Public figures often follow distinctive routines to maintain their appearance. This series examines the diets, exercise habits, procedures, and beauty and lifestyle choices of people in the spotlight.
Actor Hwang Jung-eum has said she is now working to reverse the effects of multiple cosmetic surgeries she has undergone over the years. Revision surgery — which involves reopening tissue that has already been cut and separated at least once — presents a different set of challenges than a first-time procedure and can be significantly more complex.
Hwang said on her YouTube channel that she had "ruined a perfectly good face by getting too much plastic surgery" and was now "doing restoration work to get back to how I looked before."
She said she believed she had undergone double-eyelid surgery "about four times" and explained that she had a nose job reversed immediately after the procedure because the result did not suit her. "If the original surgery cost 20 million won ($14,700), getting it undone costs 200 million won," she said. The remark reflects her personal experience; revision surgery costs are not calculated as a fixed multiple of the original procedure.
Patients sometimes seek revision surgery when they are unhappy with results or develop functional problems. Because the area has already been incised and the tissue separated at least once, the conditions for a second operation differ considerably from those of the first.
Each additional surgery increases the amount of scar tissue in the treated area. Scarring forms not only on the skin surface but also in the deeper tissue layers separated during the procedure, where fibrosis can persist.
Revision surgery requires separating that scar tissue again and assessing how the underlying anatomy has changed. When tissue has adhered firmly or normal anatomical boundaries have become indistinct, the procedure can grow considerably more complicated.
Rhinoplasty revision is a prime example. The nose involves not just skin but bone, cartilage and the nasal septum — structures that together affect both shape and breathing. If cartilage was removed or repositioned in the first surgery, a revision may require grafting additional tissue to compensate.
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons notes that scar tissue from a previous rhinoplasty can limit outcomes in revision procedures, and that additional cartilage grafts are often needed to replace cartilage removed or damaged in earlier operations. Deformities of the septum or tip cartilage can also lead to functional problems such as nasal obstruction.
Rhinoplasty itself carries risks including bleeding, infection, prolonged swelling, scarring, changes in sensation, nasal obstruction and asymmetry. When the desired shape is not achieved or functional problems remain, further surgery may be considered.
Even when a patient feels, as Hwang did, that a result simply does not suit them, fully restoring the previous appearance is not always possible. Removing an implant may be relatively straightforward, but if nasal bone or cartilage has already been resected or reshaped, reconstructing the original structure can be difficult.
Double-eyelid surgery is another procedure frequently subject to revision. Common reasons include a crease set too high or too low, asymmetry between the two eyes, multiple overlapping folds or visible scarring. When the incision method is used, adhesions form between the skin, subcutaneous tissue and the structures that lift the eyelid. Revision surgery may require releasing those adhesions or creating a new crease in a different position.
The eyelid is a small area but functionally important. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons lists complications of eyelid surgery as difficulty closing the eye fully, dry eye, changes in sensation, scarring, ectropion — where the eyelid turns outward — and persistent pain. Vision changes, though rare, can also occur.
In repeat procedures, surgeons must first assess how much skin and fat was removed in earlier operations and evaluate the condition of the muscles that move the eyelid and the surrounding tissue. When a significant amount of tissue has already been removed, the procedure may require augmenting what remains rather than simply forming a new crease.
That is why it is important to wait until swelling and scarring have fully stabilized before evaluating the outcome, rather than returning for another procedure simply because the appearance is not immediately satisfying.
The disappearance of visible bruising and swelling does not mean a final result has been reached. Cosmetic surgery outcomes continue to evolve well after the surface signs of recovery fade.
Swelling after rhinoplasty can persist for months. The Mayo Clinic advises that when additional surgery is needed, patients should generally wait at least a year after rhinoplasty to allow the nose to stabilize fully before proceeding with a revision.
In the period immediately after surgery, tissue remains swollen and scar tissue is still hardening. As swelling subsides and scar tissue softens over time, judging the outcome too early can lead to unnecessary revision procedures.
When considering revision surgery, it is advisable to gather as much information as possible about previous procedures — the type and number of operations, any implants or grafts used, and the extent of tissue removed. Functional issues should also be assessed: difficulty breathing after rhinoplasty or trouble closing the eyes fully after eyelid surgery warrants a functional evaluation separate from any cosmetic concerns.
Infection, severe pain, skin discoloration or wound dehiscence requires prompt medical attention regardless of any decision about the timing of revision surgery.
Repeated surgery does not reliably bring a patient closer to the result they want. The scar tissue and structural changes left by each procedure become the starting conditions for the next.
Reflecting on why she had undergone so many procedures, Hwang said she thought she had been driven by "a desire to become prettier." She added that she does not intend to have any further cosmetic surgery. Because reversing the effects of repeated surgeries is itself another operation, the decision on whether and when to proceed with revision should be made only after a thorough assessment of the current state of the tissue and any functional concerns.
rainbow@heraldcorp.com
