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Guides for International Patients in Seoul

Everything you need to plan skin treatments in Korea with confidence: how treatments work, how to schedule them around a short trip, what changed for visitors in 2026, and how to look after your skin before you fly home.

In short: Dernia's 40 guides cover planning (3-day and 7-day treatment schedules), travel (K-ETA, e-Arrival Card, Incheon to Myeongdong), the end of the cosmetic VAT refund in 2026, how Korean lifting and skin boosters work, and day-by-day aftercare.

Planning a trip to Seoul

Planning guides

Plan your visit, choose a clinic and fit treatments around your itinerary.

A patient checking in at the reception desk of a bright, modern skin clinic

First Visit to a Korean Skin Clinic

Step by step through a first visit to a Seoul skin clinic, from booking and consultation to numbing, treatment and aftercare.
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A traveler with a small suitcase walking along a Seoul street

Skin Treatments for a Short Trip to Seoul

Which treatments suit a few days in Seoul, which need longer, and how to match downtime and sessions to your flight home.
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A traveler planning an itinerary with a paper map and notebook in a cafe

Plan Treatments Around Your Seoul Itinerary

A day-by-day way to fit treatments around sightseeing, saunas, sun, nights out and your flight home.
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A woman reading an information leaflet in a bright clinic waiting area

How to Choose a Skin Clinic in Seoul

A neutral 10-point checklist and list of red flags to help you compare any skin clinic in Seoul before you book.
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A doctor explaining a treatment plan to a patient in a calm consultation room

Combining Treatments in One Visit

The usual order for same-day treatments, combinations that work well, ones that need spacing, and how long a combined visit takes.
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Bride with glowing skin getting ready in soft natural window light

Bridal Skin Plan in Korea

A month-by-month bridal skin timeline: what to start early, what to time close to the day, and what to avoid in the final two weeks.
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Woman with freshly cleansed skin getting ready for an appointment

Prepare for Your Clinic Appointment

A step-by-step checklist for the weeks, days and hours before your appointment, plus what to bring and what to tell your doctor.
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Traveler with a suitcase walking along a Seoul street in morning light

3-Day Seoul Skin Treatment Schedule

Three sample day-by-day plans for glow, lifting or pigment that fit a long weekend in Seoul, with what to skip and when to fly.
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Woman relaxing by a sunlit window overlooking a city skyline

7-Day Seoul Skin Treatment Schedule

How a full week in Seoul opens up stronger treatments, with day-by-day tracks, recovery windows and a check before you fly.
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Doctor explaining a treatment plan to a patient at a consultation desk

Shots, Lines and cc Explained

A plain-English guide to the units on Korean price lists, from Thermage shots to Ulthera lines and filler cc, and how to compare quotes.
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Patient talking with a doctor during a skin consultation

Questions to Ask at Your Consultation

A checklist of questions about diagnosis, products, doses, safety, costs and follow-up, so you leave your consultation with a clear plan.
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Autumn leaves in a Seoul park on a clear day

Seasonal Skin Treatment Planning

How Seoul's four seasons affect lasers, lifting, boosters and aftercare, with a season-by-season guide to what to book and when.
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Treatments guides

How Korean lifting, boosters, toxins and lasers work — and how long they last.

A woman with fresh, glowing skin touching her cheek in soft daylight

No-Downtime Skin Treatments in Seoul

Lifting, Botox, gentle lasers and glow facials that let you walk out and carry on with your day in Seoul.
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A doctor performing a non-surgical lifting treatment along a woman's jawline

Korean Lifting Treatments Explained

How HIFU, radiofrequency, microwave and laser lifting work, which layer each targets, and how Seoul doctors choose between them.
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Close-up of a fine-needle skin booster injection on a woman's cheek

Skin Boosters Explained

What PN, PDLLA, PLLA, HA and exosome boosters do, how they differ, and how doctors match them to your skin.
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Close-up of smooth, radiant skin with a natural dewy finish in soft daylight

Glass Skin Treatments

The four skin qualities behind the glass-skin look and the clinic treatments, plans and home care that improve each one.
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Minimalist skincare bottles arranged on a marble shelf in soft morning light

The Korean Approach to Aesthetics

Subtle doses, layered treatments and early prevention: how Korean clinics plan care, and how to bring the approach home.
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A woman wearing protective goggles during a gentle facial laser treatment

How Many Pico Toning Sessions You Need

Typical pico toning courses by concern, how far apart sessions go, what a full course costs and how to fit it into a trip.
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A woman in her thirties looking at her jawline in a bathroom mirror

When to Start Lifting Treatments

The early signs that lifting may help, what usually suits each decade, and how to choose a gentle first step.
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An aesthetic doctor marking a treatment grid on a patient's lower face

Combining Thermage and Ulthera

Why Ulthera and Thermage work at different depths, how a combined session runs, what it costs and who it suits.
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Man relaxing during a facial skin treatment in a modern clinic

Skin Treatments for Men in Seoul

What works for men's skin in Seoul, from jaw Botox and pore care to no-downtime lifting, and how to fit it into a business trip.
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Numbing cream being applied to a woman's face before a skin booster treatment

Does Rejuran Hurt?

What Rejuran feels like, how numbing works, which areas are most sensitive and practical ways to make your session more comfortable.
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Woman touching her jawline in soft natural light

How Long Do Lifting Results Last?

Device-by-device longevity for Korean lifting treatments, what makes results fade sooner, and how to plan maintenance sessions.
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Gloved hands of a doctor preparing a syringe for an injection

Is Korean Botox Safe?

What makes botulinum toxin safe in Korea: regulation, genuine products, correct dosing and a skilled doctor, plus red flags to watch for.
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Doctor marking injection points on a woman's forehead before treatment

Korean Botox Brands Explained

A brand-by-brand guide to the toxins used in Seoul: who makes them, how they differ, and how doctors choose between them.
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Doctor assessing the cheek contour of a woman in a bright clinic

HA Filler Brands Used in Korea

How imported and Korean hyaluronic acid fillers differ, which gel properties suit each area, and how to check what is being injected.
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Doctor reviewing medical history with a woman before treatment

Who Should Avoid Lifting Treatments

The medical reasons, timing issues and face types that make HIFU, RF or thread lifting a poor choice, and what to consider instead.
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Travel guides

Entry rules, getting to Myeongdong and the 2026 VAT changes.

A traveler paying with a credit card at a shop counter

VAT Refund on Cosmetic Procedures (2026)

The cosmetic-procedure VAT refund for foreign patients ended on January 1, 2026. Here is what that means for your treatment budget.
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A passport and boarding pass on a table next to a phone and coffee

K-ETA and e-Arrival Card in 2026

Who needs K-ETA, who needs the free online e-Arrival Card, and a simple timeline for patients traveling to Seoul in 2026.
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An airport express train arriving at a modern station platform

Incheon Airport to Myeongdong

AREX plus Line 4, limousine bus or taxi: how to get from Incheon Airport to Myeongdong, with tips for arriving before treatment.
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Myeongdong Cathedral in central Seoul on a clear day

Myeongdong Area Guide for Patients

Getting to Myeongdong, what's nearby, and how to plan sightseeing, food and shopping around your treatment without slowing recovery.
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Aftercare guides

Day-by-day aftercare, flying after treatment and skincare that's safe to use.

A woman gently applying moisturizer to her cheek in a bright bathroom

Aftercare After Laser Treatment

What to do from day 0 to week 4 after toning, IPL, fractional and CO2 lasers, plus products to use, avoid and warning signs.
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A woman relaxing in an airplane window seat with a neck pillow

Flying After Botox, Fillers and Boosters

How soon you can fly after Botox, fillers, skin boosters and threads, with ideal gaps, in-flight tips and what to take home.
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A woman applying sunscreen to her face on a sunny city street

Sun Protection After Pico Toning and Laser

How to choose, apply and reapply sunscreen after pico toning or laser, plus practical tips for sightseeing in Seoul.
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Woman gently applying moisturizer to her face in a bright bathroom

Skincare Routine After Treatments

A simple day-by-day routine after lasers, injectables and boosters: what to use, what to pause and when to bring actives back.
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Woman testing a skincare cream on the back of her hand in a cosmetics store

K-Beauty Shopping After Treatment

Which K-beauty products are safe right after lasers, injectables and boosters, which to save for later, and how to read the labels.
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Woman holding a cold compress to her cheek at home

Side Effects and When to Contact Us

What is normal after each type of treatment, how long it lasts, and the warning signs that mean you should contact us or seek urgent care.
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Concerns guides

In-depth guides to melasma, pigmentation and acne scars.

A dermatologist examining pigmentation on a woman's cheek with a magnifying lamp

Melasma Treatment Options in Korea

How Korean clinics treat melasma with low-energy toning, prescription options and barrier care, and what results are realistic.
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Doctor examining the skin texture on a patient's cheek under a magnifying lamp

Acne Scar Treatment Plan

How doctors match acne scar types to treatments, how many sessions to expect, and how to plan scar care across trips to Seoul.
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Close-up of freckles on a woman's cheek in natural light

Pigmentation Types Explained

How to tell melasma, freckles, sun spots and other brown marks apart, why they need different lasers, and how to plan treatment.
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A–Z index

All guides

FAQ

Planning questions

Straight answers from our medical team. Still unsure? Ask a doctor .

  • How many days do I need in Seoul for treatment?

    Many single-session treatments need just one visit; injectables benefit from a follow-up check after about a week. See how long to stay.

  • Do I need a K-ETA in 2026?

    Many nationalities are exempt through December 31, 2026, but all visitors must submit an e-Arrival Card. Read the entry checklist and confirm at k-eta.go.kr.

  • Can I still get a tax refund on treatments?

    No — the VAT refund on cosmetic procedures for foreigners ended on January 1, 2026. See the 2026 VAT guide.

  • Is it safe to fly after treatment?

    For most treatments, yes. Read flying after Botox and fillers for specific advice.

Plan your visit to Dernia Clinic Myeongdong

English consultations, clear prices in Korean won and treatment plans built around your time in Seoul. Tell us your dates and we will suggest a schedule that fits.

Individual results vary. Suitability, dosage and final price are confirmed by a licensed doctor at your consultation. Prices are in Korean won (KRW) and exclude 10% VAT. Medical disclaimer