"Just Had Plastic Surgery, but Black Veins..." 20s Woman Complains of Facial Paralysis

Gangnam Famous Plastic Surgery Clinic Claims "No Problems with Surgery"

A case of facial paralysis after surgery has emerged from a famous plastic surgery clinic in Gangnam, Seoul. The patient who reported the damage underwent facial contouring surgery and double jaw surgery.

According to JTBC and others on the 15th, a woman in her 20s, Ms. Kim, had surgery at the clinic two years ago. She revealed that her face became paralyzed due to nerve damage in her eyes, mouth, and forehead, causing one eye not to close properly.

A woman in her 20s who experienced facial paralysis after undergoing surgery at a famous plastic surgery clinic in Gangnam, Seoul.
Photo by JTBC News

She also experienced a side effect where only one corner of her mouth lifted when she smiled. After the facial paralysis, Ms. Kim developed social anxiety disorder and lost her job. She said, “I can’t look at (other people), and I developed social anxiety from being watched by others,” adding, “I only think about wanting to die.”

According to reports, when Ms. Kim contacted the clinic saying “my eye won’t close,” the hospital responded, “Everything will return to normal. There is no problem with the surgery.”

However, black bleeding continued from her nose and mouth, and a month later, Ms. Kim was taken to the emergency room of a university hospital. She said, “Black blood kept coming from my nose and mouth, and when I opened my eyes, I was in the intensive care unit.”

The university hospital diagnosed her with facial paralysis caused by nerve damage due to the double jaw surgery.

Ms. Kim protested to the plastic surgery clinic, but the hospital paid about 3.3 million won as partial treatment costs on a moral basis. However, they refused to pay the 30 million won surgery fee mentioned by the university hospital and told Ms. Kim to file a lawsuit.

When Ms. Kim filed a lawsuit, the hospital explained the possible complications before surgery and claimed there was no negligence.

[Photo by JTBC]

Previously, in May, a man in his 50s who underwent lower eyelid fat repositioning surgery at the same clinic reportedly lost vision in his right eye due to optic nerve damage. The hospital initially told the man they would take responsibility only on a moral level, but after media coverage began, they stated they would compensate according to the scope determined by the court.