Korean Dermatology Clinics, the Center of K-beauty with a Global Reach

In 2023, the number of foreign patients who visited Korea to receive medical services increased significantly – 762.8% from Japan and 866.7% from Taiwan. The main reason is that an increasing number of patients visit plastic surgery and skincare clinics in Korea. These clinics not only attracted Japanese patients, but many foreigners from Southeast Asia including Thailand and Singapore also came to Korea for skincare treatments.¹⁾ The survey on potential inbound tourists to Korea in 2023, released by the KTO, shows that foreigners' preferences for Korean culture included food, drama, movies, and K-pop, with aesthetics ranking 5th. K-beauty has positively influenced foreigners’ perception of Korea and their willingness to visit Korea.

Source 1) 2023 Foreigner attraction status, Ministry of Health and Welfare

Number 1 Medical Tour Purpose: Why Do So Many Foreign Patients Visit Korea for Cosmetic Procedures?

The global popularity of K-pop and Korean dramas has led to the expansion of Hallyu culture, which naturally aroused positive responses as to how Korean people look. People started to show great interest in Korean aesthetics, which can be summarized as clear skin and younger-looking faces. So what makes Korean dermatology clinics special?

Korea is one of the countries that have a well-developed “Specialist” system. In Korea, a physician must finish four years of residency at a university hospital dermatology clinic before passing a specialist examination to be qualified as a dermatology specialist. That is to say, Korean dermatologists have in-depth professional knowledge and experience in their field. Doctors get professional training according to how well they understand the skin system, and therefore medical specialists are highly skilled with sophisticated skincare technology.

Highly Skilled Medical Specialists

Great Accessibility and Reasonable Prices

# of Dermatologists in 100 km²

(unit: person)

In Korea, dermatology clinics are densely located in the Seoul area. As of 2024, there were 571 dermatology clinics in Seoul. In particular, 170 clinics are located in the Gangnam-gu area, offering patients very easy access.¹⁾ What about accessibility in terms of price? According to data that compares Ulthera prices in the US and Korea, the price in the US was 4.9 times higher than Korea.2) Korea’s cosmetics procedure price is 2-3 times lower than Japan and Singapore. This means reasonable prices are one of the reasons why Korean dermatology clinics are popular.

Source1) Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census Bureau, Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service, Statistics Korea, SMIC Team 1

Source2) Forbes, Companies, Statistics Korea, Toxnfill, SMIC Team 1

What are the most “Hot” procedures in Korea right now?

Leejiham Skin Clinic, Yoo-deuk Lee, Hospital Director

You & Young Dermatology Clinic, Ji-young Kim, Hospital Director

Yonsei Leeand Dermatology Clinic, Se-won Lee, Hospital Director

*The following was written based on interviews with Yoo-deuk Lee of Leejiham Skin Clinic; Ji-young Kim of You & Young Dermatology Clinic; and Se-won Lee of Yonsei Leeand Dermatology Clinic.

What is the most popular procedure in Korea right now? We asked three Korean dermatology specialists and their common answer was skin boosters. This procedure has gained popularity rapidly as customers are highly interested in natural beauty. Various skin boosting products have been launched. These procedures directly inject a mix of various components into the skin to boost the condition. These products improve overall skin condition but differ in the desired effects. Thus it is important to choose the right skin booster for your skin condition.

Top 3 Skin Boosters

	JUVE LOOK	REJURAN Healer	Exosome
Product	ⓒVaim Global	ⓒPharma Research
Key Ingredient	PLA (Poly Lactic Acid)	PN (Polynucleotide)	Stem cell culture medium extract
Effect	Improves skin texture, decreases pores	Improves skin’s elasticity, texture, and oil-water balance	Skin regeneration, acne improvement
Recommended Skin Type	Skin issues including enlarged pores, elasticity, volume, indented scar, skin tones, etc.	Skin issues including skin texture, elasticity, dryness, wrinkles, etc.	Skin issues including skin troubles, acne scars, skin texture, etc.

* It is important to find the right skin booster for your skin type after consultation with your physician. Note that skin conditions can always change therefore you need to apply the right procedure for your current skin condition.

The most well-known JUVE LOOK product has PLA (Poly Lactic Acid) which stimulates collagen generation. It is known to instantly provide moisture and nutrients to the skin, improve skin texture, and decrease pores. REJURAN Healer has PN (Polynucleotide) substances extracted from the DNA of salmon. It is designed to make the dermis healthier and improve signs of aging such as elasticity, oil-water balance, skin texture, etc. Lastly, Exosome contains extracts from stem cell culture mediums, which boosts the regeneration of damaged tissues. Its anti-inflammatory properties help improve acne.

Preferred Skin Booster Procedures by Country

Interestingly, foreigners who are not inclined to have invasive treatments, such as Botox or fillers, are positive about skin booster procedures. Notably, the preferred treatment differs slightly by country

Ulthera

Chinese patients’ first choice is the ultrasonic wave lifting. They prefer the original US product Ulthera in particular. It is because original US-made products are not authorized to be imported into China, therefore customers want to get the treatments in Korea instead. Anti-wrinkle treatments using the so-called “water glow injection” such as REJURAN Healer and JUVE LOOK are popular as well. Recently released lifting devices using UHF (ultra-high frequency) are popular for the body.

PICOPLUSⓒThe 3.0 Dermatology

Customers from Japan and Southeast Asia prefer simpler procedures. Among the many procedures available, they prefer skin brightening. However, brightening procedures need repeat sessions for visible results. It requires special care because strong laser applications can cause side effects such as dryness, skin redness, and stinging. After laser treatments, skin regeneration will help and patients must wear sunscreen outdoors.

Thermage

Customers from the US and Hong Kong preferred the Thermage procedure. This is a lifting device with excellent anti-aging results but the cost per session is quite pricey. However, the procedure is still popular with US and Hong Kong customers as the price in Korea is still relatively reasonable compared to prices in their countries.

How to Choose a Dermatology Clinic in Korea

It is important to find the right procedure but choosing the right clinic is equally important. First, look for a dermatology specialist who is trained to treat both dermatological diseases and skincare. Naturally, general practitioners and dermatology specialists would have different levels of specialties. How do you find a dermatology specialist? Go to the Find a Dermatologist website. In addition, look for the red “dermatology specialist” sign. Only specialist clinics can use this mark. As such, clinics with dermatology specialists also display their Association of Korean Dermatologists accreditation. The clinic’s specialties signboard differs between dermatologists and non-specialists. Clinics with dermatology specialists are named “…Dermatology Clinic” but non-specialist clinics can only be named “…Clinic; Specialty: Dermatology” and the treatment specialties are marked in smaller font.

Second, check if you can directly consult with the physician. In some cases, a consultant will guide you through the procedure and make decisions for you without ever seeing a doctor. Remember that directly consulting with a doctor to find the most optimal procedure will increase the efficacy of the procedure, and increase patient satisfaction while minimizing side effects.

Third, it will be helpful for you to visit the clinic’s website in advance to learn about the clinic’s atmosphere, main procedures, and devices available. If you have already decided on the procedure you want, visit the clinic’s website to find out about their main treatment area and if they have the latest device available for the procedure.

Columnist Profile : Medicine Channel After the Rain, Jin-hee Jeong (Pharmacist), PD