You may arrive in Seoul asking for one procedure and leave the consultation with a different plan. Four examples from Dr. Daehee Han's own written answers at Edition Plastic Surgery in Gangnam — rhinoplasty, thread lifting, nasolabial folds and timing — and the reasoning behind each.
Hello from Edition Plastic Surgery Clinic & Dermatology in Gangnam, Seoul. If you are travelling a long way for a procedure, you may arrive with a clear idea of what you want: implant-free rhinoplasty, a thread lift, something for the lines beside your mouth. It can be unsettling to hear at consultation that a different plan may suit you better.
This article collects four situations in which Dr. Daehee Han has explained, in his own written answers, why the plan may not be the one the patient first asked for. They are not meant to discourage anyone from a procedure. They are meant to show the reasoning, so that if you hear something similar at your own consultation, you know where it comes from. In Dr. Han's words, what matters is "not to recommend thread lifting to every patient, but to choose the method most suitable for the current state of the face" — and the same thinking runs through his answers on the nose.
Why would a surgeon suggest something different?
Because the request describes a method, and the consultation is about a face. A method is suitable under some conditions and not under others. Dr. Han has written that he considers it most important in medicine not to create exaggerated expectations, but to help the patient understand their own condition and make the right choice, explaining possible changes and limits together.
That does not mean the patient's wishes are set aside. It means the wish and the anatomy are put side by side, and the plan is the place where they meet.
Case 1: "I want rhinoplasty without an implant" — with a low bridge and a bulbous tip
A patient with a large, rounded tip asked whether surgery without an implant was possible. Dr. Han's written answer explained that implant-free rhinoplasty suits people whose bridge is already high and whose tip is rounded and low. For a bulbous tip, the tip needs to be raised clearly to make a difference; if the bridge is low, the connection between the tip and the bridge can look unnatural. In that case, he wrote, a silicone implant is needed to connect the tip and bridge smoothly, and for a bulbous tip with a low bridge, a silicone implant is judged to be more suitable.
He was careful to add that he could not give a definite answer without seeing the patient, and that a CT would be taken to understand the inside of the nose before a plan was made with the patient's preferred shape in mind.
Where an implant is used at Edition, it is silicone shaped to the patient's own bone structure. Edition also performs implant-free rhinoplasty with the patient's own septal cartilage, rib cartilage and dermis where that suits. The point of this case is not that one method is better. It is that the condition of the nose decides which method fits.
Case 2: "I want a thread lift" — with sagging that has progressed a long way
Thread lifting is one of the procedures Dr. Han focuses on. He describes it as a procedure for "a suitable patient", and that phrase is the key to how he approaches it.
In his written interview, he set out where thread lifting is not his first suggestion: where skin sagging has progressed a long way, a facelift may be the more effective choice. At Edition, the surgical options include a mini-incision lift (a small incision in front of the ear, for the mid to lower face), and an incisional lift, as well as thread lifting.
Before any of this is decided, the first thing he assesses is the cause of the sagging: whether it comes mainly from the skin, from a change in the position of fat, or from loosening of the retaining ligaments. The answer to that question is what points towards threads, surgery or something else.
Case 3: "I want threads for my nasolabial folds" — when the cause is volume, not sagging
Lines beside the mouth are one of the concerns patients raise about the face. Dr. Han has noted that a nasolabial fold is often not caused by sagging alone; it can be a loss of volume. For that reason, he assesses sagging and hollowing together, and where needed, a volume-restoring treatment is added alongside the lift.
He has also written about the opposite situation: where fat volume rather than sagging is the main cause. In both cases, the threads are not the whole answer, because the problem is not only a matter of tissue that has moved downward.
This is why a thread-lift consultation at Edition does not start with the number of threads. Dr. Han's view, in his own words, is that what matters most in thread lifting is not the number of threads but the exact position and direction. The average is about 14 threads, adjusted to the degree of sagging and the goal, but the plan follows the cause.
Case 4: "Can I have a skin treatment in the same trip as my nose surgery?" — timing
Sometimes the plan differs not in what is done, but in when. A patient asked whether skin treatments were possible after nose surgery. Dr. Han answered that skin treatments are possible after nose surgery, but he recommends having them after a sufficient recovery period of about 4 weeks.
For a patient who travels, that has a practical consequence: a skin treatment usually belongs to a later visit, not to the same week as rhinoplasty.
What these four cases have in common
Each case starts from the same place: an analysis of the cause or the condition, before a method is chosen.
- For the nose, that means 3D CT to see the bone and cartilage structure, and an assessment of how the bridge and tip will connect.
- For sagging, it means separating skin, fat position and retaining ligaments, and assessing volume loss alongside sagging.
- For timing, it means allowing the tissues to settle before the next treatment.
Dr. Han's stated philosophy is to analyse the structure and proportions of the face and the changes from ageing, and to find the method most suitable for each patient, aiming for a natural and harmonious result.
How should I approach a consultation if I am coming from abroad?
It helps to arrive with a clear description of your concern, as well as the procedure you have in mind. "I want a thread lift" is a method. "The lower part of my face has dropped and my jawline looks less clear" is a concern. The second gives the surgeon more to work with, and leaves room for the plan to be the one that suits you.
- Send clear photos from the front, side and at an angle, and describe what bothers you.
- List previous treatments with dates — fillers, fat grafting, threads, lifting lasers or surgery. Dr. Han has written that people with these histories are also assessed at consultation, and that the type and timing of earlier treatment and the current tissue condition need to be checked.
- Leave time in your trip between the consultation and any procedure, so that you can consider a plan that differs from what you expected.
Medical and surgical consultation, procedures and follow-up are handled by Dr. Daehee Han directly. General cost enquiries are handled by the patient coordinator. Edition runs a WhatsApp number for English-speaking patients and offers consultation through KakaoTalk.
A related case: "How many more revisions can I have?"
If you have had more than one nose operation, are you hoping for a simple number? Edition's answer is not a number. In the clinic's own words, the safe number of revisions depends less on the count and more on the degree of damage caused by previous surgery. Revision after several operations is judged according to the individual condition, using 3D CT to see the existing implant and any contracture.
This is another way in which the answer can differ from the question. The question is "how many"; the answer is about the condition of the tissue.
What if I am not sure about the plan I am given?
It is reasonable to take time. Ask why the plan differs from what you asked for, what the alternative would involve, and what the limits of each option are. Dr. Han has written that he explains possible changes and limits together, so those questions are part of the conversation rather than a challenge to it.
If you are travelling, this is one more reason to leave days between the consultation and any procedure date. A plan you have had time to understand is easier to commit to than one you are hearing for the first time on the day.
Why these examples come from written answers
Every case in this article is taken from something Dr. Han wrote himself — in reply to a patient's question or in a written interview. That matters because it shows how the reasoning is applied, not only what the clinic says about itself. It also shows the limit he puts on each answer: a definite plan requires seeing the patient and, for the nose, a CT.
None of these examples is a rule that applies to everyone. Each one is a reminder that the same request can lead to different plans for different faces, and that the reason is given at consultation.
Frequently asked questions
Q1) Will Dr. Han refuse the procedure I ask for?
A1) The consultation compares your request with the condition of your face or nose. Where another method may suit better, he explains why, as in the examples in this article. The decision is made together.
Q2) When might a facelift be suggested instead of threads?
A2) Dr. Han has written that where skin sagging has progressed a long way, a facelift may be the more effective choice. The cause and degree of sagging are assessed first.
Q3) Why would threads not be enough for nasolabial folds?
A3) A nasolabial fold can come from volume loss rather than sagging alone. Sagging and hollowing are assessed together, and a volume-restoring treatment may be added where needed.
Q4) Can I always have implant-free rhinoplasty?
A4) No. Dr. Han explains that it suits a nose whose bridge is already high. For a bulbous tip with a low bridge, he has judged a silicone implant shaped to the bone structure to be more suitable. A CT is taken before a plan is made.
Q5) Can I combine a skin treatment with rhinoplasty in one trip?
A5) Dr. Han recommends waiting about 4 weeks after nose surgery before skin treatments, so a skin treatment usually belongs to a later visit.
Q6) How many threads would I need?
A6) The average is about 14 threads, adjusted to the degree of sagging and the goal. Dr. Han's view is that position and direction matter more than the number.
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.
Thread lifting may cause swelling, tightness, bruising, a palpable thread sensation, temporary bumpiness, and slight asymmetry. These usually settle over time, but if discomfort persists, please have the area examined. The degree and duration vary from person to person, so please consult your doctor thoroughly before deciding.
Minimal-incision lifting, incision lifting, and facelift may cause swelling, bruising, incision scars in front of the ears or along the hairline, reduced sensation or numbness in parts of the face, asymmetry, hematoma, and infection. The degree and duration vary from person to person, so please consult your doctor thoroughly before deciding.