r/K_beauty_insider

I have been navigating the Seoul dermatology scene for over fifteen years, and through endless trial and error on my own face, I finally perfected the ultimate treatment routine. This specific protocol layers deep hydration with collagen remodeling and muscle relaxation to create maximum synergy. If you stick to this exact schedule for just one year, you will feel like the actual DNA of your skin has fundamentally changed for the better.:)

1. Botox must be Xeomin or Allergan to avoid resistance down the line, specifically targeting the jaw and glabella every three months, which usually costs around 50k to 80k KRW locally compared to the highly inflated tourist prices.

2. Skin boosters should be alternated monthly, switching between Rejuo for pore reduction and Hilo Wave for volume and deep hydration to create a perfect synergistic glow.

3. Thermage FLX is a waste of money at 300 shots because the radiofrequency energy needs time to build up heat for collagen remodeling, so always ask for 600 shots with the Total Tip 4.0 at the beginning of the year, usually priced around 1.8 million KRW locally instead of 3 million.

4. Ultherapy should absolutely be done as a full face 600 shot treatment instead of wasting budget on vague minor treatments, but if you are on a budget, choose either a full 600 shots of Ultherapy or Thermage rather than compromising on shot counts.

5. Pico laser toning needs to be an absolute monthly habit because this single consistent step completely transforms and maintains a bright and even skin tone over time.

(Not sponsored or paid btw, just sharing my genuine experience because I’m so excited about the potential results!)

I used to be obsessed with Rejuran and literally got over 30cc done last year alone. But during my last four sessions, I suddenly developed a crazy allergy to it, so I had to completely stop. I ended up visiting Project U Clinic, which is my regular spot in Seoul, to figure out what to do next.

Honestly, since Reatwo is super hyped in Korea right now, I went into Project U fully planning to get that. But after checking my skin, the doctor told me that the seasonal change in Korea had completely wrecked my skin barrier. My oil-water balance was totally off, which is why my redness and flushing had gotten so bad lately. They explained that if your barrier is this damaged, your skin won't absorb any treatment properly, and you won't see good results anyway.

Instead of Reatwo, they recommended Hucellin to rebuild and strengthen my skin barrier. They actually told me that Reatwo is better suited for older skin types or people mainly worried about volume loss. Since Hucellin is cheaper than Reatwo, it felt so honest—zero aggressive upselling, which made me trust Project U instantly.

We also did a deep skin analysis with a scanning machine before the consultation, and the data showed that my pores were quite enlarged. To tackle both the pores and my major concern with redness, we decided to pair the Hucellin with Sylfirm X. Pain-wise, Hucellin was way less painful than Rejuran, which was a huge relief.

I love that the whole consultation at Project U was based on actual data from the skin analysis rather than just guessing or pushing random procedures. I’m scheduled to go back in about two weeks for a follow-up, and I’m honestly so curious to see how my skin data changes on the machine. I’m planning to do about two more sessions of Sylfirm as well. Dr. Jeong did my treatment and was incredibly meticulous throughout the whole process. Really hoping to see that redness fade and my barrier heal up soon!

https://preview.redd.it/a71ev4zouo2h1.jpg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f1e71636e1f1a2dadc8d85f17f8b1cbe7b84f236

https://preview.redd.it/pl9j64zouo2h1.jpg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a8965e481c05abd7b9d87b176948bb6d00f87eb2

I was grabbing coffee with a clinic manager friend yesterday, and we got to talking about how many people waste money on trendy skin boosters that their face literally cannot process. The secret to a flawless base isn't throwing money at random injectables, but knowing exactly whether your skin needs simple nutrients, direct collagen, or entirely new cellular workers based on your current age. Here is the exact breakdown she uses to match her clients with the right combinations.

1. Think of Rejuran as a daily vitamin or nutritional supplement that works best for those in their 20s and early 30s who still have a healthy skin base, as it perfectly targets redness and gives that immediate glass skin glow.
2. Re2O is designed to directly deposit collagen and fundamentally strengthen your dermis layer, making it ideal to start in your early to mid 30s when natural collagen production begins dropping.
3. Keep in mind that when delivering collagen with Re2O, you get a much better result if you have already prepped and strengthened your skin barrier first.
4. There is a massive misconception that stem cells are a magic cure for both fat and dermal layers, but their actual job is to manufacture brand new working cells.
5. Once you hit your 40s and 50s, the active cells in your face naturally deplete, meaning even if you pump your skin full of Rejuran nutrients, there are no cells left to actually do the work.
6. This is why you must use stem cells to create those new workers first before adding anything else.
7. For a quick reference on what to book based on your age group, you can follow this exact guide:

Age Group	Ideal Combination	Primary Target and Benefit
20s to early 30s	Rejuran and Re2O	Calms redness and induces a dewy glass skin glow
Late 30s to 40s plus	Stem Cell and Re2O	Generates missing cells and builds a thick collagen barrier

1. Stick to the Rejuran and Re2O combo in your 20s and 30s, and switch entirely to the Stem Cell and Re2O combo from your late 30s onwards to actually see results.

I've been coming to Seoul a few times a year for the last couple years, mostly to see family, but i pretty much always end up booking skin stuff while im here. Boosters i've kind of gone deep on, Re2O especially, ive had it done at a bunch of different clinics around Gangnam by now. I get asked about it alot in comments so i figured id put what ive learned in one place.

Quick context, im a dentist back in the states. Aesthetic derm isnt my field so im a patient here not an expert, but injections and anatomy are very much my world at work, so i pay attention to the technique side more than i probably would otherwise.

First, cannula vs needle, since ive done Re2O both ways. With needle, right after the session the spots where the product went in look a little raised and bumpy, but for me that always flattened out within a day. With cannula you dont really get that at all. You get the one entry point (a small wound) plus some bruising, and the treated area feels swollen and a bit firm for a while, but honestly thats it. The bruising can occasionally hang around a week or two, but usually its quick.

Thats why i personally lean cannula. Fewer puncture points so its less painful for me, and theres way less of that bumpy aftermath. Theres also a mechanism reason, the cannula moving through the tissue under the skin disrupts things a little, sort of deliberately stressing the collagen fibers, and that micro-damage pushes a stronger regeneration response while you heal. So you get a bit of an extra effect on top of the product itself. The catch is cannula is the trickier technique imo, so how smooth it feels can depend a lot on who's doing it.

Heres something that confused me early on. Regular Re2O gets labeled differently depending on the clinic, some say 5cc, some say 6cc. Fine is usually 2cc, ive seen 3cc once or twice. (Regular vs Fine itself is basically molecule size, Fine is the smaller-molecule one so it suits thinner skin like the under eye area better.)

Anyway the cc thing. Re2O actually comes as a powder, and the clinic reconstitutes it with normal saline before injecting. How much saline they mix in is what makes it 5cc vs 6cc. So assuming a full package is actually used, the amount of the real active part (the ECM) is identical no matter what cc number you get, the rest is just saline, which your body absorbs and is totally harmless. More saline isnt a problem in itself. But from what i understand the manufacturers recommended volume after reconstitution is 5cc. So a clinic advertising 6cc is either making it sound like more than it is, or diluting it differently than recommended. I personally try to stick to places that label it 5cc since thats the maker recommended amount.

On results. Re2O i think is genuinely great for skin health, the barrier especially, the skin just ends up feeling sturdier. Where it falls short for me is hydration and glow, thats not really what its for. So pairing it with an HA skin booster fills that gap really nicely, the two together have a real synergy. A lot of clinics will suggest combining at consult for exactly that reason, some even build it into packages.

The pairing that worked best for me by a mile is Re2O with Rejuran HB+ (the HB+ version specifically, since thats the one with the hyaluronic part). It costs more, no getting around that, but the payoff is the one thing in all of this im genuinely sure about. I havent found a clinic selling that exact combo as a set though, so i just go in and ask for it the way i want it.

I get Re2O redone every 2-3 months and try to stay consistent with it. Im not gonna post photos, too shy for that haha, but people genuinely do a double take when my age comes up, so. its been worth it for me.

anyway thats the brain dump, happy to answer questions if anyone has them 😄

You've seen the videos.

The before is filmed looking slightly downward under harsh lighting with no makeup. The after is filmed from a slightly upward angle, soft warm lighting, fresh skin, subtle makeup and what appears to be a completely transformed jawline. Same person. Apparently same procedure. Completely different face.

And then someone you know gets it done and comes back looking... fine. Maybe slightly lifted. Definitely not transformed.

Here's the thing. Thread lifting isn't a scam. But the version of it being sold on social media and the version being performed in clinics are genuinely not the same thing. And the fact that almost nobody explains this before people book is, honestly, kind of a problem.

The photography trick that nobody names out loud
Most social media before and after photos are taken immediately after the procedure or within the first 48 hours. Which happens to be the single most misleading possible moment to photograph a thread lift result.

When threads are inserted, the skin is physically compressed and gathered around them. That creates an immediate mechanical lift that is partly real and partly just the procedure still being present in the tissue. There's also post-procedure swelling that fills out certain areas of the face in a way that photographs really well.

Then the swelling goes down. The compression softens. And by week two the result looks noticeably less dramatic than those day-one photos. Not bad. Just different. Significantly different.

Nobody posts those photos. The algorithm doesn't reward them and the clinic certainly isn't encouraging it.

The actual long-term benefit of thread lifting comes from collagen stimulation which takes three to six months to develop. But the social media content cycle moves in days. The six month result almost never makes it online. Which means the version of thread lifting most people research doesn't really exist in the way they think it does.

The other thing social media isn't showing you
The transformations that go viral almost always share something in common. The person was an ideal candidate. Good skin elasticity, moderate laxity, strong bone structure, the right fat distribution. Everything lined up perfectly.

What you never see is the results on the people for whom thread lifting did very little. Those patients exist in significant numbers. They're just not posting. And the algorithm isn't surfacing them because disappointing results don't get saved and shared.

So what you're actually looking at in your feed is the best case scenario, selected and concentrated until it looks like the standard outcome. It isn't the standard outcome. It's the ceiling. And most people are somewhere below it.

What the medicine actually says
Threads lift tissue and stimulate collagen as they dissolve. The mechanical lift is immediate but partially fades. The collagen response takes months and is more lasting but also more subtle.

A realistic well-performed thread lift on a good candidate produces a refreshed, slightly lifted result that looks natural. Exactly because it isn't dramatic. Results last one to two years depending on the threads, the area and the patient's own tissue. Then the threads dissolve, the collagen does what it does and without maintenance, things gradually return toward where they were.

That's not nothing. For the right person it's genuinely worth doing.

But it is very far from what the videos suggest. And the fact that people are walking into consultations expecting one thing and experiencing another is a direct result of content that was never designed to be accurate. It was designed to perform.

The part that gets conveniently left out
The procedure has real merit. Used correctly on the right person with honest expectations it works well. But it has been marketed so aggressively and so misleadingly that a lot of people who try it feel like they did something wrong when their result doesn't match what they saw online.

They didn't do anything wrong. They just weren't shown the real version before they decided.

And that's worth being annoyed about.

Has anyone here had thread lifting and felt like the result genuinely matched what you saw on social media? Or was there a gap? And did anyone explain any of this to you before you booked? Would actually love to know how common the disappointment is versus how common the transformation is in real life.

I’ve been working as a beauty content creator and show host in Seoul for a while now, and if there’s one thing I’ve noticed, it’s the massive gap between what’s "viral" on international TikTok/Reddit and what’s actually sitting on the vanity of most Korean girls.
Marketing is powerful, but locals here are obsessed with Hwahae (an ingredient analysis app) and real-time Olive Young rankings. If you’re tired of being a test subject for "fake" trends, here is the breakdown of the true K-beauty staples and my personal hidden gems.

The Toner Pad Era: Better than Sheet Masks?
In Korea, we’ve mostly moved on from daily sheet masks to Toner Pads. They are more cost-effective, and you can "multi-mask"—put a soothing pad on your cheeks for redness and a pore-targeting pad on your forehead at the same time.
Abib Heartleaf Spot Pad (Calming Touch)
Status: The absolute legend for home-care soothing. I’m on my 4th tub (all #내돈내산 / purchased with my own money).
The Vibe: Heartleaf (Eoseongcho) is the gold standard for calming skin in Korea. Most pads get dry toward the bottom, but these are literally swimming in essence until the very last sheet.
The Catch: The pad material is a bit textured. If you use it to "wipe" your face, it can feel a bit scratchy. Use it as a mini mask pack instead.
Skinfood Carrot Carotene Calming Water Pad
Status: So famous it barely needs an introduction. It’s nicknamed the "Cloud Pad" because it’s so thick and fluffy.
The Vibe: You can split one pad into two layers, and they are stretchy enough to cover your whole cheek. While Abib is for breakouts, the Carrot pad is the GOAT for bringing down facial heat and flushing.

The Ampoule Heavyweights
Torriden Dive-In Low Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Serum
Status: The "Nation’s Ampoule." It’s not an exaggeration to say almost every Korean woman has tried this.
The Vibe: It’s super gentle and gives you that perfect "makeup-ready" skin (화잘먹). It’s a pure hydration steady-seller.
Round Lab Pine Calming Cica Ampoule
Status: This is the current favorite for intensive soothing. If your skin is angry, this is what people reach for.
Round Lab Soybean (Yak-kong) Line
The Insider Tip: Everyone knows the Mugwort or Birch juice lines, but the Soybean line is a hidden gem. If you have "dry-oily" skin (유분 부족형) or are starting to care about anti-aging/firming, this is much better than the famous ones.

My Personal "Hidden Gem" Recommendations
These are the products I personally swear by, even if they aren't the #1 top sellers yet.
Dermafix Collagen Gel Mask
I have contact dermatitis and my skin hates heavy, oily products, so I actually can't use the famous Biodance masks (they break me out).
Why I love it: This gel mask is super stable. Most gel masks slide off your face if you move, but this one sticks perfectly so I can do chores while wearing it. It’s my go-to for firming without the irritation.
Skin&Lab Barrierderm Intensive Cream
I have very tiny pores, so if a cream is even slightly "suffocating," I get folliculitis immediately.
Why I love it: This is non-comedogenic, so I can layer it on thick at night and my skin stays perfectly clear.
The Catch: It has tiny capsules/beads in it. DO NOT wear this under makeup; it will pill and look messy. Night use only!
Menokin 30-Seconds High Frequency Bubble Toner
There’s a lot of debate in Korea about whether this is "viral marketing" or not. I’m on my second blue bottle, and I’m a fan.
Why I love it: It kills inner dryness (속건조) and gives you an insane glow under makeup.
The Reality Check: The pump head is too short, so the toner tends to leak down the side of the bottle. Also, they market it as "absorbing in 30 seconds"—that’s a lie. It takes at least 3 minutes, and if you use too much, it’s sticky. But for the glow? Worth it.

TL;DR: Stop buying what influencers tell you is "K-beauty" and look for Heartleaf, Pine Cica, and Barrier-repair products that locals actually stock up on at Olive Young!
What products have you guys tried that felt like a total marketing scam? Let’s discuss below!

What is the preferred method for Re20 injection? Manual deep dermal injection or cannula technique?
I had Re2O via manual injection (with post LDM) and the down time has taken me by surprise.
It took a week to look presentable and I can still feel the bumps below the skin surface after 3 weeks. My skin still felt dry and dull at 15-20 days.
I’m only seeing the bumps almost gone at 4 weeks. Only starting to see some improvement in skin texture at 4 weeks.
I’m not sure if my downtime is typical. I’m wondering if the cannula technique would be better? Any advice?

I honestly think a lot of tourists underestimate downtime when booking treatments in Korea 😭 Especially if they’re on a short trip or even a business trip and still need to look presentable right after.

Like if you’re only here for 4-5 days and still wanna shop, food tour, take pics etc, some treatments make way more sense than others

Personally I think low downtime treatments are way better for short trips

1. Aquapeel/Lhala Peel are probably the easiest: Skin looks cleaner, smoother, more hydrated right after

2. LDM is is a gentle ultrasound-based skincare treatment popular in Korean clinics for calming and repairing the skin barrier. Not dramatic but your skin just looks healthier after

3. For lifting, Shurink/Volnewmer/Oligio/.. are probably the most tourist-friendly rn. Mild tightening, collagen stimulation, jawline definition without major downtime

4. ONDA is getting popular too for lower face heaviness or double chin. Recovery is easy enough that most people go straight to dinner after

5. And honestly Botox is still one of the easiest treatments to do while traveling. Quick, minimal downtime, and done in like 10 mins.

I think the biggest mistake tourists make is trying to do the strongest treatment possible in one trip instead of treatments they can actually recover from while enjoying Korea ^^

I feel like one of the biggest fears patients have before Ultherapy is not even the pain. It is whether they are actually getting REAL Ultherapy or not.

Especially in Korea because there are so many lifting devices now: Ultherapy, Shurink, Doublo, Ultraformer, Oligio, Thermage, Tuneface, etc

So first thing... authentic Ultherapy is a very specific device from Merz.

It is NOT the same thing as Shurink or Ultraformer even though they are all ultrasound lifting devices. Some also mix the terms together in consultations which confuses patients even more

One of the easiest ways to check is actually the screen during treatment. Real Ultherapy has real time ultrasound imaging, this means the doctor can actually see the tissue layers during treatment. You can usually see the black / gray ultrasound screen moving during the procedure.

This is actually one of the biggest differences between Ultherapy and many cheaper HIFU devices. Another thing is the treatment tips, cartridges.

Authentic Ultherapy cartridges are very expensive in Korea, so clinics using real authentic cartridges usually cannot sell extremely cheap unlimited shot promotions.

If you see something like: “600 shots Ultherapy $150” I would personally become suspicious immediately!!

You can also check the NFC tagging and QR code on the tips/transducers themselves. Real Ultherapy tips usually have authentication systems where clinics can scan the QR code or NFC tag to verify the cartridge information and shot usage.

Another thing is that real Ultherapy is usually quite painful. Not saying pain = authenticity obviously, but patients sometimes get Ultherapy with almost no discomfort at all and then become confused later. The energy delivery with Ultherapy feels very deep and sharp especially around the jawline and bone areas.

Also the doctor technique matters a lott. Many patients think Ultherapy is just stamping shots randomly across the face but actually vector, depth, shot placement and facial anatomy matter so much for the final result. For example:

too superficial --> not much lifting

wrong vectors --> unnatural result

too aggressive in thin faces --> volume loss

too few shots --> patients see almost nothing

This is why I feel consultation is honestly more important than patients realize. Some are actually much better candidates for Thermage, Oligio or even simple botox, filler instead of Ultherapy.

And one more thing, authentic Ultherapy does not automatically mean amazing results.

I have seen patients get authentic Ultherapy with almost no visible improvement because of wrong candidate, too few shots, poor vector design, expectations too high and severe sagging needing surgery instead. So the machine matters, but the person using the machine matters too ☺️

cellREDM is EVERYWHERE in Korea recently 🧐 patients keep asking me if it is the new Rejuran or if it replaces RE20.

To me, both treatments are in that regenerative/repair type category. So these are not filler type treatments and not really those glass skin overnight treatments either. They are more treatments that slowly improve the skin condition itself over time.

RE20 feels more like a skin recovery/repair treatment. Those with damaged skin barrier, redness, irritation after lasers, thinner skin or acne inflammation usually respond pretty nicely to it.

Usually with RE20, the skin just starts looking calmer, less irritated and healthier overall. Makeup also tends to sit better once the inflammation settles down.

I also feel like RE20 works better for patients whose skin is constantly sensitized from too many lasers, over exfoliation, strong skincare or acne treatments. In Korea I see this A LOT actually!

The texture improvement with RE20 is usually softer and more natural looking. Not really that super shiny glass skin finish social media likes.

Meanwhile cellREDM feels more focused toward collagen regeneration and overall rejuvenation. Most patients asking for cellREDM are usually concerned about pores, elasticity, dull skin, fine lines and early aging.

Compared to RE20, I feel like cellREDM gives more of that skin quality upgrade feeling over time. Patients usually say their skin feels firmer, smoother and more refreshed rather than just calmer.

I also noticed patients who already like treatments like Juvelook, Rejuran or exosomes are usually interested in cellREDM too because the treatment goals overlap quite a bit.

But personally I do not really see cellREDM as a replacement for RE20 because the patient types are a bit different.

If someone has very sensitive skin, compromised barrier, post laser redness or active inflammation, I would probably still lean more toward RE20 first before trying stronger regenerative treatments. But if the patient mainly wants smoother texture, elasticity and more overall rejuvenation, then cellREDM makes more sense to me.

Another important thing is expectations! With treatments like RE20, cellREDM, Rejuran,.. the results are usually more gradual and cumulative.

Pain wise, I feel like cellREDM is easier than original Rejuran for most patients. Downtime also depends a lott on the injection technique and injector type. Even with very good products, if the injection is too superficial or aggressive, patients can still end up swollen or bruised for days.

One thing I noticed is that regenerative treatments evolve very quickly. Every year there is always a new ingredient, new protocol, new combination treatment, new skin booster trend.

But at the end, I still think understanding the patient's actual skin condition is more important than just choosing whichever treatment is trending at the moment.

Rejuran for the undereyes mainly

I feel like a lot of people think all aesthetic treatments need like 5-10 sessions before you see anything

And honestly for some concerns that is true. Especially pigmentation, acne scars, redness, skin texture etc. Those things usually take time. But there are also treatments where patients usually notice a difference pretty fast after just 1 session.

1. Botox

Botox is still one of the highest satisfaction treatments in clinics. Not because it makes dramatic transformations but because it is very predictable.

Forehead lines, frown lines, jaw botox, shoulder botox, calf botox. These are all treatments where patients usually notice the effect quite clearly after one session.

But I think the most underrated botox in Korea is actually skin botox. Especially for oily skin and pores. The problem is people think more units = better result. But overly frozen botox honestly looks very strange in real life especially under strong lighting.

2. Ultherapy / Thermage

I am putting these together because patients always compare them

Honestly patients usually see SOME lifting after one session especially if they have mild sagging. But if you have a lot of facial fat or heavier skin, one session will not suddenly make you look snatched like tiktok edits.

Ultherapy gives more of that tighter/deeper lifting feeling because it targets the SMAS layer. Thermage gives more skin tightening and smoother skin texture in my opinion.

And the biggest difference is often the doctor technique and number of shots rather than the machine itself. I have seen advertise "300 shots full face" and honestly for some patients that does almost nothing.

3. Fillers

Filler is probably the treatment with the MOST immediate visible change.

Especially:

- chin filler

- lip filler

- under eye filler

- nasolabial folds

Patients love filler because they leave the clinic already seeing the result. But filler is also the treatment I dissolve the most

Too much filler, wrong placement, filler migration, overfilled cheeks. I see this so often now especially patients who clinic hop too much.

4. Radiesse

Radiesse is becoming much more popular again in Korea recently. Especially for patients who want structure and tightening without looking too filled.

It's interesting because patients usually see a little improvement immediately due to the volume itself, but the collagen stimulation effect continues later. I personally like Radiesse more for lower face support, jawline, and sometimes smile lines depending on the cause.

But PLEASE Radiesse should not be injected like normal soft filler everywhere!! I feel like social media makes biostimulators look way simpler than they actually are.

The best results are usually not from the most hyped treatments online. Sometimes patients get more satisfaction from simple botox than spending thousands on lasers that were not even necessary for their face

One of the best insider cheat codes I learned in Seoul is a simple finger test you can do in your bathroom mirror right now to know exactly how to fix your under-eye bags. Instead of guessing if you need expensive surgery or just a quick touch-up, this little trick tells you exactly what kind of treatment will give you a flawless and brightened look.

If you gently press your finger firmly under your eye and the dark pigment temporarily disappears, you are the perfect candidate for hyaluronic acid solutions like hilowave or ultracol. These specific HA boosters work incredibly well for this type of shadowing, instantly filling in the hollows and brightly illuminating the sunken areas for an immediate, well-rested glow without any major downtime.

To get the absolute best result, you have to know your exact type before sitting in the clinic chair. If the dark pigmentation stays exactly the same when you press down on the skin, you will want to politely skip the HA boosters and look into long-term structural solutions like under-eye fat repositioning or even checking your daily iron levels. I was lucky enough to be a perfect match for the HA route, and getting that targeted volume instantly erased my tired look and smoothed out my bumpy under-eye area in just one quick session.

Go check your under-eyes in the mirror right now using this press test and let me know your results in the comments so we can discuss the absolute best next steps for your skin.

This is honestly one of the most confusing things for patients coming to Korea

Technically they’re all PN (salmon dna), so same family… but the way they behave in the skin is quite different like texture, how deep we inject, how much it spreads, even how long the bumps last after

Rejuran Healer (the original one)

This is the most pure version, just PN, no HA, no lidocaine

Texture wise it’s thicker and a bit sticky, so when inject it, it doesn’t spread quickly. It stays in the upper dermis for a bit before absorbing

I use this for patients who want real skin repair like barrier damage, chronic redness, skin that became thin after lasers or overuse of actives

You’re not going to get instant glow from this. The effect is more delayed, around 2-4 weeks when the skin becomes less reactive and more stable

One important thing patients always notice is the papules (bumps) after injection
because it’s more viscous, they usually stay around 24-48 hours. If they disappear too quickly, most of the time the injection depth was too deep

PAIN is still the highest with this one!!

Rejuran HB / HB Plus

This one is PN + HA + lidocaine. You can feel the difference immediately when injecting much smoother, spreads faster, less resistance

I use this a lot for patients who want both repair and hydration or for first timers who are worried about pain because of the HA, you’ll see some early hydration and glow compared to healer so the result feels more immediate

But clinically, because it’s diluted compared to the original healer, the repair effect is slightly softer so for more damaged skin, you may need more sessions

Pain is significantly lower, usually tolerable for most patients around 4/10

Rejuran S (scar type)

This one is much more viscous than the others

It’s designed to stay exactly where it’s injected, not spread out
so I only use this for localized areas, not full face

Main indications are:

• depressed acne scars
• deeper uneven texture

Usually I combine it with subcision, break the scar underneath first then place this in
otherwise honestly just injecting it alone doesn’t do as much

And if you try to do this everywhere your face will feel bumpy in a bad way

Rejuran I (eye ver)

Under eye skin is very thin, so we need something much lighter

This one is more fluid, less dense, it spreads softly without sitting in one spot

I use it for fine lines, crepey texture, or when the under eye looks a bit thin and tired

Important thing… it improves skin quality only and it won’t fix eyebags or hollowing. Those are structural issues, different approach

Pain is low, and downtime is usually easier compared to the others

In practice we almost never treat the whole face with just one type anw. It’s usually adjusted by area…

Hi guys! I’m on a budget and would like to hear everyone’s opinion. Assuming these are similar in price, would you guys do Onda just by itself or do a Shurink+Inmode combo? My goal is to reduce cheek fat and have my jawline show a little more.

What do you guys recommend? Any tips welcome as well to specify to the clinic! Thanks!

If you’re here for like 5 days and still wanna go outside, eat, shop, take photos etc, there are some treatments that make way more sense than others bc some of the treatments I see tourists booking are actually insane 🥴 like subcision, aggressive lasers, rejuran or filler all before their flight home

Then they spend the whole trip swollen!!

One thing I actually recommend a lot is skin botox (dermotoxin)

Not regular botox btw, it’s injected very superficially into the skin instead of the muscles

So it doesn’t really freeze your face, it’s more for oil control, smoother texture, pores looking a bit tighter, makeup sitting better

Usually the skin starts looking nicer after like 1-2 weeks
Downtime is pretty low too except tiny bumps for few hours depending on skin thickness

Another thing korean clinics use on literally everyone is LDM

I feel like tourists never know what this machine is because it sounds underwhelming compared to all the flashy lifting lasers but honestly for irritated skin, dry skin, redness, damaged barrier, post laser inflammation… it works really nicely

It uses ultrasound frequencies that switch really fast, so instead of damaging the skin it’s more calming /repairing

I use it a lot after stronger procedures because it helps calm down the heat and irritation faster. Also if someone overdid tretinoin before coming to Korea… LDM usually saves them

For jawline / lower face I think Onda is becoming really popular lately

Especially for people who don’t necessarily need lifting but have slight heaviness around the lower cheek or double chin

It targets fat + tightening together so the face looks a bit cleaner over time, not immediate though
Usually looks better after few weeks once swelling goes down and the lymphatic drainage kicks in properly but downtime is low enough that most people go eat dinner right after

Laser toning is another one tourists do a lot here

For pigmentation, uneven skin tone, dullness, leftover acne marks etc

When done gently it’s one of the easier lasers to recover from, usually just mild redness for few hours. The problem is some clinics overtreat tourists trying to make the results faster and then the barrier gets completely destroyed

Good laser toning should look gradual, not dramatic after js 1 session

And then there’s skin boosters like skinvive / chanel injections / exosomes etc. These are more for hydration and texture like when people say they want that korean glass skin look, this is usually closer to what they mean

Personally I don’t think these are miracle treatments the way social media makes them sound, especially if someone’s barrier is already damaged. Sometimes simple hydration just looks good because most people are dehydrated and sleep deprived honestly lol

Anyways yeah… if you’re coming to Korea for treatments I really think downtime matters more than people expect. There’s no point doing the strongest procedure possible if you spend the rest of the trip hiding in the hotel with ice packs on your face!!

Let's talk about pain during Korean skin treatments because honestly I think this is something clinics don't explain enough before patients come in.

A lot of people think aesthetic treatments are either: completely painless or unbearably painful

I have patients who say Ultherapy was completely fine and then complain more during skin boosters. Meanwhile other patients can tolerate needles perfectly but hate lifting devices.

Pain tolerance honestly makes no sense sometimes.

The most basic option is numbing cream

This is enough for treatments like:

- laser toning

- skin botox

- Juvelook

- lighter skin boosters

- Potenza

- pore lasers

Usually we leave it on 20-40 minutes depending on the treatment and honestly GOOD numbing cream placement matters a lot. Some clinics apply it so thinly it basically does nothing.

But numbing cream only blocks the needle pain or surface pain. It does not fully block the deep aching pain from treatments like Ultherapy, Thermage, Oligio, or original Rejuran healer.

For treatments like Ultherapy, the pain is more deep and sharp because the energy reaches the SMAS layer. It feels almost like tiny electric shocks inside the face. That's why some patients tolerate needles perfectly but cannot tolerate lifting devices.

Then there is laughing gas (nitrous oxide)

Honestly I love this option for anxious patients because patients stay awake but become very relaxed and less sensitive to pain. Some people become very giggly, some become super quiet, some keep talking non stop during the treatment

I feel like laughing gas works best for:

- Ultherapy

- Thermage

- filler anxiety

- acne scar subcision

- Rejuran healer

But it doesn't completely remove pain. I would say it changes your emotional reaction to the pain more than removing all the pain itself.

Then there is sleep sedation

In Korea this is becoming much more common especially for people doing multiple treatments together in one session. For example:

- Ultherapy + Thermage + fillers

- facial contouring lasers

- acne scar procedures

- huge amount of skin booster injections

Tbh some patients request sleep sedation even before asking what treatment they are getting 😭 especially patients who had traumatic experiences at other clinics before.

But personally I feel sedation should be used carefully because patients wake up swollen, dizzy, nauseous sometimes and you need proper monitoring. Some clinics treat sedation too casually in my opinion.

Also before sleep sedation, patients usually need around 6 hours of fasting beforehand for safety reasons. A lot of patients forget this part and come after drinking coffee or eating a small snack thinking it's okay 

There are also small tricks doctors use that patients don't notice:

- vibration devices next to the injection site

- ice rollers

- smaller needles like 34G

- slower injection speed

- cannulas instead of needles

- machine injectors instead of manual injections

Injection technique matters A LOT more than people think. I have seen patients say Rejuran was totally fine with one doctor and worst pain of my life with another doctor

Anyways if you are scared of pain during treatments, please don't force yourself to do treatments because they are trending on social media.

There are usually ways to adjust the treatment plan, depth, products, machine settings, or pain management options to make the experience much easier.

Can anyone let me know clinics who use allergen or xeomin and won't do this?

I'm really struggling to choose. I actually don't mind the idea and speed of the factory style clinics and i know botox is super common but it still takes skills to check the muscle movement and know where to inject and would be so angry to be scammed/robbed by a clinic swapping to cheaper products.