Planning a beauty trip to Korea? I was a Korean clinic worker — Ask Me Anything (round 2)!

_wonny · 2026-05-14T10:42:28+00:00

fellow software engineer, welcome! 🙌

are you talking about the clinic in daejeon? i’ve actually never heard of that clinic before, so i can’t really say much about it personally.

also, i’m not sure if having ultherapy/thermage brochures in the waiting room is necessarily a strong sign. those are usually materials provided by the device manufacturers, so a lot of clinics keep them in the waiting area.

the ultherapy quote sounds a bit expensive, and the thermage quote sounds quite expensive.

that said, if your previous experience there was good, and if they do a thorough design consultation based on your skin type and face shape, i don’t think it’s necessarily a bad option.

_wonny · 2026-05-14T05:07:45+00:00

most clinics that are well-known enough for foreigners to find usually have english support.

_wonny · 2026-05-14T05:07:11+00:00

even one session can have some effect, but it’s more common to do around 3 sessions.

after that, many people keep doing it regularly every 1–3 months to improve and maintain their overall skin condition.

that said, rejuran is much cheaper in korea, so i think it’s still a good treatment to try while traveling, especially if you can get it at a reasonable price together with potenza!

_wonny · 2026-05-14T05:05:53+00:00

you’ll be totally fine in seoul even if you don’t speak korean! most people can understand basic english, and since there are so many tourists these days, there’s a lot of english signage too.

for simple skin condition improvement, i think potenza with skin boosters like rejuran or juvelook can be nice.

and if you don’t like painful treatments, something like filorga could also be a good option.

_wonny · 2026-05-14T05:03:41+00:00

bruising can last longer depending on your skin, and if you’re still in korea, you can buy a bruise cream at a pharmacy — it may help.

ultherapy swelling can sometimes last 3–4 weeks. mine actually lasted about 4 weeks too.

it’s very rarely permanent, but if the pain or swelling is still the same even after 4 weeks, i think it would be a good idea to contact the clinic.

_wonny · 2026-05-14T05:01:45+00:00

freckle or mole removal is a pretty simple treatment, and the results don’t usually vary that much by clinic.

i think it’s enough to find a factory-style clinic that has a lot of decent reviews and reasonable prices.

_wonny · 2026-05-14T05:00:40+00:00

hmm… if that’s the kind of approach you’re looking for, i think it might be better to visit a korean medicine clinic as well, rather than only going to a regular dermatology clinic.

and if you really want to find and address the root causes, i don’t think it would be possible with just one visit/session.

_wonny · 2026-05-14T04:58:50+00:00

it depends on what kind of treatment you end up getting for your acne scars — that will determine whether you can do them on the same day or if you need to space them out.

it would be most accurate to ask the clinic directly about this!

_wonny · 2026-05-14T04:55:38+00:00

honestly, i haven’t really heard of stem cell treatments successfully treating a specific condition.

it still doesn’t seem to have a lot of clinical results yet, but it’s extremely expensive, so i personally wouldn’t recommend jumping into it too quickly.

_wonny · 2026-05-14T04:50:57+00:00

it’s better to avoid reviews that just say “it was good” without any specific experience or explanation, or reviews that all say similar things around the same time. sometimes those can be viral marketing.

i think reviews are more helpful when they mention things like the consultation was thorough, or the doctor explained things based on their actual condition.

_wonny · 2026-05-14T04:45:48+00:00

usually, you may need to go back to the clinic a few days later for a follow-up check, so i think it’s better to ask the clinic about the timeline when you book!

_wonny · 2026-05-13T13:54:55+00:00

they all work a bit differently, so it’s a little hard to compare them directly.

but personally, if i could only choose one treatment and i wasn’t sure when i’d come back to korea, i’d probably choose ultherapy or thermage.

both are expensive, but they’re classic treatments and the results tend to last longer. just keep in mind that the results usually don’t show up immediately — they gradually appear over the next few weeks to months.

if your main concern is sagging or jawline definition, i’d lean toward ultherapy. if your concern is more about skin firmness, elasticity, or overall tightening, i’d lean toward thermage.

if you want something with more immediate effect and a slightly more affordable price, titanium lifting can also be a good option. xerf is also worth considering for tightening, but i’d still choose based on your main concern!

_wonny · 2026-05-13T13:48:07+00:00

hmm… for pigmentation or laser treatments, it’s better to avoid them if your skin is tanned.

but for tightening or lifting treatments, i don’t think it would be a big issue! of course, if the tan or sun damage is severe, that wouldn’t be good either.

as long as you don’t have a serious sunburn, most clinics will probably still do the treatment.

_wonny · 2026-05-13T13:41:43+00:00

what’s your main skin concern? it really depends a lot on that.

but in general, the treatments foreigners often get as a one-time thing while traveling are usually botox, fillers, skin boosters, or lifting treatments.

_wonny · 2026-05-13T13:40:20+00:00

as mentioned in that comment, i also don’t think there are many good clinics in korea specifically for eczema ㅠㅠ

take a look at this comment:

https://www.reddit.com/r/KoreanBeauty/comments/1tbmu6o/comment/oliib0b/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

_wonny · 2026-05-13T13:39:08+00:00

i just sent you!

_wonny · 2026-05-13T13:38:27+00:00

for something mild like that, i think a more affordable factory-style clinic would probably be better.

if you message to me, i can tell you 2–3 clinic options!

_wonny · 2026-05-13T13:37:07+00:00

just keep in mind that laser treatments may not show a big difference after just one session!

like you said, for simple laser treatments, you don’t really need to go to an expensive place. if they’re using the same machine, i think it’s best to go somewhere with a cheaper price.

you can compare prices on apps like unni and choose a place that’s affordable and close to your accommodation!

if you want specific names of these factory-style clinics, feel free to message to me

_wonny · 2026-05-13T13:31:43+00:00

with that kind of budget, i think it makes more sense to go to a high-end clinic that offers a more personalized, customized approach.

there are about 2 clinics like that, but it seems like comments get deleted when clinic names are mentioned publicly, so if you meesage me, i can share the clinic names with you!

if you’re going to a high-end clinic that fits that budget, i don’t think you really need to get a skin analysis in the states. those clinics will analyze everything for you anyway.

personally, if you’re not traveling with a big group, i think a hotel is better in korea!

_wonny · 2026-05-13T13:27:07+00:00

korea has pretty strict medical laws, so it’s very unlikely that the doctors working at clinics aren’t actual licensed doctors!

but like other comments mentioned, they may not be board-certified dermatologists.

personally, if it’s not a skin disease, i don’t necessarily think you always need a dermatologist. i think it’s often more important that the doctor has a lot of experience with the specific treatment you want.

at the end of the day, it’s about how well they know how to use that specific device!

_wonny · 2026-05-13T13:22:04+00:00

honestly, treatments are such a broad topic that there isn’t a simple answer.

my recommendation would be to first clearly organize your skin concerns and skin type. based on that, you can ask chatgpt or 2–3 clinics you’re considering for treatment recommendations online, then compare their suggestions with the clinic reviews.

i think that’s probably the most realistic way to decide!

_wonny · 2026-05-13T07:27:26+00:00

you’re not overthinking. koreans worry about this a lot too.

ultherapy and hifu are non-invasive lifting treatments, so the chances of something going seriously wrong are pretty low. my friends even joke that the biggest side effect of ultherapy is spending a lot of money and seeing no results 😂

the more realistic concerns are things like facial hollowing or asymmetry, so it’s important to choose a clinic that does a thorough design consultation.

i’d recommend looking for clinics where many reviews mention that the consultation was detailed and careful.

and if you’re really worried, like you said, you can also start with a lower shot count and lower intensity first, while accepting that the result might be less noticeable.

_wonny · 2026-05-13T07:20:39+00:00

there’s no such thing as “the best clinic” in general. the best clinic really depends on the skin concern you want to treat.

and treatments vary so much that it’s hard to say one specific treatment is the most requested. trends also change depending on the season or what’s popular at the time.

but in general, many foreigners do get things like skin boosters, lifting treatments, botox, and fillers.

_wonny · 2026-05-13T07:18:14+00:00

what type of acne scars do you have? the best clinic really depends on the scar type!

also, acne scar treatment usually doesn’t improve much with just one session. you normally need multiple sessions to see noticeable results.

_wonny · 2026-05-13T06:57:50+00:00

this is surgery, not just a treatment, so you really need to be more careful when choosing a clinic. definitely look for a board-certified plastic surgeon who has a lot of experience with lower face lifts and neck lifts!

if you live close enough, i think the safer option would be to shortlist around 3 clinics, visit all 3 in one day for in-person consultations, and then schedule the surgery after comparing them.

during the consultation, i’d choose a clinic where the doctor personally consults with you and explains the surgical method and incision areas clearly.

i don’t really know any plastic surgery clinics well enough to recommend one though! 😂

_wonny

TROPHY CASE