I visited independently and paid in full.
This was my first visit, and I wanted to share my experience, basics and goals. I had been looking for a clinic to make an annual visit to. My skin is “mature”, oily, starting to get age spots on my cheeks. Other than occasionally using sunscreen I didn’t have a skincare routine. I started to see more wrinkles around my eyes and neck, and I also noticed more roundness and sagging under my chin and jawline. A dermatologist friend suggested Ultherapy and Fraxel treatments for my skin.
I started reading about Korean clinics and reviews. I used WhatsApp to chat with several clinics to get a feel for their transparency on pricing, procedures, and to see if I felt comfortable with them.
I picked Forena Clinic in Hongdae. For my first visit I wanted a more luxury type clinic. I was really nervous and wanted extra personalized attention. My total visit was about 3 hours and just over $5000 USD. I was early to my appointment and they were able to see me sooner which was nice. I figured they'd tell me to kick rocks until my appointment time.
Consult: Face Images and Review
The Experience: This was GREAT! I had my list of procedures that I thought I needed and a budget all written out. They took me to a tiny room and put my face in a box scanner and took multiple images at different angles. Then I waited in the lobby for a few minutes for my results and consult. My consult was with Miso and she was super informative. She explained each image, graph and procedures that could address each issue. She told me pros and cons of each option, pricing and her opinion. She never tried to upsell me; she actually recommended that I do less Ultherapy Prime than I had written down. She kept my budget in mind and worked with me to build a plan that I was comfortable with. I was able to pay using 2 credit cards which I appreciated.
Structural Lifting: Ultherapy Prime+ Thermage (Face & Eyes)
The Experience: These were the most intense and time heavy. They put in full-eye contact lenses to protect my eyes. They were mildly uncomfortable, it felt slightly annoying and my eyes watered a lot. They painted my face with the numbing cream and put pieces of plastic wrap over the cream. Thermage didn’t hurt for me, 3/10 on pain. I could feel it, but it wasn’t painful. Ultherapy Prime was my most “spicy” treatment, 7/10 on pain in small areas. It wasn’t painful most of the time 3/10 pain, but my mid jawline to my chin area was the most painful. Reminded me of getting a tattoo, certain areas are sensitive and others are enjoyable. The “zing” of pain passed quickly, totally manageable, and only hurt a tiny area.
Pain Level: Thermage 3/10, Ultherapy Prime was mostly 3/10 except around my mid jaw to chin areas which were 7/10. The staff was super supportive and asked me how I was feeling and kept me updated on what they were doing.
Pigment & Texture: Picosure, Excel V, and Genesis Lasers
The Experience: This combination addressed my redness and sunspots. Moved to a different room for some of these procedures. I loved getting different stuffed animals to hug during the procedures, it helped me relax. Each new staff member introduced themselves and explained what they were about to do. I felt cared for and comfortable. This was the only procedure that had a smell, kind of like lightly charred meat. LOL It didn’t hurt and it didn’t upset my skin at all (no scabbing, no major swelling) but it smelled like I was being BBQ’ed.
Pain Level: 2/10 I could feel the work being done, but no pain.
Slimming & Contouring: Botox (Jaw + Salivary Glands)
The Experience: Targeted the masseter muscles for jaw slimming and salivary glands for a more refined profile. This was also to help with me grinding my teeth at night. I learned that there are different types of Botox. They explained each one during my consultation. I went with a milder selection since this was my first time getting Botox. If I like the results, I’ll get a stronger one next time. This was “spicy”, but it passed quickly. I got 2 masseter and 2 salivary area shots. I took a breather between shots to shake off the pain. It was tolerable, and the technician was very understanding. He said he gets these shots too and he finds them painful, but he likes his results.
Pain Level: 5/10 Very quick injections. The sensation felt like acid for a moment then it felt fine.
Mole Removal
The Experience: 4 moles removed that I thought were sunspots. They used a laser and it was completely painless and quick. They put strong tiny square bandaid squares over the mole spots to keep them covered while they healed over. They gave me a bag of extras in case any fell off. Not sure what kind of adhesive that was, but I was able to wash my face, shower, sleep… and those bandages never moved until I peeled them off.
Pain Level: 1/10. I could feel him working on each mole but barely felt anything. It was relaxing.
Overall Clinic Impression: Forena Clinic impressed me and gave me the luxury type visit I wanted. They never asked me for a review, the service felt personalized through the whole experience. I had a private main room where my boyfriend could wait (same room they did Thermage and Ultherapy in) where they had snacks and drinks. There was a nice couch with great views of the city. Miso (consult), Grace (translate), and Rei (check-in, not sure how to spell name) were with me through the whole process and spoke excellent English. Anytime I had questions for someone who didn’t speak English, they would radio Grace and she would come in and translate. Comfortable waiting room with water and coffee. They said they recently expanded, and it seemed like they had a lot of treatment rooms. I went on a Tuesday, and it was not crowded. About 5 other people in the waiting room. Check for monthly/daily specials online. I took advantage of promotional pricing. They offer special promotional pricing for airline crew too! There is a great pharmacy across the street (it has a blue awning and is a good landmark) if you need any prescriptions. They gave me detailed post procedure instructions in writing, as well as a copy of all of my scans and procedures (with a copy in English too). They also followed up via text to check in with me to see if I had any questions or concerns with my treatments. I had minor swelling in my lower jaw area for a couple days and very slight redness for a day. I am very happy with my visit, and I will be coming here again for future treatments. I did get a surprise as I was leaving; a gift bag with a few face masks to help moisturize post procedure. I totally did not expect this, and it was greatly appreciated. Then I went and had my first Olive Young and Medicube store experiences. My gawd, those are overwhelming adventures! Thank you fellow Redditors for all your reviews, suggestions and helpfulness.