Double Eyelid and Ptosis Correction Surgery at WINK (Review with pictures)
DISCLAIMER: These are my own personal experiences and opinions. I was not paid to post any sort of review for the clinic.
Procedure: Double Eyelid Surgery and Ptosis Correction with Dr. Kibum Kim at WINK.
Price ~ 3,000,000 krw
Initial booking:
I initially decided to go with WINK because I saw good reviews on reddit and I liked that they specialized in eyes. I messaged them on WhatsApp and sent them my current eyes along with my ideal results. They responded to me quickly in english and recommended me Dr. Kim. Through the online consult he recommended DES and Ptosis Correction along with epicanthoplasty. I liked the before and after results I saw as well as what they recommended so I booked a consult/surgery for the same day. (I did see on reddit the bad reviews that have recently popped up about WINK, but at that point I had already booked and paid the deposit so I thought I would make a decision after meeting in person)
Day of Surgery:
They had sent me instructions a week prior reminding me to fast and what to do to prepare for the surgery.
As soon as I got to the clinic they had me place my things in a room and I changed into their surgery gown. I washed my face and I was led into the consultation room to sign some forms before we got started. After I finished, I met Dr. Kim and we started the consultation.
I told him my primary concerns were my uneven eyelids and I wanted a bigger and more obvious double eyelid than what I currently had. He said that the asymmetry in my eyelids was due to bone structure, and that while he could get them similar they wouldn't be identical due to facial anatomy. He also said that the original pictures I sent were quite different to my current eyes and that was why he initially suggested epicanthoplasty. He did also mention that getting a forehead lift was also possible because I did not have a lot of space between my eyes and eyebrows but that would have been a bigger surgery. To be honest I wasn't too sure what to do at this point and I asked him for his opinion. He said that because I was still young and getting the other procedures done would be more major, he said just doing DES and Ptosis correction would be good and that if in the future I want to change the results to come back. I really appreciated his honesty and the fact he wasnt pushy with procedures. After confirming the plan, he drew some dots on my eyelids and I went to pay for the procedure.
Surgery:
The surgery itself was actually quite good. I was led into the OR where they put an IV in and I chatted to the assistants while waiting for Dr. Kim. Once he arrived they put me under conscious sedation and said I might hear a bunch of voices around me. All I remember about the surgery itself was seeing shapes and colours and Dr. Kim telling me to open and close my eyes for him LOL.
After the surgery was over they led me into my room and told me to walk off the sedation a bit and to change and come out when I was ready. I stayed in the room for around 20 minutes until I felt good enough to get up and walk steadily.
At the front desk they gave me a care package and a list of prescriptions to take to the pharmacy in the same building. They gave me instructions on what to do and how to care for my eyes. They then scheduled me to come in 2 days after the surgery for cleaning and a laser treatment that was supposed to help with swelling. They also scheduled me to come in 6 days after the surgery to take the stitches out. I saw Dr. Kim during those appointments and he came by quickly to just check on the healing and asked me if I had any questions.
Healing:
Right after my surgery I actually felt pretty okay and went shopping around gangnam with my friends walking around the whole day. At the end of the night I made sure to use the ice pack they had given me to help with the swelling and bruising.
The swelling definitely peaked on day 2 but I did not find it painful at all. I only found it a little uncomfortable as I wasn't able to open my eyes fully and they were sort of stuck half lidded. It only felt painful when I tried to forcefully open my eyes and I could feel the stitches. I was able to go out pretty easily and just put a hat and mask on to avoid exposing my face. I made an effort to sleep upright as well and walk around outside everyday as recommended. To be honest I'm not too sure if it made any difference in the swelling but I followed what was recommended.
On day 6, I was finally able to take the stitches out. They said I was healing well and Dr. Kim said that it would take a few weeks for the swelling to go down. He also said around the 2 month mark would be when i would be seeing something similar to the final results.
2 weeks later, my eyelids are definitely still swelling. I can feel it when I try to open my eyes. It just feels like something is blocking my eyes from opening fully (Not painful however). My eyes are also swelling unevenly which really doesn't help with my anxiety 🙃. I do try to use a hot compress every day to help with the swelling as much as possible but It will definitely take at least a month or two as the doctor said.
I have a little makeup on in the 2 week picture and contacts as well, but I thought I would share anyways. I will make an update at the 1 month mark.
Let me know if you have any questions about my experience or DM me!