Analysis Report

Almond Plastic Surgery Clinic

Dr. Kim Sang-heon, Representative Director In-depth Analysis

Natural Eye Surgery Doctor-led System Fast Recovery

Executive Summary

01

Doctor-led System & Safety

Board-certified plastic surgeons directly manage all processes, ensuring no 'shadow doctors' through CCTV and a real-name system.

02

Targeted Expertise & Natural Results

Specialized in eye surgery, focusing on natural and fast-recovery results that appeal particularly to patients in their 20s and 30s.

03

Proprietary Techniques

Renowned for unique and effective surgical methods such as 'Liner Canthoplasty' and 'Natural Adhesion Double Eyelid', minimizing scarring and downtime.

04

Transparent Communication

Actively engages with patients via YouTube, clarifying misinformation and providing ethical advice, fostering deep trust and understanding.

Representative Director Dr. Kim Sang-heon

Education & Training

  • High School: Graduated from Hansung Science High School
  • Medical School: Graduated from Inje University College of Medicine
  • Training: Completed internship and residency (Plastic Surgery) at Inje University Ilsan Paik Hospital; obtained board certification.
  • Overseas Training: Advanced plastic surgery techniques at St. Andrews Center for Plastic Surgery, Broomfield Hospital in London, UK.

Major Career & Academic Activities

  • Teaching Position: Served as an adjunct professor of Plastic Surgery at Inje University Ilsan Paik Hospital.
  • Academic Activities: Regular Member of Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, Korean Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, International Confederation for Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery (IPRAS). Served as Executive Director and Academic Committee Member of the Korean Association of Plastic Surgeons.
  • Volunteer Activities: Active member of 'Smile for Children,' a Vietnam plastic surgery volunteer group.

Specialized Medical Fields

  • Primary Focus: Eye Surgery, Body Contouring (Fat Surgery), and Lifting.
  • Key Expertise: High proficiency in 'Natural Adhesion Double Eyelid' and 'Canthoplasty', known for natural improvements.

Media & Transparency Efforts

  • YouTube Channel 'Amond TV': Actively communicates plastic surgery information and clarifies rumors.
  • Clarification of Misunderstandings: Directly addressed confusion regarding doctors with the same name or clinics with similar names to ensure transparency.
  • Ethical Guidance: Creates videos on 'Plastic Surgery Blacklists to Avoid,' advising patients on responsible hospital selection and avoiding overtreatment.

Clinic Overview & Operational Status

Establishment & Location

Opened on May 6, 2020.

Located at 834 Nonhyeon-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (Sinsa-dong, Yunsung Building).

Highly accessible, approximately a 5-minute walk from Exit 3 of Apgujeong Station (Subway Line 3). Facilities systematically separated across the 1st-floor lobby (1L), 3rd floor, and 4th floor for consultation, surgery, and recovery.

Philosophy & System

Employs a **'Doctor-led' medical system**, where board-certified plastic surgeons directly manage the entire patient journey from consultation to post-operative care.

Dedicated Medical Staff: Five board-certified plastic surgeons, including Dr. Kim Sang-heon, operating under a co-representative director system, each specializing in their field.

Safety System: Operating rooms equipped with CCTVs and adherence to a real-name medical treatment principle to prevent 'ghost surgery' and ensure patient safety.

Office Hours

  • Weekdays (Mon-Thu): 10:00 AM ~ 7:00 PM
  • Friday (Night Clinic): 10:00 AM ~ 9:00 PM
  • Saturday: 10:00 AM ~ 4:00 PM
  • Sunday and Public Holidays: Closed

Hours are configured to accommodate working patients' convenience.

Major Procedures & Techniques

Liner Canthoplasty

A unique method combining lateral and lower canthoplasty to address the shortcomings of existing techniques, aiming for the ideal 'Almond Eye' shape.

  • Technical Features: Minimizes skin incisions, firm fixation to the periosteum, leaving almost no scars.
  • Advantages: No stitches needed, fast recovery (allows face washing, lens, makeup on the day of surgery), and enhanced retention to prevent recurrence.

Natural Adhesion Double Eyelid

A surgical method designed to create natural double eyelids by inducing adhesion between skin, muscle, and tarsal plate, improving upon the loosening of buried methods and reducing scarring from incisional methods.

  • Technical Features: Creates minute holes (e.g., 6 points) in the eyelid to naturally induce adhesion.
  • Advantages: Creates a natural, non-artificial line with very fast recovery. Customized designs like in-out and semi-out lines are precisely applied.

Under-eye Fat Repositioning

Corrects tired-looking impressions caused by dark circles and under-eye bulging, restoring a youthful appearance.

  • Technical Features: Incision is made through the conjunctiva inside the eye, resulting in no visible external scars. Unnecessary fat is removed or repositioned to sunken areas.
  • Concurrent Procedures: Micro-fat grafting may be performed in parallel to restore volume to the front cheekbones, maximizing the anti-aging effect.

Reputation & Patient Review Analysis

Positive Evaluations (Pros)

  • High Ratings: Almond Plastic Surgery (Apgujeong Branch) maintains a high rating of 9.2/10 on Gangnam Unni (over 6,600 reviews). Dr. Kim Sang-heon's individual rating is also excellent at 9.0.
  • Kind and Detailed Consultation: Patients frequently praise Dr. Kim's "gentle and kind" approach, "step-by-step explanations," and emphasis on "not recommending overtreatment."
  • Natural Results: Dominant reviews include "It doesn't look like I had surgery," "swelling went down really fast," and "the desired line came out exactly." High satisfaction among those needing quick return to daily life.
  • Thorough Post-operative Care: The fact that the director personally conducts meticulous progress checks after surgery significantly builds trust.

Negative Evaluations & Points for Improvement (Cons)

  • Reservations and Waiting Time: Due to popularity, some complaints exist about difficulty booking consultations and long waiting times, with mentions of schedules being "full until August."
  • Conservative Approach: Some patients desired "dramatic and flashy changes" but felt disappointed by the director's emphasis on "naturalness" or dissuasion from revision surgery due to risks. This, however, is often seen as a doctor prioritizing safety.
  • Individual Differences in Results: Rare reviews mention asymmetry or insufficient effect (e.g., becoming an inner double eyelid). These are common complaints in plastic surgery, and specific issues with the clinic's response were not significantly highlighted.

Conclusion

**Almond Plastic Surgery Clinic (Apgujeong Branch)** and **Representative Director Dr. Kim Sang-heon** are esteemed medical institutions specialized in eye surgery, prioritizing 'naturalness' and 'safety'. Rooted in solid education and extensive experience, Dr. Kim Sang-heon offers precise counseling and tailored surgeries for each patient, effectively meeting the modern demand for fast recovery through specialized techniques like **'Liner Canthoplasty'**.

The clinic enjoys a largely positive market reputation, and its doctor-led system, where the physician is responsible from consultation to post-operative care, fosters high patient trust. While the long reservation waiting times can be an inconvenience, they are a testament to the clinic's widespread popularity. Furthermore, Dr. Kim Sang-heon's proactive efforts to clarify misunderstandings (such as same-name issues) through media channels and provide accurate plastic surgery information underscore his commitment to transparent and ethical medical practice.

Ethical Practice Patient Trust Specialized Excellence

This report was compiled based on public data, patient reviews, and official clinic materials. Actual surgical results may vary depending on individual physical characteristics.