What is a Korean skincare treatment, and how is it different from medical care?
Whether you search for korean facial, korean facial treatment, korean glass facial or korean glass skin facial, the steps differ by operator. One session can combine products, manual methods and devices, so the name alone does not tell you what you will receive. Ask for each step in writing, and mark which steps are cosmetic products, which are methods and which are medical procedures. Method pages such as hydro facial and chemical peel explain each method, but they do not replace a written quote for your own session.
Which products should you ask about first?
Ask for the product name and ingredient list for every product that will touch your skin. In Canada, a cosmetic sold there must be notified to Health Canada within the first 10 days after it becomes available for sale (Health Canada, cosmetic regulations FAQ, last modified October 22, 2024). The rule covers products sold in Canada, so a product used only in Seoul may not appear in those notifications. A notification is a filing, not proof that a product works or suits your skin.
What about devices and treatments that enter the skin?
Medical devices sold in Canada are classed by risk, and the licence rule depends on the class. The Medical Devices Active Licence Listing (MDALL) lists licensed Class II, III and IV devices. Health Canada states that Class I devices do not require a medical device licence and do not appear in the listing (Health Canada, MDALL, last modified July 26, 2024). A device missing from MDALL is therefore not automatically unlawful, so ask which class each device belongs to. In a September 13, 2019 notice, Health Canada said it had not authorized any needle-free dermal filler device for sale in Canada, and that advertising, importing for sale or selling a medical device without appropriate licensing is illegal (Health Canada, information update on needle-free dermal filler devices). Check the current position in MDALL before you accept any device. A Korean approval answers a different question.
Who performs each step, and how do you confirm their licence?
Ask who performs each step, what role they hold and what licence they hold, and ask the clinic to confirm these details in writing, including the licence type and licence number. Ask whether the licence covers the specific step that person performs, not only the clinic as a whole. The Korean government licence service at lic.mohw.go.kr offers an institutional lookup for businesses that log in with a digital certificate, and it states that administrative disciplinary actions are not shown there. The page describes this result as business reference material, to be used only after the practitioner's consent and only for the stated purpose. It does not describe a route by which patients can look up a practitioner directly, so ask the clinic to state each practitioner's licence type and licence number in writing, and to provide licence proof it is permitted to share. The Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service hospital and pharmacy finder lists institutions by type and department, but it does not show individual practitioners. The Government of Canada also advises checking whether a foreign facility is accredited by the country's state or federal body responsible for regulating health care (Government of Canada, Travelling outside Canada to receive medical care). For Ontario physicians, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario public register shows registration status, restrictions, suspensions and discipline notices. It is a register for Ontario, so it does not verify a Korean licence. For care you receive in Canada, check the regulator of your own province or territory.
What should a written consultation and quote include?
Use the table as your checklist. The total is set by the clinic after assessment. This article gives no price figures, so compare written quotes line by line. Ask which items are included and which are optional, and ask for any change to be written down before it is made.
| Item | What to ask for |
|---|---|
| Products | Product names, ingredient lists and the brand owner |
| Method | Each step, its order and time, and whether a device is used |
| Practitioner | Who performs each step and the licence held |
| Exclusions | Conditions that would stop the treatment |
| Aftercare | Written instructions in English |
| Follow-up | Who answers questions after you return to Canada |
| Changes and cancellation | Deposit, refund and how changes are approved |
Who handles follow-up after you return to Canada?
Most travel insurance policies also won't cover planned medical procedures in another country, so check your policy before you pay a deposit (Government of Canada, Travelling outside Canada to receive medical care, last modified September 2, 2026). The same page warns that language barriers can lead to misunderstandings about your medical care, including proper aftercare, and advises you to make a plan for your aftercare in Canada.
- Ask for the aftercare plan and treatment record in English before you leave Korea.
- Write down who you will contact in Canada if a problem appears.
- Ask the operator to put in writing how questions after your return will be answered.
COMEDI is a consultation and booking support service operated by OUR Marketing, a medical travel facilitator registered in Korea (Reg. No. A-2026-01-02-07119). COMEDI is not a clinic. This article is general information, not medical advice.
Aqua peel & HydraFacial: what is used
| Devices, products and methods | |
|---|---|
| Hydrafacial Signature Hydrafacial LLC | The core treatment: cleansing, exfoliation, suction extraction and hydration in one continuous pass using the company's Vortex-Fusion handpiece. |
| Hydrafacial Deluxe Hydrafacial LLC | The Signature steps plus a targeted booster serum and LED light. |
| Hydrafacial Platinum Hydrafacial LLC | The Deluxe steps plus lymphatic drainage. |
| Aqua peel (general term) | In Korea this name is used for water-based suction exfoliation done with various machines; the device and solutions differ by clinic, so ask which ones are used. |
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| How it works | A handpiece with a spiral tip sweeps liquid across the skin while suction lifts away dead skin and debris from pores, and serums are applied in the same pass. |
| Steps | The manufacturer describes up to seven steps: hydrate, microdermabrasion, a light peel, extraction, booster, LED and, on the top tier, lymphatic drainage. |
| Downtime | The manufacturer describes the peel step as needing no downtime. |
| How often | According to the manufacturer, many people book about once a month and others every two to three months; it can be done as often as every one to two weeks. |
| Known risks | The manufacturer's consumer pages do not list specific side effects or the acids used in the peel step. If you have sensitive skin, allergies or an active skin condition, ask what is in each solution before treatment. |
Full details and sources: Aqua peel & HydraFacial
Facts to check before you book
| Registration | Clinics and agencies that work with international patients must be registered with Korea's Ministry of Health and Welfare. Medical Korea lists 3,114 registered medical institutions and 1,927 registered agencies (as of March 2025), and registered institutions have had to carry medical malpractice liability insurance since 2016. Ask for the registration number before you pay a deposit. [1] |
| Official help line | The Medical Korea Information Center answers on +82-2-1577-7129, daily 09:00 to 18:00 Korea time, and has desks at Seoul Station (B2, Airport Railroad) and Incheon Airport Terminal 1. It gives information on clinics, takes complaints and dispute enquiries, and takes reports of illegal brokers. [2] |
| Tax refund | Korea's VAT refund for cosmetic procedures for foreign visitors (Restriction of Special Taxation Act, Article 107-3) applied only to procedures received at registered clinics on or before 31 December 2025, and the refund had to be claimed within three months of the procedure. Procedures received now are not covered, so do not plan your budget around a refund, and ask the clinic whether VAT is included in the written quote. [3] |
| If something goes wrong | The Korea Medical Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Agency accepts mediation applications from foreign patients. Patients living abroad apply by email or fax ([email protected]), and the counselling line is +82-2-1670-2545. Keep your records, receipts and consent forms. [4] |
Checked on 2026-10-07. Rules change, so confirm with the official source before you travel.