Real Patient Review: Korean Zygoma Reduction and V-line Surgery Results (Before & After)

Why I chose EU:

Korea was my choice for facial contouring surgery due to its unmatched expertise/ experience in this area and the high volume of bone surgeries performed. It was also important for me to find an oral and maxillofacial surgeon which specialized in bones/ facial structure rather than a general plastic surgeon that did many different procedures, especially for an intensive procedure like jaw shaving.

I spent many months researching on Korean oral-maxillofacial surgery clinics and ultimately narrowed it down to EU after personally reaching out to multiple clinics. Unlike other clinics, I could tell EU did not photoshop their before-after images and I was impressed by the after photos of almost all the results. I was previously apprehensive about getting my cheekbones reduced due to bad reviews I read online about past patients who got their surgery done at other clinics (complaints about the doctor pushing too much of the cheekbone inwards, sagging and nasolabial folds)

Apart from the high level of expertise EU’s doctors possessed, EU had the best customer service which made me feel the safest and most welcome. The consultants were very responsive in answering my questions, were upfront with surgery risks and even went the extra mile to confirm with the doctor personally if my goals were realistic and achievable based on CT scans I did in my home country. The consultants were also not pushy and extremely helpful and upfront about the risks and limitations of the surgery. After reading other reviews on many different forums (where past EU patients shared their experiences) to corroborate my research and watching EU’s youtube videos (which were extremely informative - highly recommend watching them for more information), I was sure that EU would be my final choice, and eventually only consulted EU Surgery in-person when I reached Korea.

Thank you Ms Kim and Sheila for helping with the in-person English translations which eliminated the language barrier between me and the doctors, and for explaining everything patiently to me. It was great that almost all of EU’s consultants could speak basic English. Special shout-out to Sheila for being such great emotional support and always being there for me from the start, from explaining all the documents to checking on me after surgery and answering my every question. EU’s consultants go the extra mile for patients; this is especially important for international patients because seeking surgery in a foreign country can be rather daunting.

Motivation of the surgery?

I was always conscious of the way my jaw looked in photographs -- it looked fat and bulky. It looked lopsided because the right side was bigger and lower than the left. The chin was also too big for my liking and not sharp enough. I also had asymmetrical protruding cheekbones (the right side was bigger and more protruding) which really looked terrible in photographs.

Which part I want to improve?

·         Asymmetry

·         Square jaw

·         Protruding cheekbones

 

Day 1:

 Out of surgery, I looked in the mirror and saw how my face had already become a lot smaller, despite the swelling. Dr Kim had reduced the cheekbone sufficiently such that it no longer was protruding and asymmetrical, but not so much as to make my face flat/2D. I was relieved my face did not become overly long and was oval; I had previously seen many examples where patients were unhappy because the cheekbone was reduced so much to the point the face had become slimmer, but at the price of being oblong. My chin was also smaller from the onset despite the swelling, which I could feel was covering the final shape of the newly refined chin.

I was impressed by how there was minimal bleeding and how EU does not use blood drainage tubes. While researching, I came across many experiences at other clinics where people reported losing sensation in their lips/jaw/face for weeks/months after the surgery. Conversely, I could still feel my face and lips immediately after surgery. The only issues I faced were getting used to the tightness of the firming band (which is required post-facial contouring to reduce swelling) and the soreness in my throat (a common side effect of general anesthesia).

Day 2:

After taking another few CT scans and getting my deswelling treatment, I was finally discharged from the hospital. The first night for me was difficult to sleep and I woke up with a puffier face (expected as mentioned by other facial contouring patients; days 1-5 are the worst, especially days 3-4) and swollen temples. My throat got a lot better through the day and I kept icing my face and using the compression band as instructed.

 

Day 3:

I woke up with even puffier cheeks and temples today, but my chin is sharper today (?) (probably due to the compression band I wore overnight). I love how the width of my face is already reduced and how my cheekbones look so natural. I will continue icing and going for deswelling treatments for the next 2 weeks.

 

Day 4:

Swelling was even worse today, especially in the cheek area, although the temple are less swollen today. I went for another deswelling treatment today and walked for 2 hours. The swelling seemed to improve through the day as I did my icing and wore the compression band.

 

Day 5:

My lips were quite swollen today and swelling has not subsided yet. There is some slight yellow bruising at my chin. But I’m already quite happy with how my chin and cheekbone look even with swelling. Swelling seems to go down as time passes. No regrets doing surgery at EU :-).

 

Day 6-Day 7

I started to have some yellow bruising around my eyes but I feel a lot better now than yesterday. Swelling still remains the same but decreases through the day. My temples are still bulging but less swollen now.

Day 8: Stich removal day

Dr Kim removed my sideburn stitches today and my eye stickers, and explained that the swelling in my temple was due to the muscle and it would go away. I am very satisfied with the effects of the cheekbone surgery even though it has just been a week after surgery. I’ve been walking and going for deswelling treatments regularly to help with the swelling.

Day 9:

Swelling has gone down even more today. Still a bit of yellow bruising around my eyes and neck. I did a lot of walking today.

 

Day 10:

Swelling is still the same as the previous day. I realized I don’t have any sagging, double chin or nasolabial folds, which I am quite happy about. This could be because EU fixes the cheekbones higher to reduce any probability of swelling. I’m really excited about my final results, though there is still a long way to go.

Day 11:

Swelling has come down even more today. The cheekbones look great but there is still some way to go for the jaw swelling to subside. I just realized I can’t really see the sideburn incision, which is hidden in the hair. Really very satisfied with my surgery at EU.

 

Day 12:

Swelling is the same as yesterday, but the bruise on my neck and eyes are recovering well. I ate cup noodles but cut them using a scissors so that I wouldn’t need to chew on them and could just swallow it. Looking forward to removing my stitches 3 days later and being able to chew!

Day 13:

Swelling has reduced very slightly from yesterday. My face shape at day 13 already looks way better than pre-surgery. Still hoping for more slimming of the face which seems to be the case. Dr Kim’s work seems so natural.

 

Day 14:

My yellow swelling under the eye has completely disappeared. Swelling is going down gradually.

 

Day 15: Mouth stitch removal day

Dr Kim removed my mouth stiches today. Unlike what I read online, it was not painful at all, perhaps due to Dr Kim’s skill. I did my final deswelling session and met with Dr Kim for the final time to review my x rays. I’m really impressed by how Dr Kim managed to fix the cheekbones upwards without any gaps and his attention to detail when trying to achieve patients’ goals and improving the symmetry of the face. Thank you EU Dental so much! I would recommend EU to anyone who is unhappy with their jaw shape.

 

Day 16:

My temples are less swollen today and neck bruising is less yellow. Walking a lot helps, I walked about 2-3 hours a day which seems to make my face less swollen.

Day 17:

I left Korea today. I could eat slightly harder food today and my face is healing well. I can also open my mouth wider now and the bruises and swelling are getting better.

Day 18-19:

Now that I’m back in my home country I walk a lot less. My swelling is coming down more slowly but I am back to my normal activities without any difficulty.

Day 20:

The swelling around my chin has become slightly lesser and my cheek swelling on the upper part of my cheek is less swollen. I just look like I got my wisdom teeth extracted and am a bit swollen.

Day 21:

Nothing much has changed today. I am still swollen in the temple area and the cheekbones. The yellow bruising has almost disappeared fully; only the cheek area is left.

Day 22:

I took a sharper full facial shot today and my facial asymmetry and cheekbones have been improved. Still hoping for the jaw to be more V shaped and the chin to be sharper.

Day 23:

I walked a bit more today and hope the swelling will go down faster. While I’m a bit worried about the swelling and the chin, I think the result would be quite nice.

 

Day 24:

My yellow bruising has completely disappeared. The temple swelling has also become significantly lesser. I just have chubby cheeks; I tell people it’s because of wisdom tooth removal.

 

Day 25-26:

I eat many different types of food now. Dr Kim really did the surgery well and the cheekbone pins feel very secure.

Day 27-28

I took many selfies these 2 days from every angle. I am super duper satisfied with how Dr Kim reduced the asymmetry of my face. Normally, in selcas, when the phone is flipped over, my right cheekbone would be very obvious and asymmetric. Now I have no more cheekbones that protrude or look uneven. I just have to wait for the swell in my cheeks to dissipate, but I have a good feeling about the outcome.

Day 29: Wednesday

It is exactly 4 weeks since I got my surgery; no regrets doing it with Dr Kim at EU. My cheeks are still tight but I can open my mouth wider today. The swelling seems to be the worst in the morning and starts to deswell through the day. I’m quite excited for my final results, I think it will be quite close to what I showed Dr Kim.

Day 30: Thursday è 1 month

I took more photos today. I think my left side is 90% healed and my right side 80%. The right side was bigger so Dr Kim had to reduce it even more, but even at this stage it already looks so much more symmetrical. My temple are also less swollen and I can eat harder food now. Life is back to normal and it doesn’t feel like I got surgery. Grateful to EU and the difference the surgery has made to my confidence.

 

Day 37: Thursday

I went to see a dentist today, who said the scars in my mouth were minimal and the incisions were well done. My face is still swollen but no one can tell I had gotten surgery, especially with the need to wear a mask. I’m still hoping for my jaw to become smaller, but the reduced cheekbone has already improved my appearance.

 

Day 44: Thursday

My swelling has come down even more: the right side is still more swollen but I can see the improvements in my chin. I liked how Dr Kim followed the reference photo I showed him and made my chin look super natural.  My temples are still a bit swollen but it’s already so much better than the previous week.

 

Day 51: Thursday

50 days have passed so quickly since I had my surgery. My life has gone back to normal and I have a smaller face with no side effects. I can already feel most of the sensation in my cheekbones and jaw.

Thank you so much Dr Kim! I feel a lot more confident now, and even at this point, I only have to photoshop a bit of the swelling away and not the cheekbones anymore. My face isn’t crooked either anymore.

 

Day 58: Thursday 2 months.

I can see the effect of the smaller chin: sharper yet so natural. My skin around my jawline is not sagging either. EU’s technique must be really good. I can smile normally now and my face no longer feels a bit stiff as a lot of the swelling has come down. At this point, the swelling is only noticeable to me…I just look like I gained a bit of weight on my cheeks to other people but knowing it will all go away is very comforting.

I would definitely recommend EU to any of my friends and family who are interested in Double Jaw or any facial contouring.

 

Day 65: Thursday

At this point, the swelling is coming down very slowly. People who have not seen me for a while said I looked like I lost weight, and this is just from the cheekbone reduction effect. When the jaw swelling goes away, I think the result will be quite close to what I asked Dr Kim to do for me.

Day 72:

I can see the swelling come down little by little everyday. The difference is most obvious in the morning: it used to always be swollen but now it seems to get smaller everyday. A friend I haven’t met for some time said my face looks a lot smaller and asked if I lost weight. I’m so contented with the results of my surgery and it has only been 2.5 months. I cant wait for the final result at 6 months.

 

Day 79:

I am back to eating and exercising as I did pre-surgery with no pain/numbness or discomfort. There is also no saggy and minimal double chin. I cant thank Dr Kim enough for his great work.

 

Day 86: 3 month

3 months have passed so quickly and my life is back to normal. At this point, I can already see the final result (?) of the chin which I am so happy about. The only parts left are the temples and the cheeks as you can see in the 3 month photos. Once that goes down, it’ll look great in photos and I can’t wait to share them.

 

4 months

Most of the swelling has come down already except a bit of the temple region and the lower right cheek area so I still look a little bit chubby especially in pictures. But I expected it because the right side of my face was a lot bigger than my left and it already looks smaller than my previous face so I have 0 complaints. I tied my hair up so you can see that my facial lines are a lot smoother and I no longer have protruding cheekbones. I remember being so worried at the 1 month mark because it was so swollen and looked a bit square but I’m so satisfied and happy that I underwent surgery with Dr Kim.

On a side note, I don’t have saggy skin or numb feeling in my cheekbones at this point so Dr Kim really did a wonderful job. My chewing isn’t affected either.

5 Months

Swelling is going down really slowly but the cheeks are still a bit swollen, especially from the 45 degree angle. But its really so much smaller already at this stage. Also, my temple swelling has come down a lot and when I push up my cheeks, I can see the final jaw shape which im really happy with. It is so symmetrical and slim.

 

6 Months

Time passes so quickly (while swelling comes down slowly after the 5 month mark). There is still a little bit of swelling (maybe 5%) in the lower cheek region and temple region which makes me look a little bit chubby still, especially from the 45 degree angle. I think it is this final 5% refinement that really makes the difference so I will just have to wait patiently.

I have no side effects as of 6 months. If anything, my cheeks still feel a little bit swollen, but it is normal because I have not recovered 100%. I’m so glad I chose to undergo surgery with EU. I have no regrets at all.

 

7 Months

The swelling in my cheek has come down a bit more now so it looks more natural now. The swelling in my temple has also almost fully dissipated. I am so used to seeing my new cheekbones now that I forgot how they used to look. Only after I relooked at my pre-operation photos did I realize that the difference is really big and my facial contour line is so smooth now, even without any photoshop.

My chin is also smaller and pointier now or maybe it is just my imagination? But in any case, I’m really happy with the results and cannot wait for the final result to show.

 

8 months

Swelling is going down very slowly, but I’m still really satisfied with my result at this point. At this point, I still have no deepening of nasolabial folds or excess double chin, so I think Dr Kim did a very good job in fixing the cheekbones upwards.

9 months

It is true that the remaining 5% swelling takes very long to deswell. I can still feel the swelling in my cheeks (especially when I smile) and I heard swelling takes up to 1.5 years to heal so I guess I still must wait a bit longer. But since I have no experienced any side effects, I am quite lucky already and have no complaints! Also, my jawline has not experienced any sagging. I was worried that I would have to get threadlifts after surgery, but my skin seems to have adapted to the smaller bone! Thank you Dr Kim!

 

10 months

Although there is still a little bit of swelling (which decreases through the day), I have no complaints at this point and am very happy with the results. My cheeks still feel a little bit swollen, but that’s a good thing because it means there’s more recovery to go and I will have a slimmer face J.

 

11 months

Wow it has almost been 1 full year post surgery! There is still a bit of swelling which is making it a bit chubby but at this point it already looks more symmetrical and is way better than my previous bone structure. I can only hope the swelling would go down faster more quickly.

 

12 months

A year has passed since surgery! It’s true when they say that the residual swelling takes really really long to go away. I can see that the jaw bone is reduced the way I wanted it to be, just like the reference picture I showed Dr Kim. It’s just a little covered by some lower cheek swelling that fluctuates through the day which will take some time to go away.

I would like to thank Dr Kim again and his team for the wonderful work. From the initial consultation stage to the surgery stage and now nearing the end of the recovery stage, the skill and care has been excellent. I also did not experience any of the side effects (increased prominence of nasolabial folds/ laugh lines, numbness, sagging etc) which I heard about. I only wish I did this surgery earlier J.

I used to hate smiling in pictures because of how much wider it made my face. I now don’t see any more protruding cheekbones from the 45 degree angle, and I don’t look fat anymore when I smile. My chin is also less wide and my face is no longer obviously asymmetrical. I feel a lot more confident and satisfied with my appearance! THANK YOU EU!!!