What makes Korean plastic surgery different from having it done at home?
UK advertising rules do not regulate the medical care a clinic provides abroad. CAP's enforcement notice says it is not seeking to regulate clinics' medical practices or their consultations (CAP enforcement notice). So you need to check the surgeon's training, the facility and who to contact if something goes wrong yourself, before you book. That applies whether you are looking at double eyelid surgery, rhinoplasty or V-line jaw surgery.
If a clinic abroad advertises to UK consumers, CAP says it must follow the CAP Code even if its services are not based here, a point covered later in this guide.
What should a first consultation with a Korean clinic actually cover?
A genuine consultation is with the surgeon who will operate, not a sales representative. The Royal College of Surgeons of England advises talking to the surgeon who will perform your procedure before you give consent. It should cover your medical history, the exact technique proposed and realistic limits on what it can change. The NHS guidance on cosmetic surgery abroad suggests asking the surgeon directly about their training and qualifications, which organisations they belong to, and how many procedures like the one you are having they have done. Ask as well:
- Who performs the procedure, and what is their specialty
- Which technique is proposed, and what it does and does not change
- Whether the surgeon is fully insured to carry out this specific procedure
- How consultations and aftercare are handled in a language you both share
- What a written, itemised estimate includes before you agree to anything
What kinds of cosmetic surgery advertising do UK regulators warn against?
The ASA published several rulings in 2023 on how non-UK cosmetic surgery providers advertised to UK consumers, particularly how information was shown in paid-for ads and influencer marketing. On 1 February 2024, CAP issued an enforcement notice to advertisers based abroad, and said it would take targeted enforcement action if problems continued after 29 February 2024. The notice focuses on paid-for online ads and influencer marketing aimed at UK consumers. CAP also strongly advises applying the same principles to your own websites, leaflets and social media, although the notice does not apply to those directly. Look out for these in any ad aimed at UK consumers:
- Presenting the surgery as a holiday or package, with the focus on flights and hotels rather than the operation
- A deadline used to rush the decision, even when the offer is real, or an 'ending soon' claim that is not true
- Calling a procedure 'safe' or free of risk, or promising an unrealistic result
- Low headline prices that leave out what is and is not included, or promotional pricing that pushes you into more procedures than necessary
CAP's enforcement notice, issued on 1 February 2024, covers paid-for online ads and influencer marketing aimed at UK consumers. CAP recommends applying the same principles to a clinic's own website and social media, although the notice does not apply to those directly.
What happens if a complication appears after you are back in the UK?
NHS guidance says standard travel insurance does not normally cover things going wrong in surgery, so check your policy's exclusions before you book (NHS guidance). The same guidance notes that overseas clinics may not provide follow-up treatment, or may not provide it to the same standard as in the UK. Agree the aftercare plan with the clinic before you fly, rather than assuming someone will cover any gaps afterwards.
The Royal College of Surgeons warns that some overseas clinics don't have anyone in the UK you can turn to if there are problems after your surgery (Royal College of Surgeons). Before you agree to treatment, ask who that contact is. Get the contact details of a named doctor who can handle any complications, rather than only a helpline.
What should a written estimate and aftercare plan include before you fly?
| Item | What to check |
|---|---|
| Procedure | Exact technique and areas, not just a procedure name |
| Surgeon | Who operates, their specialty, and their insurance for this procedure |
| Complications | What happens next, and who you can contact in the UK, if anyone |
| Follow-up | Which follow-up visits are needed locally, and when, before it is safe to fly home |
| Records | Written treatment notes you can later share with a UK doctor |
| Changes | What could change after the consultation, and how you would agree to it |
Treat this table as the minimum for any clinic, in Korea or anywhere else. NHS guidance says you should have two consultations with the surgeon treating you before any surgery, with a cooling-off period that is normally two weeks in the UK (NHS guidance). Use that as a benchmark when you compare estimates abroad, rather than agreeing on the day.
What does COMEDI actually do, and what does it not do?
COMEDI is not a hospital. It does not diagnose, recommend a single clinic as the only option, or make clinical decisions on your behalf — those stay with the surgeon who examines you in person. COMEDI is operated by OUR Marketing, a licensed medical travel facilitator (Seoul Metropolitan Government, Reg. No. A-2026-01-02-07119, valid 30 Jul 2026 – 29 Jul 2029), and helps with clinic information, English-language consultation scheduling, written estimates and interpretation, so the checklist above is something you can actually act on before you commit to a trip.
Double eyelid surgery: what is used
| Devices, products and methods | |
|---|---|
| Full-incision method | A cut is made along the planned crease so that skin, and fat if needed, can be removed and the crease fixed to deeper tissue; it is generally used when there is extra skin or fat in the upper lid. |
| Partial-incision (mini-incision) method | One or a few short cuts are used to reach the fat and fix the crease; it is generally used when there is extra fat but little extra skin. |
| Non-incisional (buried suture) method | Fine threads are passed through tiny openings and buried under the skin to hold the crease; it is generally used for thin lids without extra skin or fat, and the crease can loosen over time. |
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Approach | The surgeon chooses a full-incision, partial-incision or buried-suture method according to how much skin and fat the upper lid has. The crease is made by linking the lid skin or muscle to the deeper lifting layer of the eyelid. |
| Anaesthesia | Published surgical series describe local anaesthetic injected into the eyelid, sometimes with a mild sedative. The exact method varies by clinic and patient. |
| Stitches | With incision methods, skin stitches are generally removed about 4 to 7 days after surgery. With the buried-suture method the threads stay under the skin, so there are usually no stitches to remove. |
| Recovery | Bruising generally settles over about 2 weeks, and published series describe recovery over roughly 2 to 4 weeks. Timing differs with the method used and from person to person. |
| Known risks | Reported problems include uneven creases, a crease that fades or disappears, a visible or raised scar, and a buried thread working its way out. In one large study of the buried-suture method, creases were lost more often in puffy eyelids. |
Full details and sources: Double eyelid surgery
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.