Rhinoplasty at Edition Plastic Surgery in Gangnam takes 1.5 to 3.5 hours of operating time. What that range reflects, which parts of a plan are confirmed only after 3D CT, and how to plan the surgery day — fasting, medication, the day after and the packing check — if you are travelling from abroad.
Hello from Edition Plastic Surgery Clinic & Dermatology in Gangnam, Seoul. "How long will I be in surgery?" sounds like a simple question, and for someone travelling from abroad it is a practical one: it affects when you can eat, whether someone should wait for you, and how much of the day to keep free.
At Edition, rhinoplasty takes 1.5 to 3.5 hours of operating time. That range is not vague for the sake of it. It reflects the fact that "rhinoplasty" covers very different operations — a first surgery or a revision, with or without your own cartilage, with or without correcting the septum. Where you fall in the range is known only after 3D CT and consultation, so the most useful way to plan is around the fixed rules — fasting, medication and the early recovery dates — and to confirm the expected operating time at your consultation.
Where does the 1.5 to 3.5 hour range come from?
The range is the one Edition gives for total operating time. It was set by the clinic itself: when an earlier draft said 1.5 to 3 hours, the clinic corrected it to 1.5 to 3.5 hours. That small correction says something useful — the upper end exists because some operations genuinely take longer.
The time is not a measure of how difficult or how good a surgery is. It is a reflection of how many steps the plan contains. A plan that involves more steps takes more time.
Which parts of a plan can add steps?
Without making any prediction for your own nose, these are the elements of a plan at Edition that differ from one person to the next:
- Using your own tissue. Edition gives priority to autologous tissue where it suits — septal cartilage, rib cartilage and dermis. When rib cartilage is used, it is harvested through an incision of about 2 cm.
- Removing an earlier implant. In revision, the existing implant is usually removed because the bridge and tip are rebuilt. Dr. Daehee Han has written that Gore-Tex is harder to remove than silicone and that the skin can become thin, so more care is needed.
- Correcting function as well as shape. Functional rhinoplasty corrects a deviated septum and improves the appearance at the same time, where that is needed.
- Careful dissection in revision. The clinic describes its approach in revision as careful dissection that keeps tissue damage to a minimum.
Which of these apply to you is decided after 3D CT, which shows the bone and cartilage structure, and in revision, the existing implant and any contracture.
Sedation or general anaesthesia?
Edition's fasting rules are different for the two: 8 hours of fasting for sedation, and 12 hours for general anaesthesia. Which type applies to you is part of the plan explained at consultation, and the fasting rule follows from it.
If you are travelling across time zones, it is worth writing the fasting start time in local Seoul time before the day. Jet lag makes it easy to miscount.
What happens before the surgery day?
Some of the rules that matter most happen well before you arrive at the clinic:
- Smoking — Edition asks patients to stop smoking 2 weeks before rhinoplasty.
- Supplements — omega-3, vitamins and red ginseng are stopped 1 week before surgery.
- Consultation and 3D CT — the plan, and therefore the expected operating time, is set at consultation. Medical and surgical consultation, the operation and follow-up are handled by Dr. Daehee Han directly. General cost enquiries are handled by the patient coordinator.
Because the smoking and supplement rules start at home, read them when you book, not when you land.
How should I plan the surgery day itself?
Some practical points for patients who are not in their home city:
- Keep the whole day free. The operating time is only part of the visit. Do not plan anything else for that day.
- Know the clinic's hours. Edition is open Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 19:00, and Saturday from 10:00 to 17:00. It is closed on Sundays and public holidays. This matters for planning the visits that follow surgery.
- Know the location. The clinic is a one-minute walk from Exit 10 of Gangnam Station, at OPUS 407 Building, 6th floor, 407 Gangnam-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul.
- Bring a list of any medication you take, so it can be checked against the plan.
What happens in the days after surgery?
The early dates at Edition are the same whatever the operating time was:
- After surgery, Edition prescribes antibiotics, pain medication and an ointment.
- The nasal packing is removed on day 2.
- The usual guidance for returning to daily and social routine is from around day 7.
- For patients who live abroad, Edition often recommends staying in Korea for about 7 to 10 days.
Your follow-up schedule is explained at consultation. Once you are home, Edition offers real-time recovery consultation through KakaoTalk, and runs a WhatsApp number for English-speaking patients.
Does a longer operation mean a longer recovery?
Not as a simple rule. The recovery dates that Edition gives — packing out at day 2, return to routine from around day 7, light exercise at about 2 weeks, glasses and alcohol at about 4 weeks, strenuous exercise at 4 to 6 weeks — are given for rhinoplasty patients in general. How your own recovery goes depends on your operation and on you, and is checked at follow-up.
Dr. Han has also pointed out, in a written answer about swelling after a further revision, that the patient's own health matters: having surgery when you are in good condition helps recovery. That is a practical reason not to arrive exhausted from a long flight the night before surgery, if your schedule allows.
Is there anything I can do to make the operation shorter?
Not directly — the operating time follows the plan, and the plan follows your nose. What you can do is make the consultation as complete as possible, so that nothing important is discovered late:
- Tell the clinic about every previous operation, filler or thread in the nose. Dr. Han has written that threads placed in the nose are removed during surgery.
- Mention breathing problems as well as shape concerns, so that function can be assessed together.
- Bring what you know about earlier materials, if you have had surgery before.
The first weeks at a glance
The table below puts the fixed dates from this article in one place. They are the intervals Edition gives its rhinoplasty patients; recovery differs between individuals, so treat them as a starting point for a conversation with your surgeon.
| When | What |
|---|---|
| 2 weeks before surgery | Stop smoking |
| 1 week before surgery | Stop omega-3, vitamins and red ginseng |
| Before surgery | Fast 8 hours (sedation) or 12 hours (general anaesthesia) |
| Surgery day | Operating time 1.5 to 3.5 hours, depending on the plan |
| Day 2 | Nasal packing removed |
| Around day 7 | Usual guidance for returning to daily and social routine |
| About 7 to 10 days | Stay in Korea often recommended for patients living abroad |
| From about 2 weeks | Light exercise |
| From about 4 weeks | Glasses on the nose; alcohol |
| From 4 to 6 weeks | Strenuous exercise and contact sports |
Questions to ask about your own surgery day
- Will my operation be under sedation or general anaesthesia, and when should my fasting start in Seoul time?
- Where in the 1.5 to 3.5 hour range is my operation likely to be, and why?
- Will my own cartilage be used, and from where — septum, rib or dermis?
- In a revision: what material is in my nose now, and how does removing it fit into the plan?
- What medication will I take home, and how do I contact the clinic if something worries me?
Medical and surgical consultation, the operation and follow-up are handled by Dr. Daehee Han directly, so these questions can be asked of the surgeon who will operate. General cost enquiries are handled by the patient coordinator.
If you are travelling alone
If you are travelling on your own, it is worth thinking in advance about the first day or two after surgery: how you will get back to your accommodation, and having the clinic's contact details saved. Edition offers real-time recovery consultation through KakaoTalk and runs a WhatsApp number for English-speaking patients, which you can use from your accommodation as well as after you fly home.
Why the range is given as a range
It would be easy to give a single, reassuring figure. Edition gives a range because a single figure would be wrong for some patients. A first rhinoplasty using septal cartilage, and a revision that removes an earlier implant and rebuilds the bridge and tip with rib cartilage, are both "rhinoplasty", but they are not the same operation.
Dr. Han has written that he prefers to explain possible changes and limits together rather than create exaggerated expectations. The operating time works the same way: the range is the honest general answer, and your own expected time is the specific answer given once your plan is known.
What should I tell the person waiting for me?
If someone is waiting for you, give them the whole-day picture rather than the operating time alone. Preparation before surgery and recovery afterwards add to the time you spend at the clinic, and the exact timing is confirmed on the day. Having the clinic's phone number — +82-2-591-0100 from outside Korea — saved on both phones is a simple step that helps.
After the surgery day: the first night
Practical preparation makes the first night easier. Have the prescribed antibiotics, pain medication and ointment with you, and keep the instructions you are given within reach. Avoid knocks to the nose, and keep glasses off the nose — the guidance at Edition is to wait about 4 weeks before glasses rest on the nose again. If anything worries you, such as pain that suddenly gets worse or increasing swelling, contact the clinic rather than waiting for the next visit.
Frequently asked questions
Q1) How long does rhinoplasty take at Edition?
A1) Operating time is 1.5 to 3.5 hours. Where your operation falls in that range depends on the plan set after 3D CT and consultation.
Q2) Why might a revision take longer?
A2) A revision may involve removing an existing implant and rebuilding the bridge and tip, sometimes with your own tissue. Each of these adds steps. Your own expected time is explained at consultation.
Q3) How long do I need to fast?
A3) At Edition, 8 hours for sedation and 12 hours for general anaesthesia. Which applies to you is explained at consultation.
Q4) When is the packing taken out?
A4) The nasal packing is removed on day 2 after surgery.
Q5) Can I fly home the week after surgery?
A5) For patients who live abroad, Edition often recommends staying in Korea for about 7 to 10 days after rhinoplasty. Confirm your own schedule at consultation.
Q6) What medication will I go home with?
A6) Edition prescribes antibiotics, pain medication and an ointment after rhinoplasty.
Recovery and results differ between individuals. Please make decisions after a full consultation with a specialist.
Rhinoplasty may cause swelling, bruising, nasal congestion, reduced sensation or temporary skin discoloration around the nose, asymmetry, and infection. The nasal tip may also drop gradually over time. The degree and duration vary from person to person, so please consult your doctor thoroughly before deciding.
Revision rhinoplasty (autologous rib cartilage, implant removal) may cause swelling, bruising, nasal congestion, reduced sensation in the nasal tip, a visible step between the implant and the nasal tip, asymmetry, infection, and pain or scarring at the rib cartilage harvest site. Results may be limited depending on the extent of tissue damage from previous surgery. The degree and duration vary from person to person, so please consult your doctor thoroughly before deciding.