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Gangnam before & after

DES before and after: what to expect

A week-by-week recovery timeline from Gangnam clinics.

Double eyelid surgery (쌍꺼풀, DES) is the most common cosmetic procedure in Gangnam, and the recovery curve is famously fast. Non-incision methods can have you presentable in 5–7 days; full incision adds another week of visible swelling on top. The fold height settles over 3–6 months and softens slightly as the scar matures, so the very-defined look you see at one month is not what you keep.

DES — Gangnam recovery timeline

Before surgery: what to prepare

Stop aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, fish oil, vitamin E, ginseng, and ginkgo for 7–10 days before surgery; your clinic will confirm the exact list. No alcohol for 48 hours before. Arrive with a clean face: no makeup, no contacts, no false lashes, no lash extensions. Bring sunglasses for the ride home. Eat a light meal before the appointment since you will not be fully sedated. Bring a written or saved-photo reference of the fold height and shape you want, but understand the surgeon will set realistic limits based on your existing lid anatomy, levator function, and skin redundancy.

The day of surgery

DES is performed under local anaesthesia with mild sedation in most Gangnam clinics, takes 30–90 minutes depending on whether the method is non-incision (suture), partial-incision, or full-incision, and discharges you the same afternoon. You leave with small steri-strips or thin tape over the lids, sometimes a pair of dark sunglasses provided by the clinic. Vision is blurry from antibiotic ointment for the first hour or two. Arrange a ride home; do not drive yourself.

Days 1–3: peak swelling

Swelling and bruising peak at day 2–3. The lids look tight, shiny, and the fold sits much higher than the final result. Cold compresses over closed eyes (10 minutes on, 10 off) for the first 48 hours noticeably reduce swelling. Sleep with your head elevated on two pillows. Avoid bending over, lifting anything heavy, hot showers, and salty food. Mild oozing of pink fluid through the incision line is normal in the first 24 hours; active red bleeding is not.

Week 1: stitches out, bruising fades

Sutures come out around day 5–7 for incision methods. The incision line is pink and visible from close range but already concealable under a light eyeshadow once the surgeon clears you to wear makeup, usually after suture removal. Non-incision patients have no sutures to remove and the puncture sites are already fading. Swelling has dropped enough that the fold is starting to look like a fold, though still higher and tighter than the eventual settled height.

Weeks 2–4: back to public

By week 2 most patients return to work and feel comfortable in public without glasses. Residual swelling reads as a slightly tired or puffy look rather than obvious post-op. The incision scar is at its pinkest around week 2–3 and starts to fade through week 4. Contact lenses usually wait until week 3–4 to avoid mechanical trauma to the incision; some surgeons clear earlier wear depending on technique. No eye rubbing, no swimming, no saunas for the first month. Eye makeup is fine once sutures are out and the incision is closed.

Months 2–3: swelling resolves

The fold height drops noticeably between month 1 and month 3 as deep tissue swelling resolves. This is the period patients sometimes panic during, because the dramatic high fold from week 2 starts looking lower and they think it is failing. It is not. The fold is finding its settled position. The scar continues to fade from pink toward your skin tone. Minor asymmetry of swelling between the two folds is common at this stage. Persistent millimetre-level difference past month 3 should be evaluated by the surgeon, 1–2 mm is a meaningful margin in eyelid surgery.

Months 6–12: the final result

By month 6 the fold is at or near its final height and the scar is largely invisible at conversational distance for most patients. Final result assessment for revision purposes is at month 6 minimum for non-incision and month 12 for incision methods. Revision rates after DES are non-trivial in Gangnam, often 10–15% within two years, usually for asymmetry, fold loosening (non-incision), or unwanted shape change. Final scar maturation continues through month 12.

Red flags: when to call the clinic

Call the clinic the same day for: sudden one-sided severe swelling that distorts the eye, vision changes including blurring that doesn't clear within an hour or double vision, pus or yellow discharge from the incision, fever over 38.5°C, or a hard painful lump under the lid. Watch for inability to fully close the eyes overnight (lagophthalmos), if it persists past 2–3 days, use preservative-free lubricating drops during the day and a thicker ointment at night to prevent corneal exposure, and call the clinic. Go to an emergency room (not the clinic) for: sudden severe eye pain combined with vision loss, which can indicate retrobulbar haemorrhage and is a sight-threatening emergency in the first 48 hours. Routine pink oozing in the first day, mild asymmetry of swelling, and intermittent tearing are not red flags.

Patient before/after photo reviews

21 patient-published photo reviews across 13 clinics and 3 sources. Photos stay on the original platform so credit, context, and consent stay with the patient who posted them.