Planning Your Plastic Surgery Trip to Korea

Korea is a mecca for all things cosmetic and beauty! And Korean plastic surgery is a step ahead. But if you’re planning your plastic surgery trip to Korea, where to begin? Here at Korea’s top plastic surgery hospital, we’ve gathered our eight most important tips for planning cosmetic surgery trips to Korea (okay, four isn’t really a useful tip but oh well).

1. Make full use of your online consultant

Large Korean plastic surgery hospitals not only offer in-person translation for foreign patients, but you can get a personalized consultation without leaving your home country at all.

Online consultants will require pictures or sometimes videos to make customized recommendations. They can help you achieve your aesthetic goals, or even give recommendations if you’re not exactly sure what you want.

ID Blog: Which Eye Surgeries Do I Need?

ID Blog: Asian Rhinoplasty

However, did you know that online consultants can be vital assets when planning plastic surgery in Korea? You can ask your consultant for directions to the hospital, example photos, recovery times, local hotels and more! The hospital may even have affiliated hotels where you can get discounted rates.

Make good use of your online consultant, and the trip basically plans itself.

2. Make enough time

Check with your consultant how long it is recommended for you to be in Korea for your procedure(s). It’s important to stay the full term for your post-surgical check-ups. Not just vital for your looks but for your safety too!

ID Hospital also offers up to two sessions of post-surgical care, such as face masks and de-swelling treatments, which you don’t want to miss out on.

3. Check social media

The social media of your chosen hospital (let’s say that’s ID Hospital) can be a goldmine of information. Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and Facebook are your first stops when you are looking for discounts and special events.

Social media can also show you the real results of certain surgeries, even better if the person is of the same gender or ethnicity as you. Most Korean plastic surgery clinics and hospitals will statistically be operating on many East Asian women. So if that’s not you then you’ll want to look for a good diversity of patient examples.

4. Get a return plane ticket

It’s important to tell your consultants the date of your departure so they can schedule any post-surgery treatments or care accordingly.

5. Incheon Airport is not in Seoul

Many travelers who are used to different cities can be put out upon realizing how far Incheon airport is from central Seoul (over an hour away by car). So it’s important to plan how you’re going to get from the terminal to the hotel room.

For example, both Incheon Airport and Gimpo Airport are connected to Seoul via subway. But if you’re coming off a long-haul flight, are you going to be sentient enough to deal with a foreign subway system? Can you afford a taxi? Or maybe there’s a coach you can take? A very important yet oft-forgotten aspect of planning your plastic surgery trip to Korea. 

ID Hospital offers a transportation service route from the airport to affiliated hotels! You can ask your online consultant for more information 🙂 

6. Pack for perfection

Perhaps the most important aspect of planning your plastic surgery trip to Korea, packing is vital.

Ironically, recovering from plastic surgery is one of the times in your life where you will care the least about how you look. So comfort is the name of the game. You’re going to want a comfort-based wardrobe with walkable shoes that can be easily put on and taken off.

Keeping yourself entertained and your mind occupied while you heal is also going to be a top priority.

And of course, you’ll want to save room in your luggage for some tax-free souvenirs.

7. Bring picture references

A good cosmetic surgeon will listen to your vision of your body, rather than trying to fit you into their vision or beauty ideal. And while it is unreasonable to expect exactly the same results as a photo, bringing in a visual aid to help explain what you want can be efficient and effective. Some surgeons will even put your reference photo up in the operating theatre to work from.

8. A great day out

Now, when you come to Korea you don’t want to just stay in your hotel room wrapped in bandages. There’s so much to see! Plan some sightseeing based on your interests, either before your surgery or after recovering.

If you are interested in contacting ID’s online consultants, or to read more ID blog, click the links below.