qd rhinoplasty
Rhinoplasty reshapes the nose to balance it with the face — refining the tip, lowering a hump, straightening a deviated nose, narrowing a bulbous tip or reducing wide alae. At QD Clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, many cases use a closed approach with incisions inside the nostrils, and cartilage from the septum, ear or rib (donor or autologous) may be used for support or augmentation. It is performed under sedation or general anesthesia depending on the scope, and revision is assessed individually. (Results vary by individual.)
is this for me
Who it’s for
Even if none of these describes you, we will look again at the consultation.
- A low or undefined tip, or a bulbous tip you would like refined
- A dorsal hump, a deviated nose, or wide nostrils (alae)
- A wish to balance nasal height or shape with the rest of the face
- Those considering revision of a previous rhinoplasty (assessed individually)
Whether a closed or open approach, and which cartilage source, suits you is decided after a nasal assessment; revision cases are evaluated individually.
Before you pick a treatment name, start with the cause of your concern.
start with your concern
Even a treatment with the same name takes on a different role and scope depending on your current structure, the change you want, what you have had before and the recovery time you have.
01
Where you are now, and where we start
Whether the concern comes from bone, cartilage or skin — and whether this is a revision
02
The change you want, the impression you keep
We check the front and side views and expression, left-right differences, skin and deep tissue, and scars and function from earlier surgery.
03
How it differs from similar options
We compare incision and dissection, how much is removed, repositioned or fixed, the pros and cons of materials, and the option of no surgery at all.
04
Health information and recovery schedule
Anesthesia, preventing bleeding and infection, wound care, swelling and changes in sensation, and when to be seen again — all in one plan.
the
principle
Frontal and profile proportion, tip support, skin thickness, the septum and breathing function guide the approach and the choice of material.
The nose is a framework of bone and cartilage under the skin, and rhinoplasty reshapes that framework. In a closed approach the incisions are made inside the nostrils, leaving no external scar, which suits many tip and dorsal refinements; an open approach with a small columellar incision may be chosen for complex or revision cases for wider access. Depending on the goal, the surgeon refines the tip cartilages (tip plasty), lowers a dorsal hump, straightens a deviated framework, narrows a bulbous tip or reduces wide alae. Cartilage from the septum, ear, or rib — autologous (your own) or donor — may be used for support or augmentation. Revision cases are planned individually according to the previous surgery.
How it works
01
Reshaping a bone-and-cartilage framework
The nose is a framework of bone and cartilage under the skin; rhinoplasty reshapes that framework — refining the tip, lowering a hump, straightening a deviation or narrowing wide alae.
02
Closed or open approach
A closed approach uses incisions inside the nostrils with no external scar and suits many tip and dorsal refinements; an open approach adds a small columellar incision for wider access in complex or revision cases.
03
Cartilage grafts for support
Cartilage from the septum, ear or rib — autologous (your own) or donor — may be used for support or augmentation, depending on the goal.
04
Anesthesia by scope; revision individual
It is performed under sedation or general anesthesia depending on the scope, while a smaller step such as alar reduction may use local anesthesia; revision is planned individually.
The same treatment, never the same plan.
the qd standard
Rather than a fashionable name or a fixed package, we weigh the structure found at examination, safety, recovery and the limits within one plan.
- 01DIAGNOSIS FIRSTCause before nameWe first separate out the tissue and the function behind your concern.
- 02LESS, PRECISEOnly as much as neededRather than an excessive change, we plan the smallest scope with a clear role.
- 03HONEST LIMITThe limits, explained tooWe explain the change you can expect, the alternatives, individual differences and the risks.
From consultation to follow-up, planned as one flow.
personal plan
Rhinoplasty reshapes the nose to balance it with the face — refining the tip, lowering a hump, straightening a deviated nose, narrowing a bulbous tip or reducing wide alae. At QD Clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, many cases use a closed approach with incisions inside the nostrils, and cartilage from the septum, ear or rib (donor or autologous) may be used for support or augmentation. It is performed under sedation or general anesthesia depending on the scope, and revision is assessed individually. (Results vary by individual.)
Anatomy and function exam
We check the front and side views and expression, left-right differences, skin and deep tissue, and scars and function from earlier surgery.
Comparing scope and method
We compare incision and dissection, how much is removed, repositioned or fixed, the pros and cons of materials, and the option of no surgery at all.
Surgery and recovery plan
Anesthesia, preventing bleeding and infection, wound care, swelling and changes in sensation, and when to be seen again — all set out in one plan.
What the procedure is like
- Consultation, nasal assessment and planning of the approach and grafts
- Sedation or general anesthesia depending on the scope
- Incisions inside the nostrils (closed) or a small columellar incision (open) as planned
- Reshaping of the framework — tip, dorsum, deviation or alae — with cartilage grafts as needed
- Closure, a splint and internal support, and recovery and aftercare guidance
Time: Surgery takes about 1–3 hours depending on the scope; rib-cartilage or revision cases take longer.
Please read this before treatment
- Performed under sedation or general anesthesia; a period of monitoring may be needed before you go home.
- An external splint is usually worn for about 5–7 days, with internal support as needed; sutures are removed at about 5–7 days, while incisions inside the nostrils heal internally.
- Expect swelling and bruising around the nose and eyes that eases over about 1–2 weeks, with many returning to activities in around 7–10 days; the tip refines gradually over many months.
- Side effects such as swelling, bruising, congestion, asymmetry, or changes in sensation may occur and are explained at consultation.
Safety & considerations
Possible reactions
- Swelling and bruising around the nose and eyes
- Nasal congestion and temporary numbness or altered sensation of the tip
- Asymmetry, or prolonged swelling of the tip especially with thicker skin
- Scarring — a small columellar mark with an open approach; none external with a closed approach
- Uncommonly, infection, graft-related issues or changes in nasal breathing
When to take extra care
- Bleeding disorders or blood-thinning medication — tell your doctor
- Smoking, which can affect healing and graft survival
- Existing breathing problems or previous nasal surgery
- Realistic expectations, and the greater complexity of revision cases
- Skin thickness, which affects how refined the tip can look, and fitness for anesthesia
what to expect
What to expect over time
A general guide to how the days and months after treatment usually unfold. Results vary by individual.
DAY 0
Surgery day
Performed under sedation or general anesthesia; a splint is applied and a period of monitoring may be needed before you go home.
DAY 1-3
Swelling & bruising
Swelling and bruising around the nose and eyes, and nasal congestion, are usually most noticeable now; head elevation helps.
DAY 5-7
Splint & suture removal
The external splint usually comes off at about 5–7 days and sutures are removed around the same time; incisions inside the nostrils heal internally.
WEEK 1-2
Settling
Bruising and much of the swelling ease over one to two weeks, and many people return to activities in around 7–10 days.
12 MONTHS+
Tip refines
The fine shape of the tip continues to refine gradually over roughly 12 months or more, especially with thicker skin. (Results vary by individual.)
Sessions & results
This is a single surgery. The splint comes off in about a week and most swelling settles over weeks, while the fine shape of the tip can continue to refine over roughly 12 months or more. Revision, if ever considered, is planned individually. (Results vary by individual.)
how it compares
How it compares
These options differ in scope — from a comprehensive surgical reshaping to a focused step or a temporary non-surgical touch-up — so the right one depends on your goal. This is not a ranking.
| Rhinoplasty | Nose Filler | Alar reduction only | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approach | Reshapes the bone/cartilage framework; closed or open | Injectable smooths or augments; non-surgical | Surgically narrows wide nostrils only |
| Best for | Tip, hump, deviation, height or alae | Minor contour smoothing or camouflage | Wide alae (nostrils) alone |
| Anesthesia | Sedation or general | Topical or local | Local |
| Recovery | Splint ~5–7 days; ~1–2 weeks | Little downtime | Local recovery; sutures ~5–7 days |
| Longevity | Long-lasting; tip refines over months | Temporary — months | Long-lasting |
Neither is “better” — they work differently and suit different goals. The right choice is decided after we assess your skin.
Before you decide, the questions people always ask
before consultation
A hump that lifts the profile line usually involves both bone and cartilage, while a bulbous or drooping tip is a matter of the cartilage and the thickness of the skin. Because the surgical technique and the material both change depending on where the concern originates, we separate the two first, through examination and whatever imaging is needed.
It depends on the area. The bridge is often built with an implant, while a site that takes pressure and has thin skin over it, such as the tip, is safer with your own cartilage. We go through the advantages and the drawbacks of each, along with the changes that can appear as time passes, and then decide together with you; if you have had surgery before, the materials that can be used may be different.
If it comes from a deviated septum or from narrow structures inside the nose, it can be addressed during the same operation. However, when the problem lies in the mucosa, as with rhinitis, surgery does not resolve it. We confirm which of the two it is, and then tell you what is possible.
The swelling you can see subsides considerably over a few weeks, but an area with thick skin such as the tip takes anywhere from several months to a year to settle. Early on the nose is still swollen, so it looks thicker and higher than it really is. Please do not judge the result from how it looks in that early period; what matters is following the progress with us and giving it time.
Records of the previous surgery, showing when it was done, by what technique and what was placed, are a great help if you can bring them. A revision is more difficult than a first operation because of adhesions and tissue damage, and the materials available may also be limited. We will tell you honestly what is within reach and what limits may remain.
The medical information on this page was reviewed by Hong Sahyeok, plastic surgeon and Medical Director of QD Clinic.
personal consultation
Tell us what bothers you now, the change you want, what you have had done before and any dates that matter. We will compare the possible approaches and their limits, calmly.
Consult now