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How Long Should I Stay in Korea After Plastic Surgery?
A few extra days in Seoul can feel like a luxury when leave is limited. In practice, they are often what makes the journey home calm rather than anxious.
How long to stay in Korea after plastic surgery depends on the procedure: roughly two to four days for injectables, five to ten days for many eyelid operations, ten to fourteen days for revision eyelid surgery or rhinoplasty, and two to three weeks for a facelift. These ranges are conservative; Dr. Kim confirms yours.
At a glance
- Botox or dermal filler
- 2–4 days
- Thread lift
- 5–7 days
- Natural adhesion double eyelid
- 5–7 days
- Incisional double eyelid, epicanthoplasty, canthoplasty
- 7–10 days
- Upper blepharoplasty or sub-brow lift
- 7–10 days
- Lower blepharoplasty or under-eye fat repositioning
- 10–14 days
- Ptosis correction
- 10–14 days
- Revision double eyelid surgery
- 10–14 days
- Rhinoplasty (implant or natural tissue)
- 10–14 days
- PRP micro fat grafting (face or hands)
- 7–10 days
- Double chin liposuction with platysma tightening
- 10–14 days
- Endoscopic forehead lift or mini facelift
- 10–14 days
- Facelift
- 14–21 days
- Combined procedures
- Usually the longest single range, plus several days
How long to stay in Korea after plastic surgery: the short answer
The honest answer to how long to stay in Korea after plastic surgery is that it depends on what is being done, how your tissues heal, and how comfortable you are travelling while still swollen. The ranges in the table above are deliberately conservative. They count from the day of surgery and allow time for suture removal, at least one check-up with Dr. Kim Jun-young, and a buffer for the swelling that is heaviest in the first few days. Add a day before surgery for the in-person consultation and any pre-operative tests.
Why the recommended stay varies by procedure
Three biological factors shape the timeline. The first is suture removal. Incisions on the thin eyelid skin are usually ready for suture removal around five to seven days, while other areas may take longer. The second is the depth of dissection: a procedure that only works in the skin and a small amount of fat heals faster than one that lifts deeper layers such as the SMAS, the fibrous-muscular layer beneath facial fat that a facelift repositions. The third is the risk window. Bleeding under the skin (a hematoma) is most likely in the first day or two, and it is safest to be near your surgeon during that time.
Revision surgery sits at the longer end because scar tissue from a previous operation tends to swell more and settle more slowly. See revision double eyelid recovery for a closer look.
What do the ranges include?
- Consultation and preparation: usually the day of arrival or the day after.
- Surgery day and the first 48 hours: the period of greatest swelling, when rest near the clinic matters most.
- Check-ups and suture removal: timed to your procedure by Dr. Kim.
- A final review: confirming that healing is on track before you fly.
The ranges do not mean you will look fully healed when you leave. Visible swelling commonly continues for weeks, and final results take months. Our guides to double eyelid surgery recovery and rhinoplasty recovery describe what happens after you are home.
What about combining procedures?
Many international visitors hope to address two areas in one trip, such as eyes and nose, or an upper eyelid with a forehead lift. Combining can be reasonable, but it lengthens the operation and recovery, so plan on the longest single range above plus several days. Dr. Kim may also advise splitting procedures into two trips when the combined burden on healing would be too much. Read combining procedures safely before you decide.
Examples of how a stay can look
For a natural adhesion double eyelid procedure, which forms a crease through small punctures without a long incision, a typical plan might be consultation on day one, surgery on day two, a check-up a few days later and departure around the end of the first week. For an incisional eyelid operation, the stay commonly extends to include suture removal and a further look at early healing. For a facelift, the first week focuses on drain and dressing care and close monitoring, the second on suture removal and settling, and some patients are glad of a third week before a long flight. These are illustrations, not promises; your own timeline depends on how your tissue responds. If a check-up shows that swelling or wound healing needs a little more time, Dr. Kim will say so, which is one more reason to book a changeable return flight.
When is it safe to fly home?
Air travel itself does not usually harm a healing wound, but long flights involve reduced cabin pressure, dry air, prolonged sitting and less ability to rest your head upright. Swelling can increase temporarily. There is also a general risk of blood clots on long flights, which surgery can add to. Dr. Kim will tell you when he considers it reasonable for you to fly based on how you are healing. Our guide to flying after plastic surgery explains how to make the journey easier.
Planning around work and leave
If your leave is fixed, share your dates early so Dr. Kim can tell you honestly whether they fit your plan. Remember to count the flight days and the time difference; returning to work the day after a long-haul flight while still bruised is rarely pleasant. Many patients also appreciate a few quiet days at home before facing colleagues. See planning your trip to Seoul for more on timing, and follow-up care from abroad for what continues once you are home.
Questions, answered
Frequently asked questions
Still wondering about something? Ask Dr. Kim directly — every consultation at Will Be is with the surgeon himself.
Can I fly home the day after eyelid surgery?
It is generally not recommended. The first two days carry the most swelling and the highest chance of bleeding under the skin, and incisional eyelid surgery usually needs suture removal about five to seven days later. Staying until at least your suture removal and a check-up with Dr. Kim is the safer plan, even when your leave is short.
Why does revision eyelid surgery need a longer stay?
Revision surgery works through tissue that has already healed once, often with scar tissue and altered anatomy. This tissue tends to swell more and settle more slowly than a first operation. A stay of around ten to fourteen days gives Dr. Kim time to check healing and remove sutures, and gives you a calmer margin before a long flight.
Do the stay ranges include the consultation day?
The ranges in the table are counted from the day of surgery. You should add at least one day beforehand for the in-person consultation with Dr. Kim and any pre-operative tests. After a long-haul flight with a large time difference, many patients find an extra rest day before surgery helps them feel more settled.
Will I look fully healed when I leave Korea?
Usually not. The recommended stay covers the early, most delicate period, not full recovery. Some visible swelling and bruising commonly remain when you fly home, and results continue to settle over weeks to months. Scars mature over a year or more. Plan social and work commitments with this gradual timeline in mind.
How long should I stay if I combine two procedures?
A reasonable starting point is the longest of the individual ranges plus several extra days, because combined surgery means a longer operation and more tissue healing at once. For larger combinations, such as a facelift with eyelid surgery, Dr. Kim may recommend staying three weeks or splitting treatment into two trips. He will confirm this at consultation.
Is a shorter stay possible if I heal quickly?
Sometimes, but it is wiser not to plan for it. Healing speed is only clear after surgery, and flights are hard to change at short notice. Booking a conservative stay and then enjoying a few quiet days in Seoul is generally less stressful than rushing. Dr. Kim can tell you after your check-ups whether an earlier departure is reasonable.
One surgeon · Consultation to follow-up
Tell us your dates and your goals, and Dr. Kim will suggest a stay that suits your healing.
Consultations in Seoul and online. Dr. Kim Jun-young personally reviews every case.