8 because it was after I went in for a de-swelling and moisturizing facial and wanted to show the immediate effects. Not sure why my hair looks so light there..
and presenting one full month, post blepharoplasty surgery:
I wasn’t allowed to workout for two weeks.. so I walked a lot and got my 10K steps in. As soon as it hit 2 weeks, I resumed my normal running workouts on the treadmill and everything (newly moved fat) stayed in place! I was instructed to not do any yoga or super strenuous activity for four weeks. Sleep with your head elevated above your heart.. I do this regardless because I swear it helps with facial swelling on a normal day to day basis.
That’s the low-down of the surgery timeline. I’m currently just starting week 6 and week 8 is apparently where you are at the most optimum in recovery. I still see minor changes daily where my face is settling in and swelling continues to go down. It’s still a little tender under the eyes so I’m extra careful when putting on creams and doing my makeup. I try not to wear my contacts as long as I did prior to help let the healing process. My face particularly in week 4 would feel like it wanted to twitch at times (no clue if this is normal, but it seems to have passed this phase).
The takeaway for quick reference:
- no make-up or contacts for about 2 weeks
- majorly bruised for a week
- first couple of days are the worst but it gets better
- no rigorous workouts for 2 weeks
- no yoga or swimming for 4 weeks
- no spicy or salty foods for the first couple days (because affects the swelling)
- no alcohol for a month (again swelling – I had a few sips here and there)
- no saunas because the steam irritates the eyes.. I had soup and it had the same effect
- bring a friend to at least meet and help get you home (DO THIS.. no matter how tough you are, you need a friend)
I’m not saying you should get under eye plastic surgery, but if you are thinking about taking more drastic measures, I wanted to be as clear as possible of what to expect. Obviously everyone heals and feels pain differently. This is my story as someone who has never has any form of plastic surgery or even broken a bone..
Am I happy with the results so far? ABSOEFFINGLUTELY.. I can notice a major difference and while it’s not 100% flat (this is probably what makes you plastic if it was), I forget I had it done and half expect to see the baggy eyes when I look in the mirror. As I write this, my allergies are going nuts with the yellow dust we are dealing with in Korea and while I can tell my eyes are affected, it still looks like I got a well rested 8 hours of sleep (which I did not). Make the best choice for yourself, but make it for you!
The picture below is starting week 6 with make-up on but zero filter in the worst bathroom lighting of all time – see “morning of surgery” pic above if you already forgot..
COST!! Based on the clinics I went to, the range was from 900,000 – 2,700,000 Korean won. This translates to about $846 – $2,538 (USD). For my procedure, I ended up paying around $2,115 (2,250,000 Korean won), so basically mid-range – and they take all credit cards. For me, it was a small price to pay and a lot saved on ridiculously overpriced creams and concealers that might work.
Feel free to write me ANY questions in the comments section… I’m still fresh from surgery and wanna help!
Hi Brigette! You look stunning, even without the surgery! Some questions for you – do you remember your surgeon’s name? I hear that they move around from clinic to clinic so it’s more important to follow the surgeon rather than going to the clinic. What made you decide on this specific clinic? I guess my question is – what made you confident choosing this clinic? Did they say it’s a permanent procedure?
Hi Willow! I appreciate the kind words! My surgeon’s name was Dr. KIM SUNG SIK. I’m not sure he’s still there but to my understanding, he had been there awhile so most likely he is – but you can definitely ask about him specifically. I chose this clinic basically because it was the one that made me feel the most comfortable and welcoming and I felt like I could ask anything. The price point also was good. During my original consult they did say that it was permanent, but that possibly in my older age, like 60s, I might choose to get it again if I felt the need. 100% worth it!
Hi! Loved this post! It’s been since 2018 since you had this done. Are you still happy with the results? I know that some people mention hollowing a few years later. Are you having this issue? Thank you
Hi Ashley! So happy this post was helpful! I’m still very happy with my results. I will say sometimes I feel like I still have some bags, but honestly it’s really just skin or lack of sleep/water. As soon as I get both, I really don’t see issues and believe me I would notice. I don’t have any hollowing at all. I’m sure everyone has different results years later, but I’m still so happy I made this decision for myself!
How much was the surgery? And did you have the fat removed or repositioned?
I don’t remember exactly, but I think it’s somewhere in the blog post. It was around $2,000 USD. Everyone is different though, so you may pay more/less than I did.
Thanks for your post. It was really helpful! I live in Seoul and am thinking of getting a consult at JK. Do you think I need to take a Korean speaker with me? Or would I be able to handle things in English on my own?
Hi Michelle! Not sure if this is too late of a response, but you don’t need to bring a Korean speaker with you as JK has English speakers to help with your consultation and any surgeries you decide to get!
Thanks! I still haven’t gone due to Corona delays. So this information is very helpful.
Yeah that has been a pain to deal with, but hopefully with cases going down and the vaccine things will change soon! Glad it helped!
Hi Brigitte,
Did you try tear through filler (Restylane or Botero) before fat repositioning surgery or you just Only fat repositioning and never tried filler? I am on the fence between them but I am so nervous about surgery. I don’t know should I try filler 1st or Will filler effect the fat repositioning surgery later if i choice surgery way (as I know they can migrate, clump and body create capsulated hard to dissolve with hydroclonidase) please excuse my English. Thanks and much love ❤️
Hi Vi Davis,
I did try fillers for my under eyes and it had zero effect which is why I knew surgery would be the only way to make a difference. I believe I did Juvederm with no luck (but that’s just me). Hope that helps!!
Hi! Thank you so much for your bravery and sharing what most try to hide! There’s got to be a reason why no one in Hollywood has eye bags half of them are getting this surgery 🙂 My question is whether you had undereye hallows vs. just bags prior to the surgery and whether they were filled in with the fat repositioning. I have hallows and bags so hoping that this will help! If you know anyone who has gotten this done in NYC or have a DR rec please let me know
So glad this blog helped! Sorry for the late response! I had eye bags and not really hallowed eyes, but this type of surgery can be catered to what you need. Mine was repositioning of the fat. I hope you are able to find someone near you!
Hi Brigitte! Why did you decide to get the surgery done in Korea versus in the U.S.?
Hi Helen! I got it done in Korea because I was living there at the time. After much research, found they’re really superior with this particular surgery and cost significantly less than in the US. 🙂
Hi, Brigitte, do you have any hard lumps at the fat repositioning area throughout the healing process?
Hi Ben! Sorry for the late reply! I don’t have any hard lumps now or during the recovery process. 🙂
Hi there! I know this is kind of off-topic but I needed to ask.
Does building a well-established blog such as yours require a lot of
work? I am brand new to operating a blog however I do write in my diary everyday.
I’d like to start a blog so I can easily share my own experience and
feelings online. Please let me know if you have any kind of ideas or tips for brand new aspiring
bloggers. Thankyou!
I’m a dude. I just had fat repositioning done a week ago in Seoul. My bags and hollowed out areas below the eyes have disappeared. Did you have any bleeding during recovery? I had some for 3 mornings.
I’m finding now that my lower eyelids and the immediate areas/corners around it are a bit darker than before. Did you have similar experience? Do I just need more time to recover?
Congrats on the surgery! Sorry for the late response.. I’m glad it sounds like the surgery overall went well. I did have some minor bleeding a couple days following the surgery, especially when I woke up or when my eyes seemed to water a bit in the day, but not dripping with blood, more like tears mixed with blood. Another friend of mine had the same, so I feel this is normal.
It takes a solid 6 months up to a year to FULLY recover for some. I don’t think I had any darker areas after, but this is also dependent on skin tone and varies for different people. Over time, I would think this would even out, kind of like when you skin a knee and the skin becomes dark before it returns to the normal skin pigmentation. Hope the recovery has been positive for you! Please consult with your doctor if you feel you are experiencing something out of the norm..
My wife (Korean) told me that I should consider trying this operation the next time we visit Seoul. Googling and this post came up. Thanks for sharing your experience. Is operation the only option Seoul offers to get rid of the bags? What about botox? Or some shot? Two weeks of recovery is a long time. I`m kinda scared after reading your post… haha. 2 Grand?! That`s a good reason to decline my wife`s suggestion. BTW, you look really familiar… instahusband….
Hello Robert! Of course, I realized when I was wanting to do the procedure myself, there wasn’t a lot of available information out there that was genuine or in depth at all. Figured this was key information that could help a lot of people! The clinics offer several different eye procedures and will tailor the surgery to you. There are a few different techniques depending on your level of fat, puffiness, eye shape, etc. You can also do fillers depending on your situation. Fillers didn’t work for me, but you could probably do a combination of surgery and fillers if necessary. The two weeks is just visibility of the bruises. I was back to work and functioning after a few days. I was out and about the very next day, I just looked like I was maybe in a bar brawl. ha! For me the money was worth it because of the money I was throwing into creams, fillers, etc. and it wasn’t doing the trick. Plus it’s preventative for deeper wrinkles! Instahusband21 is my actual husband!! Are you familiar with his work? haha!
Hi, could you please tell me why fillers didn’t work for you? I just had fillers and I hate them and want to get them dissolved so this now might be what I will probably do in the future. Also, are you aware of any good clinics in the us that do this?
Oh wow thank you for the blog with all the necessary details.
If I go to the clinic website I can video talk with them to figure out what I need to be done ( wrinkles) under my eyes?
Hi Twee Lee, I’m not 100% sure since I went in person, but typically clinics do have video chat available for their consultations and at the very least, they’ll have you send in photographs to make a very generic recommendation for your particular case until they can meet you in person. Hope that helps!
Hi Brigitte, thanks for sharing your experience. It makes me feel better in a way seeing this whole community can relate. I can’t tell you how glad I am to have stumbled upon your blog. This is so informative as it is meaningful. Let me quit rambling. Did you have to pay an all at once fee? Are there payment options available for the surgery? Again, thank you.
Hi Brigitte,
What a great post! Thank you for sharing your story 🙂
I wanted to ask you whether this was a non-incision procedure or the one with the incision?
Thanks in advance! You look absolutely gorgeous xx
Hello Ella, this was an incision procedure, but they went underneath the inside of my lower eyelid, so there was no visible incision point and the stitches went away on their own, so no painful removal! Thank you so much for your positive words. I wish you all the best!
Good work , very interesting post, If you have time maybe you can check mine, have a wonderful day.
Hi Stacy, thanks for reading the post! Will be sure to check out your page. Happy 2020!
Eye bag removal in will not only rejuvenate your skin but will also help you in getting rid of these fluffy eyelids that are affecting your looks or limiting your field of vision.
Hello Safdar Ali! Absolutley!! Anything to help keep the skin looking and feeling young!
Hey, Brigitte i read out your all blog and i really appreciated your efforts and patients too. You really work hard and believe in GOD massive respect for you.Do you really think that after surgery it would not be come again? I am facing these issues and i really want to get rid from this problem my age is just 21 and my face looks so terrible and bad every body taunt me over this my power is so low but NOW after read your BLOG i feel i have power and i can do it. Thanks a lot girl. GOD BLISS YOU
Hi Kulsoom,
Thanks for reading and for the positive words! I guess there is always the chance the eye bags will come back. Our skin is ALWAYS changing and you still have to take care of it. I will cross that bridge if it comes. But it was worth it to do it, than continue using the creams and serums that weren’t doing the trick for me. I’m sure your face doesn’t look terrible, but I totally understand the feeling! I hope I was able to calm any nerves or answer questions you had from this blog post.. Whatever you decide, I’m sure will be best for you.. Thank you!!
Hi Brigitte, I enjoyed reading your article, I have only 2 weeks in Korea is thAt enough time to get the Eye under surgery? Thanks
Hi Brigitte thanks a lot for sharing your experience most of them who get these procedures done and pretend like they didn’t do anything. I have a question when did you get this done? And is Dr Kim just a plastic surgeon or is he a oculoplastic surgeon because I saw some videos where they tell us that an oculoplastic is the one who performs surgeries around the eyes. Will they be able to give me my old look back? I developed eye bags 2 months back it happened overnight and I tried a lot of medicines but nothing really worked. From the past 3 days it’s started coming in my right eye too. It’s really depressing I just can’t stop thinking about it I can’t sleep. Feel like ending my life. I’m really scared of needles and hospitals. I’m 31 years old. I’m worried whether it will come back again after surgery.
Hello Tia!
Sorry to hear about your eye bags as I know it can really affect your life!
I’m not sure if Dr. Kim is called an oculoplastic surgeon, all I know is that he is a plastic surgeon with a wealth of experience. I fully trusted him and would return if I needed to for any reason!
I know you can do consults over the phone via video or if you send in pictures. Maybe see what they say and if the procedure is for you. I also hate needles so I just never look when they have to put one anywhere near me. All patients have different results, but I will say that I’m still pretty happy with mine after having it done almost 1.5 years ago!
Are there chances of it coming back again in future after surgery?? What does the doctor have to say about it? Do you see yours coming back?I’m not someone who uses make up so it’s even more depressing everytime I look in the mirror.
Hello Tina,
I did ask the doctor if there was a chance it would come back and he said maybe when I’m 60 or just much older. This was something I was willing to accept and take the chance on. Everyone heals and changes over time differently. You still have to take care of your skin as if you never had the surgery. I see mine looking a little different compared to 3 months after surgery, but that’s because it can take 9-12 months for the swelling to completely go down, which is why my “bags” that are left, are noticeable compared to 3 months after surgery. I will say that the “bags” left are doable. When I see pictures of myself from before, there is a distinct difference. A lot of my eye bags are due to lack of sleep now, and I do see a difference when I get enough sleep, drink water and apply make up as the “cherry on top”. I hope you get when you need whether that be from surgery or other methods such as creams or extra sleep!
How come you are pretty happy but not fully happy with the results? Have you head that the fat repositioning into the tear trough breaks the tear trough and therefore can cause cheek droopiness later on in life?
The blepharoplasty was one of best decisions I’ve ever made in my life. When I look at old photos, I can instantly tell it was pre-surgery. Even after all this time (around 6 years now I think), the surgery hasn’t caused any negative issues such as cheek droopiness. The results look the same!
Hi Brigitte,
So just to clarify, you choose Korea for the procedure because they have a safer approach to the incision? After the surgery, how long did you stay in Korea and were you comfortable being there alone?
Warm wishes,
Hi Caroline! Sorry for the delay, been trying to catch up on admin stuff here on the blog.. I chose Korea for a few reasons.
1) They are at the top of their game with plastic surgery.
2) Often times more surgical experience than anywhere else.
3) Cost is much cheaper than in the states.
4) I currently live here, so convenience was also key.
I would recommend staying for about 4-5 days after surgery, only to help with the pressure if you plan on flying, although if you can only manage 2-3, I think that is sufficient. I didn’t have any follow up appointments because the stitches dissolved themselves. I was comfortable being on my own and I don’t speak any Korean. My consultant was always with me unless I was just “waiting” for my surgery time, and even then, she checked on me often! Hope that answers everything!
Omg thank you so much. It’s so hard to find other people’s experiences with this, especially one as throrough as yours. I just got mine done and am so nervous and anxious for my results. I feel like my left eye is still puffier but it’s been literally two days so I’m probably overreacting looking at your photos.
I was wondering now that it’s been some time since you’ve healed, if you don’t get that much sleep the night before do you get still get any bags? I know you mentioned in another comment it’s supoosed to be a very permanent thing but I was wondering if it helps even when it’s totally normal and acceptable times to have bags. I’m just not sure if it’s meant to make your eyes more like a normal persons that pops out under circumstances or eliminate the option entirely. I tried to ask my doctor but because my Korean is pretty awful I don’t think he really understood what I was saying.
Hi Sarah! So sorry for the delay! Appreciate you leaving a comment!
I hope the healing has subsided and you are on your way to having bagless eyes! I will say that if I go several nights without sleep, it can still show in my eyes and face for that matter. It is a surgical miracle, however, you can’t be sleep deprived and expect to still have zero bags. Sometimes I do think “oh no, is it not working”, but I look at old pics and am instantly reminded of what it DID look like.
I asked my doctor the same and he said I shouldn’t have to worry about it till maybe 60, if that!
Is it 100% flat? no. But I do see a difference when I get ample sleep and drink plenty of fluids. Hope that helps! Where did you go for your procedure??
Hi Brigitte,
Aloha from Hawaii, your once/forever island home! Thank you so much for such a detailed and candid post about your experience! My only question is: how the heck can you still be so beautiful all swollen and bruised?! Seriously… The procedure only enhanced what was already an unbelievably gorgeous face!
Side note – for those readers who may be wondering if you’re as friendly, genuine, candid, and down-to-earth as you come across on your posts/social media, etc. I can attest that you are! From the moment we met years ago, you have always remained consistent and true. Equally as beautiful on the inside as you are on the outside! Is that even possible? Yes it is, you are living proof!
Much love <3
Hi Janel!
You are such a sweetheart! Thanks for reading this novel, and I’m so glad you found it helpful. You are far too kind. Probably some of THE most unflattering pics, so the fact you feel I’m still “pretty” means a lot. 🙂
You really made my day with your comment and I truly appreciate you taking the time to jot down your thoughts. Hope to run into you when I’m back on the islands!!
Im happy that I stumbled upon your blog. I’ve been noticing that my eye bags have been getting worse lately. I was initially going to get my nose done in Korea but I thought to myself that I would rather focus on my bags first. After seeing yours, I was convinced. Can I pls get the full name of the Dr that did yours? I know you mentioned Dr Kim but I feel like there will be a lot of Dr Kim at that clinic. I would love to go to the Dr that did yours. Thank you for sharing a personal experience.
Hi Shey!
Yes, I highly recommend the eyes over the nose. I feel like you can get your nose done just about anywhere and you’ll be ok since it’s a pretty routine surgery in most places. Blepharoplasty is just that way in Korea, i.e. routine. The name of my doctor was KIM SUNG SIK, M.D. My particular consultant, Gemma, went to another clinic, but they have a ton of english speakers there!
Let them know you heard it from the blog post! Let me know if you have any other questions!
Hi sweetie I’m so glad you got your procedure done in South Korea! As a Vietnamese woman in early 30s, I got dark circles under my eyes from out of nowhere… it happened almost overnight 🙁 I got some insomnia, then the dark circles/puffy eyes followed and I got depression (real depression, I’m talking about mental illness here) mainly because of that, I guess I have been so obsessed with how I look since my teenage. Each time my memory reminds me of how flawless I used to look a year ago, I feel so hurt and it makes me depression even worse. I know negativity doesn’t help (plus I am a Buddhist who is very aware that everything is IMPERMANENT) but I just fall into that loop of looking at myself in the mirror then feel so depressed about myself. I’m so glad to have come across your blog. Have you ever heard of ID Clinic? And do you have any idea how is it compared to JW? Thanks 🙂
Hi O. Henry!
Your comment was so personal and I thank you for sharing your personal experience with how your dark circles have made you feel. Sometimes the way we feel on the outside, really does affect how we feel on the inside. I’m all about making changes within yourself to exude the best version of ourselves. If you are thinking of getting the surgery, I say go for it! I’m still absolutely happy with the results and this is 7 months after surgery. I have heard of ID clinic from other friends having procedures done, but not the same procedure I got. I know they have a good reputation, but honestly, I would go back to JK if I had to do it all over again. Hope that helps!
Hello sweetie! Just wanna check back with you about the surgery result! How has it been so far and do you see any sign of the eye bags coming back? I’m much (psychologically) better these days but still consider having this procedure done someday in the near future… Heard some people say on purseforum that their results just lasted for a year then the bags are slowly coming back so I wanna hear from you and see what you’ll say about this… 🙂
Hi O. Henry! Thanks for checking back in! I still very much love the results of my surgery. Sometimes I critique myself too hard and think “oh my bags”.. but it actually still looks the same and it’s just when I first wake up or something which is normal. I think I would have to legit get a face lift or something to make it 200% flat. Which would look weird anyway. So I look at my before pic and remind myself it did actually work. I still recommend it to anyone that is thinking about it. The hospital I went to, I think if I had a real issue, would redo it or fix the problem (if any!). Good luck in whatever you decide!
Thanks so much Brigitte, I’m so happy for your result, and I have some hope too 🙂 Stay pretty and happy!
Hi Brigitte,
Many women in Korea have a lot of procedures done – its very common because they all want to be skinny, flawless models. As I’ve become good friends with several, I see the struggle young Korean women have with positive body image (really – how they look face, etc) is a real struggle for so many.
How to you feel about the image of women in Korea? It’s a topic often covered by Minsoo Go (whom you may know) . She’s been on KoreaScape to talk about health, fitness, and beauty – has talked about female beauty standards on her Podcast as well. Would you continue to have procedures done (now find yourself looking for flaws, etc), or do you feel that it’s only when everything else fails and only when/if absolutely necessary?
I would be interested in sharing your thoughts on Minsoo’s website – let me know what you think about that.
Hope you are well!
Scott
Hi Scott! Thanks for reading the post.. you bring up some very important topics. It is true that many women in Korea have this ideology of what they should look like and thus get a ton of plastic surgery to achieve that look. I think it happens all over the world, but for some reason, in Korea, it is very highly concentrated.
As for observing the Korean women, I see how they are always striving to look a certain way and I’ve also seen some women go a little overboard.. Korean society has an idea of what people should look like and it’s a society that doesn’t stray too much to be “different”. Let’s not forget the men too. Many men undergo whole facial changes that they don’t look anything like how they did pre-surgery. While I’m all about doing you, and doing what makes you happy, to me there is a point that maybe too much is too much. So, for me, I will exhaust all other options before exploring something like a surgical procedure to “fix” something on myself. I think things like a healthy diet, drinking enough water, rest, and even makeup should be the first I personally would change about myself before making more “drastic” changes. In my case of my lower eyes, absolutely nothing I could do would change the extra baggage under the eye.. believe me I tried everything. I hope that answers your questions. I would love to share my feelings on Minsoo’s site! She’s amazing and I think a great source for this topic and she knows how to stay healthy and fit and helps others feel their best! Great idea!
Hey beautiful!!
This was such an informative and well detailed article from the daily photo updates and all. This was always an issue for me as well… and my mom. Did you ever try or consider fillers?
My mom got surgery although hers seemed different from yours and her healing process was much longer and a bit worse, but she is also in her 50’s and has diabetes so naturally would be a longer healing process for her and a scary one to begin with. Wish her surgery could have been performed the way your was, maybe would have been better but maybe not because she actually needed to remove the fat under her eyes. Had you gone that route, would they have then cut your eye do you know?
PS you are absolutely gorgeous without makeup and without surgery but I can imagine you feel much better now that you don’t have that one tiny thing that I’m sure was bothering you before.
glad your procedure went well and thanks for sharing!
PS MISS YOU!!! all the way from LA!
Hi Love!!!
So glad this was helpful! I never realized how much this particular issue affected so many other people. I always thought it was just me running away from harsh light whenever someone wanted to take a picture! ha! Ok, so, I did try fillers once for my eyes (Juvederm) and it did SQUAT for me. Absolutely nothing. Paid about $600 for the tube too and it looked like nothing happened. I went in again for another filler (can’t remember what it was called – but it was supposed to be better than Juvederm).. seconds before the doctor was about to inject my face, she did a test to see what it would potentially look like. She fully admitted she didn’t feel it would do anything in my case based on where they would normally put the filler. That’s when I realized fillers won’t work on me and I would have to go back every 9-12 months to get it redone. This was just going to take up more time and money on my part, not to mention it wasn’t going to actually work.
To remove the fat like your Mom had to do, they would have done the same procedure, by making an incision underneath the lower eyelid so there’s no visible scaring or cuts and she wouldn’t even have to go back to get stitches taken out (I think – I didn’t have to get stitches removed – but I’m pretty sure the same incision is made, just a slightly different method of getting fat out where mine was more fat repositioning). I’m not sure if Korea is just more advanced in this, so they do it differently, but after seeing what others went through in the US (via YouTube) by making an incision on the lower lash line then getting stitches, I would have definitely thought twice about it. But in my case, it was almost a no-brainer! Swelling and bruising is nothing compared to that!
You are the sweetest and I would have never thought you would have this issue at all.. you are seriously so FLAWLESS!! I’ve seen you without makeup on and you are such a goddess!!
Let me know if you have any other questions.. especially if it involves a trip to Korea! 🙂
Miss you love!!! xoxo
Thank u so much for this detailed information.. it has everything I needed to know. I have been contemplating it for sometime now.. I have dis issue for last 3-4 years but I am still so scared.. maybe will get some courage to do it soon .thanx a bunch and BTW u r gorgeous without d surgery too.. much love
Shonima
Hi there Shonima! I’m glad I was able to give you all the information you needed!! That was what i was hoping I could do for everyone! I would just advise that if you want to do it, do it when you feel comfortable. I was the same way and finally was so fed up with the extra baggage that it was now or never. I appreciate your feedback and thank you for being so kind! xoxo
THANK YOU for posting on this topic. You answered all the questions many of us ladies would like answers to and this entry provided great reference material. (BTW, I think you’re gorgeous even without the procedure!) Keep shining on!
Hi Karen!! Appreciate the kind feedback. I realize there was very little information about this topic out in internet world and figured I could use my blog as a platform to help others out! It was something that bothered me for years and I really wanted it gone.. I wanted all my readers to have all the information so they could make an informed decision themselves – Even if that meant some unflattering pics on the internet – the internet is FOR-EVER. HAHA! THANK YOU!!
You still won’t give a price point. Even a range. For someone who wants to be “100% candid.” I figured that would include prices.
Hi Sara.. sorry about that, I was so focused on the experience, I forgot about the pricing. I’ll do you a solid and put it here and update my writeup with the range! So based on the clinics I went to, the range was from 900,000 – 2,700,000 Korean won. This translates to about $846 – $2,538 (USD). For my procedure, I ended up paying around $2,115, so basically mid-range. Hope that helps!
Hi Brigitte! Thank you so much for sharing, it is very helpful! I want to ask you a few things, since you say questions are ok. Have you always had those under eye bags, since you were a teen, or a kid? Did they get worse as you were growing up? How old are you at the moment, if you don’t mind saying? Never mind this question if it’s too annoying. Did the doctors tell you the optimal age to get this surgery done? Do you think the bags might come back later in life, do they mention any follow up procedures in 10 years or something like that? I’m noticing this problem on myself getting more and more visible and I’m thinking about it. Thank you for the valuable info.
I’m glad I could help out Tatiana!! I just remember having so many questions that I wanted to make sure I put everything I went through out there. Whether you live in Korea or anywhere really, the procedure is similar!
Ok, so I’ve had eye bags since maybe college.. or at least early 20’s where I started noticing “a problem” but I feel like they were always there in some way. So yes, they did gradually get worse as I got older.. no matter what creams, sleep, or concealer I used, it didn’t help most days. I’m currently in my mid 30’s (shhhhh!) and considered “young” by US standards to get this surgery from those I’ve spoken to. In Korea/Asian standards, I’m right on par with getting it done. There’s no optimal age for the procedure, it’s whenever you feel is necessary. I asked how long it would last and my Doctor told me basically “forever”. In my 60’s, it might droop a little just because all the skin will be a little droopy, but it’s not meant to be a temporary fix. While I don’t want to take advantage of not having eye bags, I’m still ensuring I use my day/night creams and drinking water to help (because I have plenty of other skin that could benefit from that!). And no follow-up procedures necessary! I hope I answered all your questions!!
Thank you for taking the time to answer!
Of course!! Have a great weekend and lmk if you have any other questions. If you end up going through with it, let me know that too!!!
Brave *** oops!
hahaha! Brace.. Brave.. tomato – tomaaaato… 🙂
You look great babe! Brace for sharing your experience! XXO
Thanks so much for reading the post! From our sideline IG convo, I waited about 9 days before applying makeup because I got the OK from the clinic. haha! And yes, was an internal battle showing all these photos! xoxo