DermaColumn DermaColumn
Named doctors · clinic shown · sourced to research

Korean skin clinic treatments,
in the words of the doctors who perform them.

Not marketing copy. Licensed dermatologists in Seoul write under their real names, with their clinic and the date shown, and cite published research where it matters. How long recovery takes, what a treatment can and cannot do, and when it is the wrong choice.

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Browse by skin concern

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Before & After Care
17
Lifting & Firmness
15
Botox & Fillers
10
Acne & Scars
8
Pigmentation
4
Pores & Sebum
3
Texture & Hydration
3
Nails & Foot Care
2
Laser & Hair Removal
1

Guides for your visit

All columns

61 columns
Lifting & Firmness

Why radiofrequency alone falls short on a sagging deep cheek

Cheek sagging is hard to read as stretched skin alone. The deep cheek fat moves downward, the li…

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.09.21 · 3 min read
Weight & Metabolism

Why a fat dissolving injection hurts differently from one person to the next

The pain of a fat dissolving injection is not set by the strength of the drug alone. Deoxycholic…

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.09.21 · 4 min read
Wrinkles & Firmness

When neck lines come from posture rather than age

Neck lines track how many times a day you drop your head more closely than they track your age. …

윤수정
Yoon Su-jeong, M.D.
2026.09.17 · 5 min read
Lifting & Firmness

Why the length of a HIFU result is hard to put in one number

Rather than fixing the duration of a HIFU result at one number, it is more accurate to separate …

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.09.17 · 7 min read
Before & After Care

What happens if you drink on the day of a skin treatment

It is better not to drink on the day of a treatment. Alcohol opens the vessels and brings a flus…

윤수정
Yoon Su-jeong, M.D.
2026.09.15 · 4 min read
Sensitivity & Breakouts

Five things to stop when your skin suddenly flares up

When skin suddenly flares, the first move is to take things away, not to add them. Keep cleansin…

윤수정
Yoon Su-jeong, M.D.
2026.09.12 · 4 min read
Weight & Metabolism

You lost the weight and only your face looks older: what is happening

Looking older after weight loss is not ageing that arrived overnight. The subcutaneous fat suppo…

윤수정
Yoon Su-jeong, M.D.
2026.09.10 · 5 min read
Acne & Scars

Why acne keeps returning on the nose alone

Acne that keeps appearing on the nose is not a sign that you have managed your skin badly. It co…

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.09.08 · 5 min read
Before & After Care

What to check before having a treatment in Korea

The examination comes first and the device is chosen after it. A consultation where what you wil…

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.09.08 · 8 min read
Botox & Fillers

What changes when masseter Botox is repeated

Botox works on a square jaw only when the masseter is the reason it looks square. If the bone an…

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.09.08 · 8 min read
Pigmentation

When pigment looks darker after a laser: how I tell recovery from PIH

Skin looking darker after a pigment laser splits into two things. If fine crusting and a tempora…

윤수정
Yoon Su-jeong, M.D.
2026.09.08 · 5 min read
Wrinkles & Firmness

What causes neck lines and how far treatment can smooth them

Neck lines are not one thing. The lines that fold across and the bands that stand out vertically…

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.09.08 · 9 min read
Acne & Scars

Switching to azelaic acid when other acne treatments sting

Azelaic acid is not the gentlest acne treatment there is, but it is the one you can retreat to w…

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.09.07 · 8 min read
Before & After Care

Why Korean clinic procedure names do not match the English ones

Most Korean procedure names are product names, while most English ones are names for a method. T…

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.09.07 · 9 min read
Lifting & Firmness

Why Liftera and Ultherapy give different results even when the total energy is similar

Comparing HIFU by shot count or by total joules often fails to match what actually happens. The …

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.09.07 · 5 min read
Botox & Fillers

A lump you can feel after Olidia: is it a nodule?

Feeling something after Olidia does not mean it is a nodule. For the first few days it is normal…

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.08.31 · 5 min read
Lifting & Firmness

Coolsonic and Liftera: what actually differs between two pen-type HIFU devices

Coolsonic and Liftera are not better or worse than one another. They are for different places. B…

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.08.31 · 6 min read
Pigmentation

New dark patches after summer: melasma, sun spots, or something else?

The patches that surface in autumn are melasma, sun spots, or post-inflammatory hyperpigmentatio…

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.08.29 · 8 min read
Lifting & Firmness

Ozempic face: managing a hollowed, sagging face after rapid weight loss

Ozempic face happens because the skin cannot keep up with the speed at which the fat disappears.…

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.08.28 · 10 min read
Before & After Care

The evening after your treatment: how to care for your skin at home

The goal on the evening of your treatment is to add no further irritation. Moisturising and sun …

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.08.17 · 4 min read
Texture & Hydration

Home beauty devices: what I learned using them myself as a dermatologist

Home-use beauty devices and medical devices are designed for different purposes from the start. …

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.08.16 · 7 min read
Botox & Fillers

Jaw Botox is not for everyone: what to check before repeating it

Many patients ask for jaw Botox hoping for a slimmer V-line. Yet some end up postponing the inje…

음수연
Eum Soo-youn, M.D.
2026.08.13 · 2 min read
Nails & Foot Care

I took the pills and it cleared. Why is my toenail fungus back?

When toenail fungus comes back, it is rarely because the fungus grew resistant to the medication…

이상수
Lee Sang-soo, M.D.
2026.08.13 · 3 min read
Lifting & Firmness

Ultherapy, Cerf, InMode: how energy-based lifting devices actually differ

The question I hear most from patients worried about sagging is "which lifting treatment should …

음수연
Eum Soo-youn, M.D.
2026.08.12 · 2 min read
Nails & Foot Care

Does an ingrown toenail always need surgery? How clip correction works, and how long it takes

An ingrown toenail does not heal on its own — the longer it is left, the harder treatment become…

이상수
Lee Sang-soo, M.D.
2026.08.11 · 2 min read
Acne & Scars

Why dermatologists keep prescribing azelaic acid for acne

Azelaic acid can help pigmentation. But the reason I reach for it in practice is different: it t…

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.08.09 · 4 min read
Texture & Hydration

What is LDM? How high-density ultrasound differs from Ulthera

LDM is a treatment that uses high-density ultrasound to improve conditions inside the skin. Its …

음수연
Eum Soo-youn, M.D.
2026.08.07 · 3 min read
Before & After Care

Why she does not look only at the skin: Dr Yoon Su-jeong

This is a DermaColumn editorial profile, not a column written by the doctor. Dr Yoon Su-jeong do…

DermaColumn editorial
2026.08.06 · 3 min read
Botox & Fillers

Heavy eyelids after forehead Botox: why it happens and how long it lasts

Some people notice that their eyes feel heavy, or harder to open, after forehead Botox. This doe…

음수연
Eum Soo-youn, M.D.
2026.08.05 · 2 min read
Before & After Care

Seeing a dermatologist in Seoul: what to prepare

If you are seeing a dermatologist in Seoul for the first time, three things make the visit go we…

윤수정
Yoon Su-jeong, M.D.
2026.08.04 · 4 min read
Lifting & Firmness

Wedding prep for the parents: when to start

Before a wedding, what matters is not only which procedures you have, but when you start. Recove…

이상수
Lee Sang-soo, M.D.
2026.08.04 · 2 min read
Acne & Scars

Acne before every period: what actually helps

Skin can be fine most of the month and then break out along the jaw before a period. These are o…

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.08.03 · 4 min read
Texture & Hydration

Will a skin booster fix makeup that will not sit? (Seoul)

If your makeup stopped sitting well, a skin booster is not automatically the answer. The cause s…

윤수정
Yoon Su-jeong, M.D.
2026.08.02 · 4 min read
Lifting & Firmness

Ultherapy and InMode, and still no change? What was missing

Some people arrive having had both Ultherapy and InMode elsewhere, saying the jawline never chan…

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.08.01 · 4 min read
Lifting & Firmness

Thread lift in Korea: how long does the pain last?

In thread lift consultations, pain is often the first concern, ahead of the result. In short, so…

이상수
Lee Sang-soo, M.D.
2026.07.30 · 3 min read
Before & After Care

Why several treatments at once is not a bargain

Skin concerns rarely arrive one at a time. The jawline blurs while the texture is rough, and por…

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.07.30 · 3 min read
Botox & Fillers

Filler in the neck lines and they are still there. Why?

"I had filler in my neck and the line is still visible." "It stays there even when I hold my hea…

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.07.26 · 3 min read
Lifting & Firmness

Ultherapy, Thermage or Shurink in Korea: which do you need?

These are not competing versions of the same treatment. Ultherapy Prime and Shurink use ultrasou…

윤수정
Yoon Su-jeong, M.D.
2026.07.25 · 4 min read
Acne & Scars

Acne or scars: which is treated first?

"Extraction helps for a few days and then it is back." "Why do the marks and the pitting never g…

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.07.23 · 3 min read
Acne & Scars

Can you use sunscreen with acne-prone skin?

"Will sunscreen block my pores when the acne is already bad?" It comes up every summer. Acne-pro…

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.07.16 · 3 min read
Before & After Care

No face wash while travelling: is hotel body wash all right?

It comes up more often than you would expect. Washing with hotel body wash once or twice is unli…

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.07.12 · 9 min read
Pigmentation

"No pigment laser in summer" — is that still true?

People postpone pigment treatment to autumn, then winter, then another summer arrives and nothin…

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.07.11 · 9 min read
Lifting & Firmness

Coolphase: why the technique matters more than the cooling

The first question about Coolphase is always whether it really is not hot. It is not — noticeabl…

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.07.06 · 7 min read
Pores & Sebum

Does RF microneedling have to hurt to work? (Seoul)

RF microneedling does not have to hurt to work. How much it hurts is decided by how briefly the …

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.07.03 · 3 min read
Before & After Care

Why a bad night’s sleep makes a treatment hurt more

The same treatment at the same settings produces very different pain on different days. The peop…

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.06.29 · 9 min read
Lifting & Firmness

Layered lifting: why the order of the layers matters

People often come back after lifting elsewhere — the result fell short, or it hurt too much, or …

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.06.22 · 8 min read
Botox & Fillers

Botox for underarm sweating: why results differ

Excess underarm sweating has a name — hyperhidrosis — and botulinum toxin treats it reasonably s…

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.06.21 · 5 min read
Acne & Scars

Forehead comedones in a child: what can actually be prescribed

Acne is thought of as starting after puberty, but forehead comedones from primary school age are…

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.06.14 · 5 min read
Botox & Fillers

Does retaining ligament filler lift the face?

You often hear that retaining ligament filler pulls the face up, or strengthens the ligament to …

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.06.14 · 3 min read
Pores & Sebum

RF microneedling tips: what is the difference?

You will have heard that one tip is for pores and another for acne scars. But if you have both, …

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.06.08 · 2 min read
Pigmentation

Does treating melasma aggressively make it darker?

"I had a course of treatment and the melasma got darker." Answering that means going back to wha…

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.06.06 · 2 min read
Botox & Fillers

Serum, skin booster, filler: same hyaluronic acid, different jobs

A fair question comes up often: what is the difference between a hyaluronic acid serum, a hyalur…

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.05.31 · 5 min read
Lifting & Firmness

Three conditions for Ultherapy without hollow cheeks

The question people ask most before a lifting treatment is whether Ultherapy will hollow their c…

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.05.31 · 4 min read
Lifting & Firmness

Volume has already dropped: which lifting approach works?

A common question is which device is better — InMode, Ultherapy, Thermage. Before the device, th…

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.05.26 · 9 min read
Lifting & Firmness

Full cheeks that still look good: what is different about those faces

Online you will see simple formulas: lose the cheek fat and you look better, clear the deep chee…

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.05.24 · 5 min read
Pores & Sebum

Bumps left on the nose: pores or scars?

"The acne settled but the nose is still bumpy." "Is it enlarged pores or a scar?" Bumps left on …

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.05.14 · 2 min read
Botox & Fillers

Juvelook and Olidia: what is the difference?

"I looked into collagen stimulators for a hollow anterior cheek — Juvelook, Olidia, Sculptra — a…

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.05.03 · 2 min read
Laser & Hair Removal

Why you should not pluck before laser hair removal

People sometimes wax the day before a laser hair removal appointment to arrive tidy. That can su…

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.04.30 · 9 min read
Before & After Care

A week before the wedding: is a treatment still all right?

With one or two weeks to go, the question is what to have. The answer is that this is not the po…

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.04.26 · 4 min read
Botox & Fillers

Filler in the lateral cheek, and it looks more saggy. Why?

"I had lateral cheek filler for hollowing and now it looks more saggy." The cause is usually not…

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.04.24 · 4 min read
Acne & Scars

Brown marks and red marks: why the treatment differs

"I have had laser several times and the acne marks are still there." Most often the cause is not…

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo, M.D.
2026.04.19 · 10 min read

Latest research, in plain language

All research

What DermaColumn is

What this is

DermaColumn collects columns from named dermatology and beauty clinic doctors in Seoul. Each author is identified by full name, clinic and medical society membership. Nothing here is a review, a ranking or a price list.

Why it matters if you are travelling

A Seoul skincare clinic visit is usually planned around a short stay. Recovery time, not the treatment itself, decides what fits your trip. Each column states how long swelling, bruising or tightness typically lasts so you can work backwards from your flight home.

How treatments are described

Claims that can be checked are sourced. Where a study is cited, the journal and PubMed record are given. Where something varies from person to person, the column says so instead of giving a single number.

The doctors who write here

홍석우
Hong Seok-woo
Director, Somsei Clinic
Acne·Lifting·Pores
44 columns
윤수정
Yoon Su-jeong
Director, Yoonsujung Clinic
Pigmentation·Lasers·Skin care
9 columns
이상수
Lee Sang-soo
Director, Mirabelle Clinic
Scars·Tattoo removal·Nails
4 columns
음수연
Eum Soo-youn
Director, El:rophe Clinic
Filler·Contouring botox·Skin regeneration
4 columns

Clinics

Only verified basics: focus of practice, location and doctors. No reviews, ratings or rankings.

Common questions from readers outside Korea

Are these clinics in Gangnam?

The clinics represented here are across Seoul, including Seocho near Gangnam, Jung-gu and Gangdong. Each column names the clinic and the nearest subway station.

Do the doctors speak English?

Language support differs by clinic. The clinic page for each doctor lists contact channels so you can ask before booking. DermaColumn does not handle bookings.

Is this a Korea beauty clinic booking site?

No. It is a reference site. There is no booking function, no commission and no ranking of clinics. Columns are written by doctors under their own names.

How current is the information?

Each column carries a publication date. Research summaries cite the journal and year, and bibliographic details are checked against PubMed before publishing.