r/KoreaTravelBeauty

I've been considering getting Onda lifting and doing some research on online, but I keep reading that if you don't have much facial fat, Onda might not be the best choice and other treatments like Alltite or Titanium lifting might be better suited for you. My face is pretty lean, but i do have some sagging, so I'm a little worried about anything that could make me lose more volume. Anyone here tried Alltite or Titanium? Curious if either actually helped with sagging without causing more volume loss. Or if there's something else i should be looking into!

To do skin tightening such as ultherapy if I have 2 weeks on vacation in Japan after? I am worried about redness swelling or discomfort the next few days after and don't want it to detract from my vacation or look awful for photos.

Also I'm kinda second guessing myself as some of the reviews show very subtle only changes from 600 shots. Anyone have advice?

I’ll be in Korea for 11 hours and really wanna get some skin treatments done. I am a 28 year old woman ◡̈ I’m very interested in collagen producing skin treatments and have been researching but not too sure which to choose. I have very small pores and pretty good skin, but have lost some facial fat under my cheeks in the hallows, I’d really love to get my baby face back. Ik I’ll have to get multiple treatments over the years to get my desired results but wanted to ask what would be best for me if anyone has any advice◡̈ thank you!!

I see this every single day at my clinic. A patient walks in, says "I want Rejuran," and when I ask why, they say "because it's good for collagen."

Here is what your clinic probably did not tell you.

Rejuran fixes skin texture. Fine lines. Crepey under-eyes. It does not lift sagging jowls. It does not rebuild a lost cheek volume. If your problem is structural, Rejuran is just expensive moisturizer injected into your face.

Sculptra actually builds volume over time. But it takes months and multiple sessions, so most clinics wont push it hard because patients want instant results and complain about "not seeing anything" after one visit.

Radiesse gives you the instant lift. But it cannot be dissolved like HA fillers, so if your doctor misses the right layer, you are stuck with it until it slowly fades.

The real question is not which one is better. The real question is whether your clinic even bothered to pinch your skin, check your tissue thickness, and ask about your past treatments before quoting you a price.

If they did not, they are selling you a brand, not a solution.

If you have all three concerns, pick the priority first. Do not let anyone sell you a combo package before they explain which layer each product targets on your specific face.

Disclosure: I am Dr. Oh Seo Joon, a physician at NEWYOUNG Clinic in Seoul. We offer all three. I wrote this because I am tired of fixing patients who got the wrong product from clinics that just wanted a quick sale.

Has anyone tried CHICOR in Korea instead of Olive Young?

I was walking around Gangnam the other day and randomly came across CHICOR. I’m surprised I don’t hear people talk about it as much as Olive Young??

It’s definitely a bit more on the pricey side, but I actually really liked how much less crowded and overwhelming it felt. I also found out you can get help from makeup artists there, which seems really useful if you have no idea what products or shades actually suit you 😂

I looked it up afterwards and apparently they don’t have that many locations in Korea either.

Has anyone else been? Is there anything there that’s actually worth checking out or buying?

Hi everyone! I’ll be in Seoul and I’m looking for recommendations for a good aesthetic/dermatology clinic.

I have dark/melanin-rich skin and I’m especially concerned about avoiding PIH or overly aggressive treatments. I’m interested in:

Sofwave or Ultherapy
Pico/toning for pigmentation
Botox (forehead/smile lines)
ONDA lifting/body contouring
Fat-dissolving injections for my arms
Juvelook
Aqua Peel

I’m looking for something affordable but still reputable. I’m specifically trying to avoid the “factory clinic” experience where you’re rushed through a huge number of patients or pushed into unnecessary treatments. I’d prefer a clinic where a dermatologist/doctor actually evaluates me and creates a customized plan.

If you have dark skin/Fitzpatrick IV–VI and have personally had a good experience in Seoul, I’d especially love to hear your recommendations!
Also interested in hearing about:

Approximate prices
English-speaking staff
How they handled darker skin/PIH
Whether you felt pressured to buy treatments/packages
Before & after results, if you’re comfortable sharing

Thank you! 💕

Everyone told me to book free consultations and shop around. Did one. It was 40 minutes of a coordinator taking me through laser packages with a calculator out, and maybe three minutes of anyone looking at my skin.

Round two I went the other way and booked somewhere that charges. 30,000 won, roughly an hour with an actual doctor going through what my skin needed and what it didn't need. No written report, which threw me a bit, you just talk it through and leave. Nobody slid a treatment menu across the table on the way out.

The logic is obvious in hindsight. A free consult has to make its money somewhere and that somewhere is you.

Not saying every free consult is a trap. Plenty of clinics run them properly and I probably got unlucky with mine. But budget the fee and treat it as information cost rather than something to avoid.

Hi all! I’m the kind of person who gets excited about reports about myself, so I had a lot of fun trying some of Korea’s health/beauty analysis services while I was in Seoul.
I tried something called “Inner Beauty” testing, which included different tests covering things like allergies, hormones, gut health and other health-related checks. Each test was charged separately, so I ended up doing four.
It started with a questionnaire about my sleep, diet, lifestyle and even the skincare products I use, followed by a 3D skin analysis looking at things like oil production, pigmentation, pores and elasticity. The 3D images were probably the coolest part. You could actually see your facial contours and differences in volume, which made the results much easier to visualise. The only downside is that the results took about three weeks, so I’d recommend doing this only if you’re staying in Korea for a while.
When I returned to the clinic, I got a massive stack of reports and the doctor went through everything with me. According to the report, it flagged things like possible sensitivities to honey and dairy, lower vitamin C levels and some gut-health markers. They suggested supplements including omega-3 and vitamin C&B, although obviously I’m not treating those results as medical advice.
Overall, I really enjoyed the experience. I’m just naturally curious about this sort of thing and like learning more about myself. If you’re similarly curious and staying in Korea long enough to wait for the results, it could be a fun and informative experience. Just make sure to do your own research.

I'm in my late 30's and going to Korea with my 75yo mom and 2 older sisters, 40's and 50's next month at end of September for 10 days. I also definitely need English support as I'm an American born Korean.

I know I definitely want Ultherapy. Maybe thermage or thermage eye, re20, under chin onda, body onda, fat dissolving injections. I def also want to do botox and I'm interested in seeing if I'm a good candidate for collagen injections aka biostimulating fillers like sculptra, ellanse, hilowave, etc. to help with the mid face lifting and dark under eyes which I've always had, but worser now with age. Not sure if I'd want juvelook or ultracol/miracol which are others I've seen on price lists. It's hard finding one place that has everything and I'm a little price sensitive because I want to do so much. I'm thinking maybe I go to 2 places max and I don't want to do factory because I definitely want to have an 1:1 consultation and I want a doctor who will tell me if I don't need something.

On my list: The Kyeol, Eunel Clinic, Relieve Clinic, Wooa Plastic Surgery, ID Dermatology, Bailor Clinic, Nest Clinic, The Heal Dermatology, Upic clinic, Forena clinic, and a few others.

Can anyone provide stories about their experience at any of these clinics or another that they'd highly recommend? I'm seriously so stressed and just a little more than a month out. I would truly appreciate any help!

Hi everyone! I’ll be transiting through Incheon Airport (Terminal 1) on my way from LA to Japan, and I’ll have around a 6-hour layover.

Since I’ll be in Korea for a few hours, I really want to take advantage of the opportunity to shop for Korean skincare and beauty products! 🧴✨

For those familiar with Incheon Airport T1, I’d love your recommendations:
What are the best K-beauty/skincare stores inside Terminal 1?
Are there any must-buy Korean skincare or beauty products that are especially worth getting at the airport?
Are there any good Korean beauty brands that I might not easily find in Japan?
Is airport duty-free shopping actually worth it for K-beauty, or would I be better off shopping in Seoul?
Are there any hidden gems or underrated products I should look out for?
With a 6-hour layover, do I have enough time to browse the beauty shops comfortably?

I’m especially interested in skincare, masks, serums, sunscreens, and anything that’s genuinely worth trying rather than just touristy/popular products.

Would love to hear your favorite K-beauty recommendations! 🥰🇰🇷

I had an online consultation and am roughly ready to book surgery. I'm still a little unsure about the price. Is 4,500,000 KRW for abdominal + waist liposuction reasonable?

Hello! I saw we could do skin analysis in Olive Young and we are given a list of skincare products to buy.
I tend to use cruelty-free and vegan products certified by organizations.
For those who made a skin scan at Olive Young, do you think it is possible to ask for cruelty free and vegan certified brands ?
I should clarify that I don't speak Korean.
Thanks for the answers !

Does anyone have any intel on this place? Their work looks excellent, prices excellent and it seems that they do mostly Korean faces, making me think it is more a local thing, which is a plus fore me. Ive seen a few western faces that seem to have turn out beautifully. Of corse, this is all going off what they’ve posted online via their own instagram etc. The doctors do seem a bit younger, maybe in late 30s. I reached out to them via WhatsApp and they were very conservative with their recommendations, suggesting I didn’t “need” a full facelift but could still get one (Im in early 40’s) if I really wanted one, but the result would be minimal. This is what a few US doctors have told me. Whereas I sent the same photos via WhatsApp to NANA and that surgeon needed a full FL…

Hey everyone, my sister and I are going to be in busan for a bit and we both want to try getting some skincare treatments done. Neither of us has ever done anything like this before so we're total beginners here.

The idea is to go every 4 days or so and keep it really light, almost like a little spa routine we do together during the trip. Since we'd be going that often I'm guessing we should stick to non invasive stuff, I don't want to overdo it on my skin with something too strong if we're going that frequently.

Would love a clinic rec that's welcoming to foreigners. English speaking staff would be a huge plus since neither of us speaks much Korean. Also, does LDM actually make a difference on its own? I keep seeing it mentioned and I'm curious if just doing that alone would change my skin texture

Really stressed out trying to find a reputable clinic with board-certified dermatologist rather than a factory clinic that does Potenza with proper skin analysis and consultation.

Heading to Seoul in September and really interested on getting a Potenza procedure. My skin is oily with large pores, textured and would be my first time heading to South Korea. I’ve been researching through tiktoks, Unni, reddits and having mixed reviews with clinics. Help!

Hi all, I am a korean skincare fanatic. I live in Germany 🇩🇪 and want to fly to Seoul to go shopping in Olive Young. Which would be the best months to have most discounts and cheap flight and hotel. Never been there. Would appreciate your help ♡♡♡

I know the standard travel hack says "get everything done on Day 1 so you recover while sightseeing."

As a physician, I actually hate that advice for most international visitors.

After seeing too many rushed decisions and panicked DMs from the airport, I now tell my patients to treat the itinerary like a scientific experiment, not a shopping spree. Here is the uncomfortable but practical sequence I usually recommend:

1. Book the consultation early in the trip. This gives you time to consider the recommendation without making a rushed decision. (Notice I said consultation, not procedure).
2. Keep the following day completely adjustable. The appropriate schedule depends on the procedure, your medical history, previous treatments, and how much visible swelling or bruising would affect the rest of your plans. If you look like you lost a boxing match on Day 2, you still have buffer days.
3. Tell the doctor about every treatment you are considering. Procedures performed at different clinics can still interact, and the second doctor needs to know what was already done, where it was done, and when. I don't care if it was "just a tiny touch-up" — tell us.
4. Ask about ordinary travel activities explicitly. Questions about exercise, alcohol, saunas, long flights, sun exposure, makeup, and medications should be answered for the specific procedure being considered. Cabin pressure is not your friend post-certain injections.
5. Decide in advance what would make you postpone treatment. Feeling unwell, having an active skin problem, lacking enough recovery time, or receiving an unclear explanation are reasonable reasons to wait. A consultation does not create an obligation to proceed.

For international travelers, I would also ask who can answer medical questions after you leave Korea and what information would be provided if you need to see a doctor at home.

Disclosure: I’m Dr. Oh Seo Joon, a physician affiliated with NEWYOUNG Clinic in Seoul. I’m sharing general educational information and can’t assess an individual case on Reddit.

I received a discount in exchange for this review

TLDR: I found a less painful way of getting Rejuran: via Curejet + Rejuran HB.

I have once backed out getting Rejuran because of the videos I saw online the night before. I had Juvelook before and it was really painful, and people online say if Juvelook was 7/10, Rejuran is 8. Imagine my horror.

I raised this concern during my visit to Planew Clinic in Gangnam, and they introduced me to Curejet with Rejuran HB. I heard Rejuran HB is already a lot less painful than Rejuran, but the clinic told me that with Curejet, I can get Rejuran without needles and way less downtime!

The treatment started with Curejet, targeting my acne scars and pores. Pain was 6/10; it felt like someone with sharp nails was flicking each pore. The doctor was also very careful when doing it, I felt him inspecting every inch of my face before zapping. After about 10 minutes of Curejet, they attached the Rejuran syringe to the Curejet machine and distributed it through that. Pain was also 6/10; it felt like fireworks were going off in front my face and the sparks from that were hitting my face, but didn’t feel like burning. For reference on my pain tolerance, I’ve had Fractional CO2 numerous times before and those were 8/10, and Juvelook was 9/10 for me. There was remaining Rejuran after that and the doctor had it applied to me topically through Cryo Therapy.

After the treatment, I had redness all over my face, which went down after 2 hours. I was left with small scars on where they zapped with Curejet, and all those were gone by 6th day! I can totally see Curejet helped with my acne scars; the scars are a little bit more raised than before. I also noticed my skin have this inner glow, probably the Rejuran glow people are talking about!

I’m leaning towards getting Curejet again for sure!