IDHOSPITAL

Depending on the surgeries you have, what you can eat after facial contouring surgery can be limited.

For some who are familiar with Korean food, finding something to eat may not be difficult.

This guide is for anyone who will be visiting Korea for the first time and wondering what to eat after facial contouring surgery.

Things to avoid for 1-3 months after facial contouring surgery

Alcohol: Even though we repeat this over and over again, many patients still do go ahead and have alcohol 2 to 3 days after surgery. Do not drink alcohol as it will increase the infection risk factor and hinder your recovery.

Smoking: It increases the possibility of getting an infection and slows down healing, slowing your recovery. Smoking can also increase the risk for other complications and will prolong your healing time. Before planning your surgery, make sure to quit smoking.

Where to buy food to eat after facial contouring surgery?

Convenience stores like GS25, 7/11 and CU are open 24/7 and most packaged items can be bought from there.

Korean diners are open on every corner and you can use naver map or mango plate to find places near you.

If you are lucky to have a mart nearby, then you will have more options for things to buy.

Things to avoid eating after facial contouring surgery

After facial contouring surgery, you will be using a gargle for 2 weeks. That will be your only form of oral hygiene as you cannot brush your teeth for 7 days after surgery.

Rule 1: Do NOT eat the food while it is hot or drink any hot drinks. Wait for it cool down before eating/drinking.

Any red soup: Red soups contain red pepper flakes and are spicy. The red pepper flakes can get stuck between the teeth, or the stitches, so avoiding any such soups is recommended. This included spicy jjampong (seafood soup 짬뽕), beef soup (육개장), Pork back rib soup (감자탕), soybean soup (된장찌개) or Kimchi stew (김치찌개).

Fried foods: Avoid fried food like fried chicken, fried pork cutlets (donkatsu), fried vegetable (sold as street food). It is best to avoid greasy food.

Chewy meat: You have to avoid chewy meat for 1-3 months after surgery. While your bones are healing, it is not advised to chew aggressively (tough beef, octopus, chewy cured meats etc.).

Raw meat: Avoid any types of sushi or dishes that contain raw meat, until you can chew well.

Things to eat after facial contouring surgery: Week 1

For the first week or so, we recommend sticking to liquid food, and gradually moving onto soft food.

Milk: Milk is readily available at any convenience stores, so you should have access to milk any time. If you are lactose intolerant, most stores carry small packs of almond milk (almond breeze) and soy milk brands.

Yogurt: Convenience stores sell plain and flavored yogurts. Unflavored yogurts are sweetened so if you do not want that, make sure to check the label for the sugar content.

**Disclaimer: Do not have too much dairy. One serving a day ONLY as it can give you diarrhea**

Juices and smoothies: There are many juice and smoothie around Seoul. You can also buy juice from convenience stores. You can buy pumpkin juice from ID Hospital lobby.

Porridge (죽): Diners like Bonjuk (본죽) serve Korean porridges (pumpkin, red beans etc.) which are good for the health. Pre-packaged porridge is also at convenience stores and ID Hospital lobby.

Eggs: Steamed eggs (계란찜) are soft so you do not head to chew much. Wait till the eggs have cooled down, and then eat. Boiled eggs can be bought at convenience stores.

Things to eat after facial contouring surgery: Week 2

Fish: Since fish is soft, braised or roasted fish is alright to eat. Many diners sell fried fish, so you can eat the tender meat and leave out the skin.

Tofu: For those who enjoy tofu, soft tofu is a great option. You can find small packaged tofu at convenience stores or have tofu meals at a diner.

Rice: After the first week, you can have rice dishes along with the soup.

Soups and stews: Avoid spicy soups. Samgyetang (삼계탕) is a great soup to have. The chicken is so tender so you can chew softly. Do not have the soup while it is hot.

After your stitches are removed, you can go back to eating normally. However, very chewy meat and foods should be restricted for another 3 months to allow the jaw to heal well.