Aftercare After You Return Home

Why aftercare after returning home matters

Most visible healing happens after you leave Seoul. Swelling continues to settle for weeks, scars mature over months, and crease or contour refinements appear gradually. Good aftercare after returning home protects this process. It also ensures that, if something unexpected happens, it is noticed early and handled with the right advice.

Before you fly, make sure you have your written aftercare instructions, a list of your medications, a summary of the procedure performed, and clear contact details. At Will Be, the clinic can be reached by KakaoTalk. The follow-up care from abroad page explains how remote follow-up is arranged.

Staying in touch with your surgeon

Remote follow-up is typically built around photos. You may be asked to send images at set points, for example at two weeks, one month, three months and six months. Use the same lighting and angles each time; the guide on taking photos for an online consultation explains how. Consistent images allow real progress to be seen rather than the effects of lighting.

Because Will Be is a one-surgeon clinic, the photos you send are reviewed by the same surgeon who performed your operation, Dr. Kim Jun-young, representative surgeon. That continuity makes remote review more meaningful: he knows exactly what was done and what to expect at each stage.

The first weeks at home

• Swelling. It is common to notice a little more swelling after a long flight. Keep your head elevated when resting, stay hydrated and avoid salty foods. See the guide to reducing swelling and bruising.
• Activity. Resume light walking early, as it supports circulation. Avoid heavy exercise, lifting, saunas and hot baths until your surgeon approves, often a few weeks after facial surgery.
• Makeup and skincare. Wait until you are cleared, especially near incisions. Use gentle, fragrance-free products.
• Contact lenses. After eyelid surgery, return to lenses only when advised, and insert them carefully without pulling the lid.
• Sleep. Continue sleeping with your head raised for as long as advised.

Scar care at home

Scars typically move from pink and firm to pale and soft over several months. You can support this by:

• Protecting scars from sun with shade, sunglasses and, once the skin has healed, a suitable sunscreen, since UV exposure can darken new scars.
• Using silicone gel or other products only if your surgeon recommends them.
• Avoiding rubbing, picking or scratching.
• Being patient. Early firmness is normal.

The scar care guide covers this in more depth.

Warning signs that need prompt attention

Contact the clinic promptly, and seek local medical care if needed, if you notice:

• Increasing pain, redness, warmth or discharge from an incision, or a fever.
• Sudden or one-sided swelling that is getting worse rather than better.
• Any change or loss of vision, or severe eye pain.
• Wound opening, or a firm, enlarging lump.
• Calf pain, leg swelling, chest pain or breathlessness, which can indicate a blood clot and need emergency care.

In an emergency, go to your nearest emergency department first, then let the clinic know. Your procedure summary will help local doctors understand what was done. The eyelid surgery risks guide explains these signs in context.

Working with a local doctor

It is wise to let your family doctor or general practitioner know that you have had surgery abroad, and to share your procedure summary and medication list. Local doctors can check a wound, treat an infection or assess any general health concern. Keeping a copy of your procedure summary on your phone means it is always at hand, even if you need care unexpectedly while away from home. For questions specific to surgical design or healing, the operating surgeon remains the right person to ask, and the clinic can communicate with your local doctor if helpful.

Returning to work and daily life

Many people return to desk work within one to two weeks after eyelid surgery, once bruising has faded enough to feel comfortable, while more extensive procedures may call for longer. Makeup, when approved, can help conceal residual discoloration. Screen time is generally fine, but take regular breaks, as healing eyes can tire and feel dry more quickly. Use lubricating drops if your surgeon recommended them.

Driving should wait until your vision is clear, you are no longer taking medicines that cause drowsiness, and you can turn your head and check mirrors comfortably. Swimming pools and the sea are usually avoided until incisions have fully healed, to reduce infection risk. Glasses can normally be worn, though heavy frames may press on a swollen nose after rhinoplasty; ask about this before you leave.

When in doubt about any activity, a short message to the clinic is always better than guessing. Small questions are welcome, and they are part of good aftercare.

Emotional recovery

Some people feel an unexpected dip in mood in the weeks after surgery. Swelling, disrupted sleep, the end of a trip and waiting for results can all contribute. This is common and usually passes. Try not to judge your result in the mirror each day; compare monthly photos instead. If low mood persists or feels heavy, speak to someone you trust or a health professional. Looking after your emotional wellbeing is as much a part of recovery as looking after your incisions, and there is no need to manage it alone.

When to judge the result

Most eyelid results settle substantially over one to three months, with fine changes continuing for six months or longer. Nose and lifting procedures can take longer still. If something concerns you, send photos and ask rather than waiting in worry. If a refinement is ever considered, it is usually planned after tissues have fully settled. The guide on revision timing explains why.