What Happens at a Korean Skin Clinic? Your First Visit Explained

By Dr. Baek Seung-Jae · April 2026 · 9 min read

Walking into a Korean skin clinic for the first time can be intimidating, especially if you are a foreigner who does not speak Korean. What do they do during consultation? Will they push expensive treatments? Is it going to hurt? How much will it cost?

This article walks you through the entire experience step by step, based on what actually happens at RE:BERRY Clinic Myeongdong when international patients visit us for the first time. No vague promises, no marketing fluff — just the real process.

Before You Arrive: What to Prepare

Things to Bring

• Passport or ID — For registration. We record your name and nationality for medical records.
• Payment method — Credit card (Visa, Mastercard, Amex) or Korean Won cash. No minimum purchase required.
• List of medications — If you take any prescription medications, blood thinners, or supplements, mention these during consultation. They can affect treatment options.
• Skincare product list — Optional, but helpful. If you are currently using retinol, AHAs, or prescription creams, tell the doctor.

Things You Do NOT Need

• No referral from another doctor
• No Korean health insurance
• No prior appointment (walk-ins accepted, though booking is recommended)
• No Korean language skills
• No minimum spending commitment

Skincare Tip: Come with a Clean Face

If possible, arrive with minimal or no makeup. This allows the doctor to see your actual skin condition during consultation. If you are coming from sightseeing and wearing makeup, do not worry — the clinic will cleanse your face before any examination or treatment.

Step 1: Arrival and Registration (5 Minutes)

When you walk in, you will be greeted by a receptionist or coordinator. At RE:BERRY Myeongdong, our front desk staff speak English and will hand you a simple registration form asking for:

• Full name (as it appears on your passport)
• Date of birth
• Nationality
• Phone number (international number is fine)
• Allergies (if any)
• Current medications
• Previous cosmetic procedures (if any)
• Main skin concerns

The form takes about 3 minutes to fill out. You will then be guided to a consultation room.

Step 2: Doctor Consultation (15-20 Minutes)

This is the most important part of your visit. The doctor examines your skin, discusses your concerns, and creates a personalized treatment recommendation.

What the Doctor Does

1. Visual examination — The doctor looks at your skin under bright clinical lighting, examining texture, pores, pigmentation, wrinkles, and overall condition. They may use a magnifying lamp or skin scanner.
2. Touch assessment — For concerns like skin laxity, acne scars, or facial structure, the doctor may gently palpate (touch) your skin to assess thickness, elasticity, and scar depth.
3. Skin type classification — Your Fitzpatrick skin type (I-VI) is determined. This is critical because it affects which lasers and energy settings are safe for your skin. Asian patients are typically III-V.
4. Concern discussion — The doctor asks what specifically bothers you about your skin. Be honest and specific. “I want better skin” is too vague. “I have dark circles, acne scars on my cheeks, and I want brighter skin tone” gives the doctor a clear direction.

What the Doctor Recommends

Based on the examination, the doctor proposes a treatment plan. At RE:BERRY, this includes:

• Specific treatments recommended (with explanations of what each does)
• Priority ranking (most important treatment first, optional add-ons second)
• Exact pricing for each treatment
• Expected results and timeline
• Downtime and aftercare requirements
• Whether multiple sessions are needed

Important: You are not obligated to accept any recommendation. You can choose to do one treatment, all of them, or none. You can also ask for alternatives at different price points.

Step 3: Treatment Decision and Consent (5-10 Minutes)

If you decide to proceed, the coordinator walks you through:

1. Treatment details in writing — What will be done, which products/devices will be used
2. Consent form — Available in English. Lists potential side effects and aftercare requirements. Read it carefully.
3. Total cost confirmation — The exact amount you will pay, including any packages or first-visit discounts

RE:BERRY Myeongdong first-visit pricing (one-time trial):

Step 4: Preparation (10-20 Minutes)

Depending on the treatment, preparation may include:

• Cleansing — The clinic removes any remaining makeup and cleanses your skin with a medical-grade cleanser. You do not need to do this yourself.
• Numbing cream — For Potenza, filler, or aggressive laser treatments, a topical anesthetic cream (typically lidocaine-based) is applied to the treatment area. This takes 15-20 minutes to take effect. You wait in a comfortable room or reclining chair.
• Preparation photos — The clinic takes before-photos with a standardized camera setup. These are for your medical record and for comparison with after-photos. They are not shared publicly without your consent.

Step 5: The Treatment (10-90 Minutes)

The doctor performs the procedure. Here is what the most common treatments feel like:

Botox (10 minutes)

Small needle injections into specific muscles. With ice numbing, pain is minimal — a brief pinch at each injection point. Most patients get 3-6 injection points per area. No downtime.

Glutathione Injection (15 minutes)

A simple IV push or drip. A tiny needle is placed in your arm or hand (like a blood draw), and the glutathione solution is slowly administered. Painless once the needle is placed.

Aqua Peel (20-30 minutes)

A wand-like device moves across your face, alternating between suction and hydrating serum delivery. It feels like a gentle vacuum. Painless and actually quite pleasant. You can see the extracted impurities in the collection bottle — which is both satisfying and slightly gross.

Laser Toning (20-30 minutes)

The laser handpiece fires rapid pulses across your skin. With PicoSure, you feel mild tingling or snapping sensations — like tiny rubber bands. With Genesis, you feel gentle warmth. Neither is painful. No numbing cream needed for standard toning protocols.

Potenza RF Microneedling (30-40 minutes)

After numbing, you feel pressure and vibration as the needle tip stamps across the treatment area. The RF energy creates a warm sensation at each stamp point. Pain level with proper numbing: 3/10. Without numbing: 6-7/10 (which is why we always numb).

Filler Injection (15-30 minutes)

After numbing, the doctor injects filler using a needle or cannula. With cannula technique (preferred at RE:BERRY), you feel pressure and a strange sensation of movement under the skin, but minimal pain. The doctor pauses frequently to check symmetry and adjust.

Step 6: Post-Treatment Care (10-15 Minutes)

After the main treatment, the clinic provides calming and recovery care:

• LDM ultrasound — Reduces inflammation and promotes healing
• Cooling mask or LED therapy — Calms redness and soothes the skin
• Dermio Care — Medical-grade moisture barrier restoration
• Sunscreen application — The clinic applies SPF 50+ before you leave

Step 7: Aftercare Instructions and Payment (5-10 Minutes)

The coordinator provides written aftercare instructions (in English) covering:

• What to avoid (direct sun, alcohol, sauna, swimming pool) and for how long
• What products to use (specific cleanser, moisturizer, sunscreen recommendations)
• When results will be visible
• Warning signs to watch for (extremely rare, but you need to know)
• How to contact the clinic if you have questions after leaving

Payment is collected at reception. The price you were quoted is the price you pay — no surprise add-ons. You receive a receipt that you can use for your records or insurance claims in your home country (some international insurance plans cover aesthetic procedures).

Total Time at the Clinic

What Makes Korean Clinics Different from Western Ones

If you have been to a dermatologist or aesthetics clinic in the US, Europe, or elsewhere, here are the key differences you will notice in Korea:

1. Speed — Korean clinics are efficient. Minimal waiting, streamlined processes. You will not sit in a waiting room for 45 minutes past your appointment time.
2. Doctor does the procedure — In Korea, the licensed physician performs the injection/laser/treatment directly. In some Western countries, nurses or physician assistants perform certain procedures.
3. Combination approach — Korean doctors routinely combine 2-3 modalities in a single session. Western clinics tend to offer one treatment per visit.
4. Aftercare included — Post-treatment calming (LDM, masks, LED) is standard. In Western clinics, aftercare is often a separate billable service or not offered at all.
5. Transparent pricing — Korean clinics post prices or provide them during consultation. Western aesthetic pricing tends to be more opaque (requiring multiple calls or consultations before pricing is disclosed).

Ready for Your First Visit?

Message us on WhatsApp at +82-2-2088-7070 with your skin concerns and we will recommend the best first-visit treatments for your goals and budget. Or simply walk in — we are 2 minutes from Myeongdong Station Exit 8.

RE:BERRY Clinic Myeongdong
5, Myeongdong 10-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
Dr. Baek Seung-Jae (Medical Director) · Dr. Son Hoon-Sung