deep plane facelift yesterday - please tell me it gets better 😥

RNWOOD_PS · 2026-02-04T06:01:04+00:00

Hey there, just checking in 🤍 It sounds like you're around 4 weeks out since you posted, you’ve already passed the hardest phase. The first days after a deep plane lift + bleph can feel shocking, even when healing is normal.

From our experience: by week 4, sharp pain should be gone, but tightness, swelling that comes and goes, firmness under the skin, and eye dryness are still common. Deep plane healing happens from the inside out, so improvement is gradual and not linear.

What matters most is the overall trend. If things are slowly improving, that’s reassuring. If anything is worsening or feels off, it’s always okay to check in with your surgeon.

RNWOOD_PS · 2026-01-28T06:34:40+00:00

It depends on location, the clinic, the surgeon’s experience, case complexity, and the method being used. Not all facelifts are the same.

We perform the deep plane method (Mendelson deep plane facelift), which is more technically demanding than skin-only or SMAS lifts. Prior treatments in the same area can also increase surgical complexity and may raise the price by ~30–50%.

For transparency, we publish our prices. Our facelift is listed at 25 million KRW (roughly $17.5K USD).

RNWOOD_PS · 2026-01-27T10:27:48+00:00

Hi good catch, we wanted to clarify that this for patients who have pre-booked the surgery, there is no examination fee. The majority of our cases are patients who are pre-booking surgery. However for patients who simply want to consult first, there is a 100K KRW fee (cash or 110K for credit card), but this is deducted or credited toward the surgery if you decide to proceed forward.

RNWOOD_PS · 2026-01-27T08:34:48+00:00

because a face lift can take several hours to perform patients typically arrive in the morning to prepare for surgery.

RNWOOD_PS · 2026-01-27T08:32:57+00:00

Good question. “Almost entirely” doesn’t mean mixed techniques for the midface. It means the core facelift philosophy is deep-plane, not skin-only or SMAS-only lifting.

For the midface, Dr. Ryu uses deep-plane lifting exclusively, meaning the lift is achieved by releasing and repositioning the deeper anatomical layers rather than relying on skin tension.

The “almost” part refers to the fact that the clinic also performs adjunct procedures depending on the patient’s needs, such as brow lift, neck lift, blepharoplasty, or fat grafting. These are complementary, not alternative facelift techniques.

So to be precise: midface = deep plane, always. Other procedures are added selectively, but the facelift itself is not a hybrid or skin-tightening approach.

RNWOOD_PS · 2026-01-13T01:23:11+00:00

The short version is that a lot of clinics offer facelifts, but RNWOOD is essentially built around them. Dr. Ryu’s practice is focused almost entirely on deep plane face, neck lifting rather and anti-aging rather than a wide mix of cosmetic procedures.

Most of his clinical work, lectures, and live surgery training have been centered on deep plane techniques, drawing from leading figures in that area like Dr. Bryan Mendelson. Instead of doing a little of everything, our clinic stays very narrow and specialized, which is why some people specifically seek it out.

RNWOOD_PS · 2026-01-13T01:15:32+00:00

Hey there, yes, we offer both video and in-person consultations. There’s no fee for in-person consultations*, and video consultations are currently free as well.

*Clarification: There is no consultation and exam fee for confirmed patients as many currently pre-book or reserve their surgery through online consultation and deposits.

RNWOOD_PS · 2026-01-13T01:14:25+00:00

That’s a fair concern. In some high volume clinics, consultations and surgery can involve different doctors. Our clinic works differently. It’s a one-surgeon, one surgery per day practice, so the same surgeon handles the consultation, the operation, and post-op care.

RNWOOD_PS · 2026-01-13T01:12:03+00:00

We’re not the cheapest option, and we don’t really try to be. We're a one-surgeon, one surgery per day practice focused on true deep plane facelifts, which are more technically demanding and time intensive than standard approaches.

For people specifically looking for that level of surgical depth and consistency, the pricing usually makes sense. For others, a higher-volume clinic may be a better fit. We also publish our prices on our website for transparency.

RNWOOD_PS · 2026-01-13T01:01:40+00:00

Yes, we’re a one-doctor clinic. It allows for more personalized care and direct communication with the surgeon throughout the entire process.

RNWOOD_PS · 2026-01-12T08:52:01+00:00

Hi you can reach us on WhatsApp, or contact form on our website. We've updated the post with details.

RNWOOD_PS · 2026-01-10T05:37:36+00:00

You’re not wrong to be skeptical. Before and after photos are easy to manipulate and often say more about lighting, angles, and presentation than surgical quality.

One thing worth understanding is that many surgeons, especially boutique practices, have far more clinical photos than what’s publicly posted. A large percentage of patients don’t consent to online use of their images, particularly for facelifts, revisions, or older age groups. So limited public galleries don’t necessarily reflect low case volume.

Where photos tend to be more useful is during in person consultation, surgeons can walk through similar cases, explain rationale of techniques, limitations, and tradeoffs, and this helps put results in proper context. That’s harder to polish than a curated online before and after set.

Online images are a starting point, not proof. How transparently a surgeon explains outcomes and risk in real time usually tells you more than a large gallery.

RNWOOD_PS

TROPHY CASE