r/K_beauty_insider

Korea just has too many options and everything gets marketed as skin booster which makes it 10x more confusing.

First, REJURAN

It’s PN (salmon DNA), and what it really does is repair the skin from inside. When your skin is damaged (too much retinol, acne, irritation, even eczema type skin), there are actually tiny micro-damages in the dermis. Rejuran helps signal the skin to heal and rebuild, so over time the skin becomes thicker and more stable.

So yeah… you’re not going to walk out with glass skin the next day!! actually for the first 1–2 days you’ll have those little bumps (papules), which is normal. The real effect usually starts showing after like 2 weeks when the skin becomes less reactive, less red, and just feels stronger overall.

Also if you’re scared of pain, don’t go for the classic Rejuran Healer. It’s quite painful. Rejuran HB Plus is much easier because it has lidocaine + a bit of HA, so it spreads nicer and hurts way less.

Then JUVELOOK

It’s not filler… it doesn’t just fill things instantly. It has PDLLA, which basically sits in your skin and triggers your body to produce collagen over time. Like a controlled reaction that tells your skin to rebuild itself.

So I usually use Juvelook more when I want to improve structure… like pores that look stretched, shallow acne scars, or skin that feels a bit thin. It’s more about densifying the skin.

But again… not instant 😭 you might see a bit of hydration from the HA at first, but the real pore blurring effect takes like 4–6 weeks because your body needs time to build that collagen.

Also something people don’t think about, if your lifestyle is not great (smoking, poor nutrition, bad sleep), your collagen response won’t be good either… so sometimes results feel underwhelming not because of the product, but because the skin can’t respond properly.

Then RE20

I usually think of it as somewhere between Rejuran and Juvelook.

It doesn’t focus only on repair like Rejuran, and it doesn’t build a strong collagen scaffold like Juvelook. It’s more about improving elasticity… like waking up the fibroblasts so the skin has better bounce

I use this more for patients who say their skin just looks tired… not damaged, not super dehydrated, but just lost that freshness. Especially in their 30s when they start noticing slight sagging but don’t want to jump into machines yet.

Also really nice for neck lines actually. The neck skin is thin and moves a lot, so thicker products can cause lumps, but RE20 is fluid enough to sit nicely while still giving some firmness.

In reality we mix a lot in korea but that’s another story lol

if you’re confused just ask, I’ll reply when I can between patients~

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.

 

I recently got re2o done via dermashine machine because I was afraid of bruising from manual injection. However, the bumps all over my face still haven’t come down —I’m already 5 days post treatment. Other people seem to have a much shorter recovery time than me. For first 3 days, my injection sites looked red, swollen and felt warm + itchy. I was given zyrtec to calm the itch and some cortisone cream to apply. Has anyone else experienced this? Im scared to go back to complete my second treatment and now super worried the bumps will never go away! TIA

If you’re here for like 5 days and still wanna go outside, eat, shop, take photos etc, there are some treatments that make way more sense than others bc some of the treatments I see tourists booking are actually insane 🥴 like subcision, aggressive lasers, rejuran or filler all before their flight home

Then they spend the whole trip swollen!!

One thing I actually recommend a lot is skin botox (dermotoxin)

Not regular botox btw, it’s injected very superficially into the skin instead of the muscles

So it doesn’t really freeze your face, it’s more for oil control, smoother texture, pores looking a bit tighter, makeup sitting better

Usually the skin starts looking nicer after like 1-2 weeks
Downtime is pretty low too except tiny bumps for few hours depending on skin thickness

Another thing korean clinics use on literally everyone is LDM

I feel like tourists never know what this machine is because it sounds underwhelming compared to all the flashy lifting lasers but honestly for irritated skin, dry skin, redness, damaged barrier, post laser inflammation… it works really nicely

It uses ultrasound frequencies that switch really fast, so instead of damaging the skin it’s more calming /repairing

I use it a lot after stronger procedures because it helps calm down the heat and irritation faster. Also if someone overdid tretinoin before coming to Korea… LDM usually saves them

For jawline / lower face I think Onda is becoming really popular lately

Especially for people who don’t necessarily need lifting but have slight heaviness around the lower cheek or double chin

It targets fat + tightening together so the face looks a bit cleaner over time, not immediate though
Usually looks better after few weeks once swelling goes down and the lymphatic drainage kicks in properly but downtime is low enough that most people go eat dinner right after

Laser toning is another one tourists do a lot here

For pigmentation, uneven skin tone, dullness, leftover acne marks etc

When done gently it’s one of the easier lasers to recover from, usually just mild redness for few hours. The problem is some clinics overtreat tourists trying to make the results faster and then the barrier gets completely destroyed

Good laser toning should look gradual, not dramatic after js 1 session

And then there’s skin boosters like skinvive / chanel injections / exosomes etc. These are more for hydration and texture like when people say they want that korean glass skin look, this is usually closer to what they mean

Personally I don’t think these are miracle treatments the way social media makes them sound, especially if someone’s barrier is already damaged. Sometimes simple hydration just looks good because most people are dehydrated and sleep deprived honestly lol

Anyways yeah… if you’re coming to Korea for treatments I really think downtime matters more than people expect. There’s no point doing the strongest procedure possible if you spend the rest of the trip hiding in the hotel with ice packs on your face!!

Has anyone in their 30s done Ultherapy and can share their experience?

I had it 4 days ago—day 1 my skin looked lifted and tight, but by days 2–4 it went back to how it looked before.

Did anyone else notice an initial lift that faded after swelling, and then see improvement again after a few weeks/months?

Anyone done skin boosters via Mirajet? I’m looking into getting Re20 via Mirajet and would love to hear from people that’s done it. Was it super painful and how did your skin look afterwards? You’re supposed to not have all the embossing and redness like you do with hand injections, so this is a big deal for me.

Also where did you get it done? I’m looking into Eraser in Gangnam if anybody wants to share their feedback.

At first glance, Coretox and Xeomin sound like the same thing. And honestly… they’re very similar, but not 100% identical.

Both are what we call pure toxins, meaning they don’t have those extra complexing proteins that older formulas do. Those proteins don’t help your wrinkles, but your body can react to them over time → which is where resistance can start.

That’s why clinics in Seoul have been slowly shifting toward these.

Xeomin came first. It’s from Germany, been around longer, and is known for being very consistent. A lot of doctors trust it because it behaves pretty predictably, esp in patients who feel like their Botox isn’t hitting the same anymore.

Coretox is kind of the Korean version of that idea. Also purified, no complexing proteins, and no animal derived ingredients. It’s become really popular here mainly because it gives similar results but at a better price point.

If we keep it simple:

Xeomin: more established, very consistent, slightly more expensive
Coretox: newer, similar effect, more budget-friendly

In terms of actual results… most people won’t notice a big difference tbh. Both kick in after a few days, both last around 3–4 months, and both soften lines the same way if injected properly.

Where it does matter more is long-term.

→ if you’re doing Botox regularly for years
→ or doing Skin Botox (more injections, more exposure)

then choosing a cleaner toxin can make more sense over time.

If I had to say it in a very real clinic way: Xeomin is the safe, established choice… Coretox is the practical choice that most people are happy with.

Dose, placement, dilution, even how often you’re doing it, all of that affects your result way more than whether it’s Xeomin or Coretox. I’ve seen amazing results with both, and also very underwhelming ones with both.

Curious if anyone here has tried both? Did you feel any diff or basically the same? 👀

This is honestly one of the most confusing things for patients coming to Korea

Technically they’re all PN (salmon dna), so same family… but the way they behave in the skin is quite different like texture, how deep we inject, how much it spreads, even how long the bumps last after

Rejuran Healer (the original one)

This is the most pure version, just PN, no HA, no lidocaine

Texture wise it’s thicker and a bit sticky, so when inject it, it doesn’t spread quickly. It stays in the upper dermis for a bit before absorbing

I use this for patients who want real skin repair like barrier damage, chronic redness, skin that became thin after lasers or overuse of actives

You’re not going to get instant glow from this. The effect is more delayed, around 2-4 weeks when the skin becomes less reactive and more stable

One important thing patients always notice is the papules (bumps) after injection
because it’s more viscous, they usually stay around 24-48 hours. If they disappear too quickly, most of the time the injection depth was too deep

PAIN is still the highest with this one!!

Rejuran HB / HB Plus

This one is PN + HA + lidocaine. You can feel the difference immediately when injecting much smoother, spreads faster, less resistance

I use this a lot for patients who want both repair and hydration or for first timers who are worried about pain because of the HA, you’ll see some early hydration and glow compared to healer so the result feels more immediate

But clinically, because it’s diluted compared to the original healer, the repair effect is slightly softer so for more damaged skin, you may need more sessions

Pain is significantly lower, usually tolerable for most patients around 4/10

Rejuran S (scar type)

This one is much more viscous than the others

It’s designed to stay exactly where it’s injected, not spread out
so I only use this for localized areas, not full face

Main indications are:

• depressed acne scars
• deeper uneven texture

Usually I combine it with subcision, break the scar underneath first then place this in
otherwise honestly just injecting it alone doesn’t do as much

And if you try to do this everywhere your face will feel bumpy in a bad way

Rejuran I (eye ver)

Under eye skin is very thin, so we need something much lighter

This one is more fluid, less dense, it spreads softly without sitting in one spot

I use it for fine lines, crepey texture, or when the under eye looks a bit thin and tired

Important thing… it improves skin quality only and it won’t fix eyebags or hollowing. Those are structural issues, different approach

Pain is low, and downtime is usually easier compared to the others

In practice we almost never treat the whole face with just one type anw. It’s usually adjusted by area…

I feel like a lot of people think all aesthetic treatments need like 5-10 sessions before you see anything

And honestly for some concerns that is true. Especially pigmentation, acne scars, redness, skin texture etc. Those things usually take time. But there are also treatments where patients usually notice a difference pretty fast after just 1 session.

1. Botox

Botox is still one of the highest satisfaction treatments in clinics. Not because it makes dramatic transformations but because it is very predictable.

Forehead lines, frown lines, jaw botox, shoulder botox, calf botox. These are all treatments where patients usually notice the effect quite clearly after one session.

But I think the most underrated botox in Korea is actually skin botox. Especially for oily skin and pores. The problem is people think more units = better result. But overly frozen botox honestly looks very strange in real life especially under strong lighting.

2. Ultherapy / Thermage

I am putting these together because patients always compare them

Honestly patients usually see SOME lifting after one session especially if they have mild sagging. But if you have a lot of facial fat or heavier skin, one session will not suddenly make you look snatched like tiktok edits.

Ultherapy gives more of that tighter/deeper lifting feeling because it targets the SMAS layer. Thermage gives more skin tightening and smoother skin texture in my opinion.

And the biggest difference is often the doctor technique and number of shots rather than the machine itself. I have seen advertise "300 shots full face" and honestly for some patients that does almost nothing.

3. Fillers

Filler is probably the treatment with the MOST immediate visible change.

Especially:

- chin filler

- lip filler

- under eye filler

- nasolabial folds

Patients love filler because they leave the clinic already seeing the result. But filler is also the treatment I dissolve the most

Too much filler, wrong placement, filler migration, overfilled cheeks. I see this so often now especially patients who clinic hop too much.

4. Radiesse

Radiesse is becoming much more popular again in Korea recently. Especially for patients who want structure and tightening without looking too filled.

It's interesting because patients usually see a little improvement immediately due to the volume itself, but the collagen stimulation effect continues later. I personally like Radiesse more for lower face support, jawline, and sometimes smile lines depending on the cause.

But PLEASE Radiesse should not be injected like normal soft filler everywhere!! I feel like social media makes biostimulators look way simpler than they actually are.

The best results are usually not from the most hyped treatments online. Sometimes patients get more satisfaction from simple botox than spending thousands on lasers that were not even necessary for their face

Hi guys! I’m on a budget and would like to hear everyone’s opinion. Assuming these are similar in price, would you guys do Onda just by itself or do a Shurink+Inmode combo? My goal is to reduce cheek fat and have my jawline show a little more.

What do you guys recommend? Any tips welcome as well to specify to the clinic! Thanks!

Let's talk about pain during Korean skin treatments because honestly I think this is something clinics don't explain enough before patients come in.

A lot of people think aesthetic treatments are either: completely painless or unbearably painful

I have patients who say Ultherapy was completely fine and then complain more during skin boosters. Meanwhile other patients can tolerate needles perfectly but hate lifting devices.

Pain tolerance honestly makes no sense sometimes.

The most basic option is numbing cream

This is enough for treatments like:

- laser toning

- skin botox

- Juvelook

- lighter skin boosters

- Potenza

- pore lasers

Usually we leave it on 20-40 minutes depending on the treatment and honestly GOOD numbing cream placement matters a lot. Some clinics apply it so thinly it basically does nothing.

But numbing cream only blocks the needle pain or surface pain. It does not fully block the deep aching pain from treatments like Ultherapy, Thermage, Oligio, or original Rejuran healer.

For treatments like Ultherapy, the pain is more deep and sharp because the energy reaches the SMAS layer. It feels almost like tiny electric shocks inside the face. That's why some patients tolerate needles perfectly but cannot tolerate lifting devices.

Then there is laughing gas (nitrous oxide)

Honestly I love this option for anxious patients because patients stay awake but become very relaxed and less sensitive to pain. Some people become very giggly, some become super quiet, some keep talking non stop during the treatment

I feel like laughing gas works best for:

- Ultherapy

- Thermage

- filler anxiety

- acne scar subcision

- Rejuran healer

But it doesn't completely remove pain. I would say it changes your emotional reaction to the pain more than removing all the pain itself.

Then there is sleep sedation

In Korea this is becoming much more common especially for people doing multiple treatments together in one session. For example:

- Ultherapy + Thermage + fillers

- facial contouring lasers

- acne scar procedures

- huge amount of skin booster injections

Tbh some patients request sleep sedation even before asking what treatment they are getting 😭 especially patients who had traumatic experiences at other clinics before.

But personally I feel sedation should be used carefully because patients wake up swollen, dizzy, nauseous sometimes and you need proper monitoring. Some clinics treat sedation too casually in my opinion.

Also before sleep sedation, patients usually need around 6 hours of fasting beforehand for safety reasons. A lot of patients forget this part and come after drinking coffee or eating a small snack thinking it's okay 

There are also small tricks doctors use that patients don't notice:

- vibration devices next to the injection site

- ice rollers

- smaller needles like 34G

- slower injection speed

- cannulas instead of needles

- machine injectors instead of manual injections

Injection technique matters A LOT more than people think. I have seen patients say Rejuran was totally fine with one doctor and worst pain of my life with another doctor

Anyways if you are scared of pain during treatments, please don't force yourself to do treatments because they are trending on social media.

There are usually ways to adjust the treatment plan, depth, products, machine settings, or pain management options to make the experience much easier.

Can anyone let me know clinics who use allergen or xeomin and won't do this?

I'm really struggling to choose. I actually don't mind the idea and speed of the factory style clinics and i know botox is super common but it still takes skills to check the muscle movement and know where to inject and would be so angry to be scammed/robbed by a clinic swapping to cheaper products.

One of the best insider cheat codes I learned in Seoul is a simple finger test you can do in your bathroom mirror right now to know exactly how to fix your under-eye bags. Instead of guessing if you need expensive surgery or just a quick touch-up, this little trick tells you exactly what kind of treatment will give you a flawless and brightened look.

If you gently press your finger firmly under your eye and the dark pigment temporarily disappears, you are the perfect candidate for hyaluronic acid solutions like hilowave or ultracol. These specific HA boosters work incredibly well for this type of shadowing, instantly filling in the hollows and brightly illuminating the sunken areas for an immediate, well-rested glow without any major downtime.

To get the absolute best result, you have to know your exact type before sitting in the clinic chair. If the dark pigmentation stays exactly the same when you press down on the skin, you will want to politely skip the HA boosters and look into long-term structural solutions like under-eye fat repositioning or even checking your daily iron levels. I was lucky enough to be a perfect match for the HA route, and getting that targeted volume instantly erased my tired look and smoothed out my bumpy under-eye area in just one quick session.

Go check your under-eyes in the mirror right now using this press test and let me know your results in the comments so we can discuss the absolute best next steps for your skin.