Dermatology & Skin Care

In brief

In 2025, dermatology accounted for 62.9% of speciality visits by international patients.

1,312,700 international patients in 2025. Source: Korea Health Industry Development Institute.

Korea’s dermatology clinics are known for a wide range of laser and injectable treatments, given in short, carefully scheduled visits. Most international patients come for aesthetic dermatology, though the same clinics also treat medical skin conditions such as acne, eczema and disorders of pigment.

Because many treatments take a single session and leave little downtime, dermatology fits comfortably into a short visit. That very convenience is why the clinic deserves careful scrutiny: one treatment name can conceal quite different devices, doses and practitioners.

What is offered

• Laser toning and pigmentation treatment
• Fractional and resurfacing lasers
• Skin boosters and injectable hydration treatments
• Botulinum toxin and dermal fillers
• Lifting devices (ultrasound and radiofrequency)
• Acne and acne-scar treatment
• Medical dermatology (eczema, psoriasis, skin lesions)

How matters are arranged in Korea

• Most aesthetic dermatology falls outside Korean national health insurance, so each clinic sets its own prices. Ask for a written, itemised quotation.
• Treatments are often sold as a course of several sessions. Satisfy yourself that the course can realistically be completed within your stay.
• Consultations can be brief. Ask to see the doctor who will perform or supervise your treatment, and not merely a coordinator.

Planning your stay

• A single-session treatment can usually be arranged within a few days of arrival; a course requires repeat visits spaced weeks apart.
• Allow a few spare days before your flight home for any redness or swelling to settle, and ask the clinic how long visible downtime usually lasts for your treatment.
• Bring a list of the medicines you take and of any previous procedures, particularly fillers or lasers within the past year.

The risks, plainly stated

Questions to put to the clinic

For a few words of Korean at the reception desk, Day1Korean has short conversations to listen to and repeat.

Who ought to treat you

A board-certified dermatologist (피부과 전문의). A clinic opened by a dermatology specialist may carry the speciality in its name (…피부과의원). Clinics run by doctors without that speciality list skin care as a department (진료과목) under a general clinic name (…의원). If in any doubt, check the type of the doctor’s licence.

Before you book, use our safety checklist to confirm the clinic’s government registration and the doctor’s licence.