What should I confirm before choosing a Korean skin clinic?
To choose a Korean skin clinic, confirm who is responsible for your care before you compare treatments. Ask for the clinic's legal name, the name and specialty of the doctor who will treat you, and the registration that allows the clinic to see international patients. Medical Korea says clinics and agencies that attract foreign patients must be registered with Korea's Ministry of Health and Welfare, so a social media page or a marketplace listing is not proof by itself.
| Ask for | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Clinic's legal name and address | Records, receipts and any complaint go to a named place |
| Treating doctor's name and specialty | You know which named doctor is responsible for your care |
| Foreign-patient registration number | Lets you or the Medical Korea Information Center check the clinic |
| Agency name and registration number, if one is involved | Agencies that work with international patients must be registered too |
| Written treatment plan | Names the product or device, treated areas and number of sessions |
| Consent form in a language you read | You understand what you are agreeing to before you sign |
How can I check that a clinic and its agent are registered?
Ask the clinic for its registration number, and ask the agency for its number if you booked through one. Then confirm with the Medical Korea Information Center, which answers on +82-2-1577-7129 every day from 09:00 to 18:00 Korea time and takes inquiries about illegal brokers.
Medical Korea listed 3,114 registered medical institutions and 1,927 registered agencies as of March 2025, and says registered institutions have carried mandatory medical malpractice liability insurance since 2016 (Medical Korea). Insurance is another item to ask about in writing: ask the clinic to confirm that it holds it.
What should a Korean skin care clinic put in writing before I pay a deposit?
Get a written plan that names the exact treatment, the product or device, the areas and the number of sessions. A label such as "skin booster" or "laser" can cover very different products and settings, so the exact name is what your U.S. clinician will need later. Read the plan at home before you pay.
- The product or device name and the areas to be treated, so a doctor at home can look them up
- Who performs each step, and whether it is the doctor you met in the consultation
- Which follow-up visits are included and where they take place. The CDC Yellow Book notes that some overseas facilities charge substantial fees for follow-up care in addition to the base cost
- How the plan can change after the in-person examination, and how you approve a change
- Deposit, refund and cancellation terms
- The consent form and a copy of it for your own records
If you are comparing treatments such as skin boosters or botulinum toxin, ask each Korean skin clinic for the same written items so the plans can be compared on content. Our guides to skin boosters in Korea and Botox in Korea list the product questions to add, and if you are booking a facial, this guide explains how to tell a spa facial from a medical one.
What should my U.S. follow-up and insurance plan look like?
Plan the U.S. side before you fly. The CDC Yellow Book says travelers should discuss the plan for treating complications with both their U.S. health care professional and the professional treating them abroad, and should ask for copies of their overseas medical records in English to share with any clinician they see afterward (CDC).
- Talk with your primary care professional or dermatologist well before you travel.
- Ask the Korean clinic who you contact if a problem appears after you leave, how, and during which hours.
- Request English records: the treatment performed, products used, any medication prescribed and the aftercare instructions.
- Tell any U.S. clinician your full travel history and every treatment you received during the trip.
- Do not wait if you suspect a complication. The CDC advises seeking care without delay, because early treatment can lead to a better outcome.
The CDC also warns that if complications develop, you might not have the same legal recourse as you would for care received in the United States.
Check your insurance before booking as well. Medicare says it usually does not cover health care outside the United States, apart from a few narrow exceptions, and notes that travel insurance does not necessarily include health insurance. The CDC adds that elective cosmetic procedures are typically not covered by insurance and suggests checking your domestic plan and considering supplemental coverage, including medical evacuation insurance (CDC).
Ask your insurer in writing what it covers abroad, and keep the answer with your clinic documents.
How long should I stay in Korea before flying home?
Ask the treating doctor for a recovery and flying recommendation for your specific treatment, in writing, and book your return flight after you have the follow-up schedule. The CDC notes that the American Society of Plastic Surgeons recommends waiting 7 to 10 days before flying after laser treatments or cosmetic procedures to the face, eyelids or nose (CDC). That is general guidance, and your doctor's advice for your own treatment comes first.
The CDC also says that typical vacation activities during recovery, such as drinking alcohol, strenuous exercise, sunbathing and swimming, can delay or impede healing. Keep your schedule free of them until your doctor says otherwise.
What if something goes wrong or the clinic cannot answer these questions?
Keep your records, receipts and consent forms. The Korea Medical Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Agency accepts mediation applications from foreign patients, including patients living abroad, and its counseling line is +82-2-1670-2545. The Medical Korea Information Center also takes complaints and can help route a dispute to that agency.
If a Korean skin clinic cannot name the treating doctor, show a registration number or put its plan in writing, treat that as useful information and pause your booking. You can ask other clinics the same questions and compare their answers.
How COMEDI helps
COMEDI can send the questions in this checklist to registered clinics in Seoul, ask each Korean skin clinic for a written treatment plan and estimate, and arrange the consultation and interpretation around your travel dates. You receive the clinics' written answers side by side before you pay a deposit. To start, see how to book.
Skin boosters & Rejuran: what is used
| Devices, products and methods | |
|---|---|
| Rejuran PharmaResearch, Korea | Contains polynucleotide (PN), purified DNA fragments from salmon, at 20 mg/mL in the product used in published studies. |
| Juvelook VAIM, Korea | Combines PDLLA (a polylactic acid) with hyaluronic acid in a 50 mg vial; registered in Korea as a medical device for temporary improvement of facial wrinkles. |
| Skinvive by Juvéderm Allergan Aesthetics (AbbVie), USA | A hyaluronic acid gel with lidocaine injected as microdroplets into the skin; its US indication is smoother cheek skin in adults over 21. |
| Profhilo IBSA, Italy | Holds 32 mg of high- and 32 mg of low-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid in 2 mL, stabilised by a heat process without chemical cross-linking agents. |
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| What it is | Injections placed in the skin to improve its quality (hydration, texture, fine lines) rather than to add volume like a filler. |
| Ingredients | The main types are polynucleotide (PN), non- or lightly cross-linked hyaluronic acid, and polylactic acid. Each brand uses a different one. |
| Injection layer | Into the skin or just beneath it, depending on the product, usually as many small injections across the area; Profhilo is placed at five fixed points on each side of the face. |
| Anaesthesia | Numbing cream is commonly applied first; published studies describe about 30 minutes. |
| Sessions & interval | Given as a course. Profhilo's recommended start is two sessions 30 days apart; a published polynucleotide study used two to three sessions three weeks apart. |
| How long it lasts | Varies by product. For Skinvive the manufacturer states about six months. |
Full details and sources: Skin boosters & Rejuran
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] |
| Entry (US passports) | Countries currently exempt from K-ETA, including the United States, stay exempt until 31 December 2026 (Korea time). You may still apply for a K-ETA: once it is approved, you do not have to fill in the arrival card, but the application fee is charged and is not refunded. Check the entry rules again before you fly. [3] |
| 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. [4] |
| 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. [5] |
Checked on 2026-10-07. Rules change, so confirm with the official source before you travel.