How to Find a Good Skin Clinic in Korea

We all know that South Korea is pretty big on skin care. Asides from the overflow of cheap yet high quality cosmetic products, affordable dermatology procedures are another reason behind flawless Korean skin, and another excuse for tourists to come to Seoul. If you take a close look around, you might notice a skin clinic pretty much around every corner. However, don't be fooled because they are not all the same! If you can read basic Korean (or even if you can't), here is one very basic but important factor you should keep in mind to find a good skin clinic with doctors you can trust:

Check whether or not the doctor is a certified dermatology specialist. 

You will need basic Hangul reading skills for this, but make sure that the sign of the clinic mentions '피부과전문의' or '의원,' which indicates that the doctor is a board-certified specialist. If the sign just says '클리닉' or '진료과목,' this means that the doctor offers skin treatment but is not a specialist in that field.

If you can read Korean, another helpful website to check out is akd2.or.kr, the official page of the Association of Korean Dermatologists. It offers information on how to determine whether a skin clinic is legitimate, and even helps you find specialists in your area.

So that's pretty much it! Once you've found a specialist, the next step would be to determine whether or not the dermatologist has enough years of clinical experiment to deliver the diagnosis and results that you need. Good luck (or just come to Renewme Skin Clinic instead of saving yourself the trouble of searching, *wink)!

Website: www.rnmeskin.net

Phone number: +82-2-588-7525

Email: renewmeview@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/rnmeskin (please 'like' us for updates!)

Line: skin0075

Kakao Talk: renewmeskin

Flat Wart Removal Session with CO2 Laser in Seoul Korea

I'd written about flat warts before, warning people about how it's contagious and can spread all over the body if you don't treat them in time. I'd written about how you might be able to mistake it for acne, and not think much of it, but you should actually remove them as soon as they are discovered. But all the while I hadn't realized that I was the one who needed treatment! An experienced manager and consultant at Renewme Skin Clinic was speaking to me one day, about something completely unrelated, when she suddenly peered into my face and exclaimed I had a lot of flat warts and should treat them right away. Ironic, isn't it, how I was so busy warning other people I neglected to take care of my own skin!

Well, perks of working for a dermatology clinic means treatment is easily accessible. So I took the opportunity after work for a complete flat wart removal session. The doctor was kind enough to remove my moles as well, while he was at it. :P

So the first thing the doctor does when you go in: he takes a red pen and marks all the individual warts/moles to remove. I was quite surprised to learn that the warts had spread down my neck and all across my chest before I was even aware of it. Like many other patients, I had thought it was simple acne, but it turns out that wasn't the case.

Look at all those red marks!

Afterwards, numbing cream is applied to the red indicators, after which you need to wait for about 20-30 minutes.

I thought there were warts on my forehead as well, but no, those are actually acne. It's funny, I always knew that my skin was anything but clear and perfect, but the warts that the doctor indicated were barely visible to me. I mean... exactly how much do I have going on, on my face? At a cursory glance my skin might look fine - indeed, I've had a lot of patients tell me I have good skin, which obviously is not true. One close examination and you can tell that I'd need a fortune to clear up my face.

The treatment itself was not as bad as I had anticipated. The hose hovering over my face is a vacuum to suck in the smoke that can arise from the laser - since CO2 works by vaporizing the skin surface. I could actually smell my skin burning... it was the same smell you get when you kill mosquitoes with an electric fly-swatter. It's a satisfying smell when it means the death of an annoying blood-sucking mosquito, but not so much, I learned, when the smell is coming from yourself.

The areas that had been prior treated with numbing cream were pretty much painless. I barely felt a prickling sensation. The tiny problem was when the doctor, when examining my face under a strong light and big magnifying glass, noticed a few more that he'd missed with his marker. "It's best to remove everything when you have the chance," he told me. Otherwise they just come right back and spread again. So I had no choice but to go through a few removals without any numbing cream. Those ones were painful, not going to lie. "Bear with me for three seconds," he would say in advance. And for three seconds, it would feel like a very fine needle was tearing across my skin. There weren't too many of those, thankfully, and the whole procedure was finished in about 10 minutes.

The treatment area was reddish immediately after, but when I got home I saw that the crusts had already formed. The photos I prepared are of my neck because the crusts can be seen much more clearly.

To be honest, they did not look too bad. I just looked like I had a bad breakout and as for the neck area, I could always cover that up with my clothes.

After a few days the crusts had turned completely black. They look a lot worse because I took a closeup, but you probably wouldn't have noticed unless you looked closely because they were so small. I stopped thinking about them altogether, and in about a week the crusts fell off and my skin had completely healed!

The procedure itself is quite simple and straightforward. The important thing is to prevent more warts from spreading across the body and to other people, by receiving laser treatment right away! If you have the time, definitely get your skin checked out by an experienced dermatologist.

Website: www.rnmeskin.net

Phone number: +82-2-588-7525

Email: renewmeview@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/rnmeskin (please 'like' us for updates!)

Line: skin0075

Kakao Talk: renewmeskin

Nongoljip Seocho - Awesome Korean Barbecue in Gangnam!

Soooo! Korean barbecue is hands down one of the most popular Korean dishes sought after by tourists and expats. It's not too exotic (after all, how exotic can grilled meat get?), and the condiments/side dishes that go along with the meat are somewhat unique and seriously delicious. If you are looking for a reliable Korean barbecue restaurant, I know just the place for you.

Nongoljip is a Korean barbecue restaurant with chains located all over the city. The one we went to is near Gyodae (Seoul University of Education) Station because, of course, it's very close to Renewme Skin Clinic Seocho. Address in English and Korean:

Seoul Seochogu Seocho 1dong 1642-11
서울시 서초구 서초1동 1642-11

Because you want to show your taxi driver just in case, right? ;) Directions by subway are super easy as well: just walk straight from either Gyodae Station exit 13 or Nambu Bus Termianl station exit 1.

There is no sign in English unfortunately; but it will look like this. No English sign means you can trust that this place is not a tourist trap!

The interior is wide and spacious, with both floor seatings and regular tables if you're uncomfortable with taking your shoes off and sitting on the floor. Even for the floor seats, there are some tables that allow your legs a lot more space and make it seem like you're sitting on a chair instead. I might sound confusing; check out the photos instead! :)

Pretty neat, don't you think?

Seats outside too, for those nice days.

If you've been to your share of Korean restaurants, by now you should know that the side dishes to any meal are a given. And if you've heard of Korean barbecue, you will know that the grill is built into the table - one of the best parts, I should add!

Big glass for beer, small glass for soju!

For the newbies, the fresh vegetables on the left are for wrapping a piece of meat with some other side dishes & possible rice. Then you have to eat the whole thing IN ONE BITE!! 

Dat glowing charcoal tho!

This place has both beef and pork - since we were a pretty big group that day, we ordered a little bit of everything. I only got some photos of the beef because after that I got too busy eating and couldn't remind myself to take pictures of the other menus! So please excuse me for that. ;)

Before the meat hits the grill. Oh, did you know that grilled mushrooms are also fantastic?

Nearly done and looking pretty darn beautiful

The key to beef, of course, is that you can't let it cook for too long. Who the heck eats steak well done? Well, some people, obviously, and I completely respect your individual choices, but we all know that we need to see a little bit of red in order to taste the juicy, delicious meatiness. Oh, and by the way, scissors are provided so you need to cut up the meat yourself!

I highly recommend the pork as well; please feel free to try whatever you want at Nongoljip, because frankly you can't go wrong with any of the barbecue menus!

Now that all the main parts are taken care of, I need to introduce you to one of the side dishes provided at this restaurant. In Korean it's called kkaetnip (a.k.a. sesame leaves, perilla leaves) and it's provided fresh, to wrap your meat in along with the lettuce. But it's also provided in a pickled form, called jangajji, and for me it was simply mindblowing!

It's sweet, it's tangy, it's savory - just pick out a leaf with your chopsticks (this will require a decent amount of skill) and wrap a piece of meat. Maybe it's just me, but it tasted so good I cleared three plates of this alone!!! Definitely a recommendation if you ever visit this place. Hopefully you won't regret it.

Do let me know if you ever get to try out this place (you know, through the contact form or Kakao Talk or whatever). I would love to hear what you think!

Website: www.rnmeskin.net

Phone number: +82-2-588-7525

Email: renewmeview@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/rnmeskin (please 'like' us for updates!)

Line: skin0075

Kakao Talk: renewmeskin

April 2015 Renewme Skin Clinic Medical Seminar - Laser Toning

Dr. Ha Ji Hyun of our Jamsil branch held a presentation about laser toning, a treatment for melasma as well as other forms of pigmentation in the face and body (mainly underarms). She explained the different modes/frequencies used, and shared her experience with Lutronic's Spectra XT, the equipment used for laser toning at Renewme Skin Clinic.

Her presentation on laser toning was joined by a representative of Lutronic, a Korean equipment company, who had come to introduce exclusively to Renewme Skin Clinic seminar attendants, a newly developed equipment not yet released in the market. He was also kind enough to answer many technical questions that our dermatologists had while using laser equipment from Lutronic.

Website: www.rnmeskin.net

Phone number: +82-2-588-7525

Email: renewmeview@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/rnmeskin (please 'like' us for updates!)

Line: skin0075

Kakao Talk: renewmeskin

April 2015 Renewme Skin Clinic Medical Seminar - INNOfill

Dr. Kim Duk Han of the Hongje branch prepared a presentation about INNOfill, an intra-dermal radiofrequency treatment which is considered one of Renewme Skin Clinic’s specialties. INNOfill is used mostly to treat acne scars and to remove excess fat in the chin area. Using presentation material from the manufacturers, Dr. Kim refuted many of the claims and guidelines provided by the company by sharing his know-how obtained from his own experiences with patients over the years.

On this day, he performed live INNOfill procedures on two different patients: one for treating acne scars and one for chin fat removal.

INNOfill for acne scars

INNOfill for chin fat removal

 

Website: www.rnmeskin.net

Phone number: +82-2-588-7525

Email: renewmeview@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/rnmeskin (please 'like' us for updates!)

Line: skin0075

Kakao Talk: renewmeskin

April 2015 Renewme Skin Clinic Medical Seminar - Dermal Filler

At our 2015 April seminar, Dr. Kim Tae Hwan presented a recent case about a patient who nearly experienced necrosis from a dermal filler injection on the nose. He spoke of different possible side effects, and explained in detail the emergency treatments administered on the patient, providing photos of the progress. The treatment was successful, and as a result the patient ended up with even younger and healthier skin. Side effects may result regardless of the doctor’s skill; it is therefore crucial for a truly skilled dermatologist to know how to handle such emergency cases if they should occur. Dr. Kim’s experience provided valuable advice to the other doctors who attended the seminar.

Dr. Kim showed real photos of the patient's progress throughout a course of a few weeks. He explained the exact treatment and solution amount that was administered to the patient, to be used for future references. With each passing day, one could see the patient's skin condition clearly improving thanks to the quick and extensive measures taken.

Following Dr. Kim was a short talk by Dr. Seong Yong Hae, a renowned nose surgeon in Korea and guest lecturer, who added to Dr. Kim’s presentation and provided his own insights on managing side effects for dermal fillers. Dr. Seong praised our clinic for taking the right measures for the patient presented in the previous lecture, and shared several of his own experiences along with technical information about what can cause side effects.

Afterwards was a series of live procedures, of dermal fillers injected into the cheeks, forehead, and chin by Dr. Kim Duk Han of our Hongje branch. It was a golden opportunity for all attendants to see our experienced dermatologists at work. Both patients were satisfied with the results, which were evident immediately after the injections.

Website: www.rnmeskin.net

Phone number: +82-2-588-7525

Email: renewmeview@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/rnmeskin (please 'like' us for updates!)

Line: skin0075

Kakao Talk: renewmeskin

Rejuran Healer for Wrinkle Treatment & Natural Skin Improvement

Hello there! It's been almost a week since I updated this blog, which for me is a pretty long time and meant busy, busy days for the clinic. I wonder if anyone noticed my absence... if you did, you da real MVP. *sniffle*

Source: pr-products.co.kr

Today I would like to introduce a new-concept dermal filler called Rejuran by Pharma Research Products, which has recently been released in the medical aesthetic market and is causing quite a bit of a stir. Rejuran is a gel formation of polynucleotide that has been approved by the Korean FDA last May. It is created using salmon sperm DNA fragments, molecules that are free of side-effects and have been proven to induce long-term tissue regeneration from within the deep dermis.

Rejuran is referred to as a "healer" rather than regular filler, since rather than instantly increasing volume, it can gradually improve the general biological condition of damaged skin as well as regenerate new cells to keep your skin young and healthy. This injection is recommended as an anti-aging procedure for those who want natural improvement of fine lines and general skin tone. In fact, promoters of Rejuran claim that this procedure has 10 effects that can eventually make you look 10 years younger:

1. Improves skin density and elasticity
2. Lifting effects
3. Balances oil and moisture of skin
4. Reduces pores
5. Reduces sebum
6. Improves skin texture
7. Improves fine lines
8. Recovers protective layers of skin
9. Clarifies skin tone
10. Reduces dead cells

After topical numbing cream is applied, a series of small injections follow across the face or whichever area you wish to treat. Immediately after the injections, the skin around the puncture mark will swell up and become bumpy; this will go away in about one or two days. Needle marks may last for about a week at most.

Our patients have seen improvement in fine wrinkles around the eyes, as well as in general skin elasticity and complexion. Since the results show gradually over a course of several months, we will have to wait and see just how much better the skin can get.

We have also observed considerable improvement in treating neck wrinkles, but I think I will save that for another post. Keep some of the suspension, and all that. ;-) Toodles!

Website: www.rnmeskin.net

Phone number: +82-2-588-7525

Email: renewmeview@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/rnmeskin (please 'like' us for updates!)

Line: skin0075

Kakao Talk: renewmeskin

Get Full & Luscious Lips with a Simple Filler Injection in Seoul, South Korea

Angelina Jolie. Before I start today's blog post, can we just take a moment to admire how beautiful this woman is? Everything about her looks so perfect: her eyes, nose, hair, brows, cheekbones, and obviously her lips, which is the topic of today. Is is possible to look this flawless? Is it?

Right. Anyway, about her lips. Angelina Jolie's lips are the epitome of plump, full, sexy, luscious, kissable lips. I think it might even be safe to say she set the example of the perfect shape that everyone is after. Maybe not so much for Koreans, who prefer a smaller mouth, but it's no secret that her lips have become somewhat of her trademark. 

Now, she was obviously born with it. Darn genetics. But guess what? There's actually a way you can achieve fuller lips too! If you haven't guessed from the title by now, it's by a filler injection - super simple, with instant effects.

Dermal fillers are composed of hyaluronic acid (HA), a substance that already exists in our bodies but decreases with age. HA is also known for its high moisture containing capacity, and is used in facial creams and moisturizers as well as injections to restore volume to the face. Some applications of HA filler include reshaping the chin, heightening the nose bridge, filling in nasolabial folds, plumping up the forehead, and more. As for the lips, filler injections apply to people whose lips are too thin or wrinkly.

The difference is quite noticeable, if I may say so myself. Now to answer some frequently asked questions:

How long is the procedure?

The injection itself would only take about 10 minutes. However, with waiting time, consultation and anesthesia included, the complete procedure might take an hour or two.

How long will results last?

Lip fillers typically last for about 6 months.

What brands are used at Renewme Skin Clinic?

The two HA filler brands used at our clinic are Yvoire and Restylane.

Stop by Renewme Skin Clinic if you're interested! You won't get the exact same lips as Angelina Jolie (sadly not possible) but they can still turn out fuller and much more appealing. Let's plump up those kissers, ladies!

Website: www.rnmeskin.net

Phone number: +82-2-588-7525

Email: renewmeview@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/rnmeskin (please 'like' us for updates!)

Line: skin0075

Kakao Talk: renewmeskin