The Evolution of Facial Rejuvenation: Korean Facelift Techniques vs. Traditional American Approaches
As the director of Dream Medical Group, Dr. Kenneth Kim, brought cutting-edge awake plastic surgery techniques from Korea to his US practice because they achieve superior results. “Korean techniques offer patients cosmetic surgery with extremely low risk and strikingly natural results,” he says. “I simply want patients to know their options before plastic surgery so they can make informed decisions.”
Why conventional plastic surgery in America does not compare to Korean awake plastic surgery
In the West, the methods for common cosmetic procedures all spring from general surgery because plastic surgeons are first trained in the field of general surgery. For example, when a patient has a tumor, surgical teams are trained to remove it and suture the incision. In the same way, when a patient has excess skin or fat, western cosmetic surgeons remove it and sew a new seam.
According to Dr. Kim, these “nip and tucks” lead to suboptimal results. “Just think about a typical Blepharoplasty,” he observes. “When plastic surgeons remove superfluous skin from the upper eyelid, they stretch the remaining skin and sew a new seam. Unfortunately, this destroys the natural crease around a patient’s eye. It’s like trying to make a small shirt out of an extra-large one just by cutting away fabric and sewing a new seam. You may get a smaller shirt, but you won’t get a tailored fit unless you pay close attention to every minute detail in the fabric and seams.”
When plastic surgeons in the West simply remove extra fat and skin, patients are left with skin that appears taut and artificial, which is why plastic surgeons from Korea worked to develop a cutting-edge technique known as awake plastic surgery. Utilizing this technique, they achieve unprecedented attention to detail and natural results.
Restoring muscular function with Korean awake plastic surgery
Subtle details in muscle function greatly impact the results of cosmetic surgery. For instance, the loss of facial symmetry when patients open and close their eyes is typical after upper eye surgery in the US.
“During eyelid surgery, Western doctors tend to fixate on the eyelids rather than the muscles that regulate them,” remarks Dr. Kim. “Our skin, fat, muscle, and bone all work together as one cohesive whole. Pulling the skin tight while it is still attached to the muscle compromises the muscle’s function and leaves the skin looking stretched.”
Korean plastic surgeons are careful to fully restore the function of every muscle impacted during cosmetic surgery, but they can only do this if they observe muscle function during the procedure. Awake plastic surgery involves local anesthetics numbing an area instead of putting patients under general anesthesia. Since patients remain aware and responsive during awake plastic surgery, they can follow their doctor’s instructions to demonstrate muscle function.
“Because Korean plastic surgeons examine muscle function during awake Blepharoplasties, patients can open and close their eyelids correctly afterward,” says Dr. Kim. “Their eyelids can function with less effort, and their eyes give the impression of being fully awake and alert.”
Why Korea has made such strides in awake plastic surgery and awake facelifts
The difference between Korean and American cosmetic surgery is clear. During facelifts, American doctors simply stretch and reattach facial skin, leaving it with an unnaturally tight look. Unfortunately, in a matter of time, the aging skin returns to its natural position because it is still connected to the underlying muscle.
Korean plastic surgeons, on the other hand, sought long and hard for a way to detach facial skin from the underlying muscle and elevate it without pulling or stretching. “An Asian person’s skin is likely to be heavier and more densely attached to underlying muscle than a Westerner’s skin,” observes Dr. Kim. “Since Korean patients’ skin does not stretch easily, Korean surgeons had to study muscle and nerve structure to find a way to release tissue, reattach it, and restore its normal function.”
According to Dr. Kim, Korean surgeons address the challenges of facial rejuvenation with proven principles of biomechanics and physics. This approach enables them to offer their patients natural-looking and long-lasting outcomes.
“Facelifts and other forms of cosmetic surgery are all about the mechanics of tissue in motion,” concludes Dr. Kim. “Here in the United States, people routinely settle for the unnatural results of nip tucks and stretched skin without realizing another option is available. Korean awake surgery involves bioengineering and biomechanics on the cellular level. Its groundbreaking technology, innovative methods, and advanced anatomical expertise offer true facial transformation.”
About the Author
Dr. Jerry Doby Editor-in-Chief of The Hype Magazine, Media and SEO Consultant, Journalist, Ph.D. and retired combat vet. 2023 recipient of The President's Lifetime Achievement Award. Partner at THM Media Group. Member of the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture, the United States Press Agency and ForbesBLK.
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