5 Things to Check Before Booking a Dermatology Clinic in Korea
Hello. This is The Other Dermatology, a slightly different dermatology.
If a skin treatment is on your itinerary for Korea, choosing where to get it is probably the biggest decision. Some visitors book the first clinic that appears in search ads, then find themselves offered treatments they never asked for at the consultation.
Korea has a great many clinics that offer aesthetic treatments, and the name alone rarely tells them apart. Since your stay is limited, here are five things to check before you book.
Key takeaways
- Check who will be treating you.
- Check that you can speak with the doctor directly, in your own language.
- Ask why this treatment, and whether it fits your schedule.
If you check these three things, the standard for judging a clinic stays the same wherever you go.
1Specialist
“Dermatology” on the signboard means a board-certified dermatologist
In Korea, any licensed physician can open a clinic that offers aesthetic treatments. A clinic can list “Dermatology” as its department on the signboard only if a board-certified dermatologist sees patients there. A clinic that uses only a name such as “Clinic” or “Beauty Clinic” may not be staffed by a dermatologist.
What does it take to become a board-certified dermatologist?
- Medical school, 6 yearsAfter graduating, you pass the national medical licensing exam.
- Internship, 1 yearYou rotate through several departments, including internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics and dermatology.
- Dermatology residency, 4 yearsAt a training hospital, you learn diagnosis, treatment and procedures in dermatology.
- Board examinationPassing it earns the dermatology specialist qualification.
During the four years of residency, doctors learn to diagnose and treat conditions of the skin, hair and nails in a structured way. The training also covers dermatologic tests such as biopsy and microbiological testing, dermatopathology (diagnosis from skin tissue) and dermatologic surgery. For lasers, they are taught the indications and effects as well as the side effects.
On a clinic’s website, check whether the treating doctor is a board-certified dermatologist and whether the doctors’ backgrounds are published.
2Consultation
Check the doctor’s clinical experience, and whether you can talk to the doctor properly
The doctor chooses the treatment, not the device. Even with the same device, a doctor with more clinical experience is better at judging which settings suit which face and where to stop.
① How much experience does the doctor have with this treatment?
- Whether the doctor’s board certification and clinical background are published on the website
- Whether the doctor regularly performs the treatment you want
- Whether the doctor personally handles it if a treatment responds unexpectedly
② Can you consult with the doctor smoothly?
- Whether there is enough time to talk with the doctor
- Whether you can ask your questions on the spot
- Whether consultations are available in your language, with an interpreter present
Consultation flows differ from clinic to clinic. At some clinics a consultant meets you first and the doctor only checks in briefly. At others the doctor consults with you from the start. Either can work. What matters is that you can ask the doctor directly and hear the answer before you decide on a treatment.
Visitors from overseas often skip their questions because of the language barrier and decide anyway. When you book, ask first whether interpretation is available.
3Questions
When a treatment is suggested, ask “why”
Popular treatments tend to be suggested in similar ways across clinics for a while. It is also common for one concern to be paired with several treatments in a package. That is not wrong in itself. But the same treatment does not give the same answer on every face.
Ask these five questions at your consultation
- Why is this treatment right for my face now?
- How long do the results last, and how many sessions do I need?
- If I only do one part of this plan, which should come first?
- If I have swelling or redness afterward, how many days does it usually last?
- What should I watch out for while I’m in Korea, and after I go home?
Treatments with a set duration, such as skin boosters, are planned on the assumption that you will repeat them. It is fine to hear the number of sessions and the interval before you decide. For lifting, the device and its intensity depend on the fat layer of your face and how much it sags. For pigmentation, the right method depends on the type of pigment, so that comes first. This is why the number of shots cannot be set before the doctor has looked at your face.
The shorter your stay, the more important it is to plan the time until you are back to your normal routine around your schedule.
4Practice
Look at how a clinic practices, not where it is
Gangnam has many dermatology clinics, which gives you a lot of choice, and the way clinics work varies widely. Rather than the district, these two points make a better yardstick.
- Whether the consultation is long enough and you can ask questions on the spot
- Whether the clinic examines your face and skin before treatment
The same device can be used by any clinic regardless of its size. How it is set and where it is used on the face is decided at the diagnosis.
5Aftercare
For aftercare products, hear why you need them first
Clinics sometimes offer aftercare products right after a treatment. Ask whether the product is really necessary, how it differs from an ordinary moisturizer, and how long you should use it. If the explanation makes sense, use it. If not, you can start with the gentle moisturizer and sunscreen you normally use.
Some ingredients should be avoided depending on the treated area, so please confirm this with your doctor during the visit.