How to Save on Skin Treatments in Korea | Insights From Trying Over 20 Seoul Beauty Clinics Myself

When it comes to skincare, dermatology, and other health and beauty treatments, it’s safe to say that South Korea is solidly on the map. Every year, people travel to Seoul, not just for sightseeing and food, but also to experience innovative and affordable skin treatments in Korea firsthand.

I’ve called Seoul home for the last 15 years, and taken full advantage of all the amazing skin treatments here.

I’ve called Seoul home for the last 15 years, and I’ve certainly taken advantage of living in one of the world’s great skincare capitals. I’ve been to over 20 different Seoul clinics for treatments as varied as Rejuran injections, lifting lasers, teeth whitening, and 18-step Korean head spas.

After trying out all these skin treatments in Seoul myself, I’ve learned that while the quality of services is consistently pretty high, prices can vary dramatically for the exact same procedures. I totally get that it can be really challenging to cut through all the noise if you’re not local though.

I’ve tried sooo many different skin treatments in Seoul!

That’s why I’ll be sharing practical, experience-based insights on how to find quality beauty clinics AND save money on skin treatments in Korea in this guide, so you can cut costs without compromising quality.

Medical and Beauty Tourism to Korea

South Korea’s status as a global capital of skincare innovation grows each and every year, with foreign visitors spending over 200 billion won ($138 million) on medical services in November 2025 alone.

Getting a full medical check-up in Korea is super easy and popular!

While many travelers head to Seoul to have dental services, comprehensive health check ups, hair loss procedures, and traditional Korean medicine treatments, the bulk of spending still goes to beauty services like dermatology and plastic surgery.

Nearly 60% of beauty tourists to Korea choose non-invasive aesthetic treatments and cutting-edge skincare that require little downtime – with this number only continuing to grow.

This head spa / skin treatment at Parkjun Cheongdam was a total dream.

READ NEXT: Visiting South Korea for the First Time? Check out this Guide!

Are skin treatments in Korea actually cheaper?

You might be wondering why so many people make beauty trips to Seoul in the first place. After all – there’s the added cost of plane tickets, hotels, and more, which only add to the overall expense. Korean skin treatments can’t really be that much cheaper, can they?

Korean botox is usually around 20,000 per area, but can sometimes be found for $1 on promotion.

Well, the reality is that beauty treatments in Korea aren’t just about products, procedures, and pricing – it’s an embedded part of the culture and lifestyle. Skincare in Seoul isn’t considered a luxury to locals, but a necessary part of life.

This obsession with radiant, glass skin means a huge health and beauty industry, and a corresponding abundance of dermatology clinics in Seoul, Busan, and other major cities. These, in turn are able to offer the most innovative Korean beauty treatments at more affordable prices.

Ultracol is a Korean PDO filler that’s totally biodegradable and doesn’t migrate.

Still, affordable doesn’t necessarily mean cheap, right? A single laser session could cost upwards of 200,000 won, and full treatment plans can easily reach into the millions of won. Depending on what you choose to do, skin treatments in Seoul could definitely run into the thousands of dollars.

That’s why knowing how to save money on your aesthetic procedures in Korea isn’t just useful – it can actually help you to maximize your hard-earned money.

The cost for premium lasers like Ulthera Prime can add up!

Why Skin Treatments in Seoul Are Worth It

People flock to Seoul because they’ve fallen in love with the traditional culture, delicious food, K-pop, and K-drama, but many are now combining these with skin treatments in Korea. Of course, the reasons for a beauty trip to Seoul are very different.

Culture, food, K-pop, and K-beauty entice travelers to Korea.

In a nutshell, this is what to expect when you come to Korea for health and beauty treatments.

• Advanced Technology: Seoul beauty clinics are often the first to adopt new laser machines, RF devices, and other non-invasive lifting methods.
• Innovation: There are many new skincare procedures and active ingredients in Korea that you can’t access in other countries.
• Highly Trained Doctors: Dermatologists and doctors are highly educated, and often specialize in specific health or skin concerns like pigmentation, acne scars, anti-aging, or hair loss procedures.
• Customized Care: Health and beauty treatments in Seoul are tailored to each individual’s needs and goals. Many clinics offer free high tech skin analysis prior to deciding on a treatment plan.
• Affordability: Skin treatments in Korea can cost 30–50% less than they do in the US or Europe. This extends to premium procedures too!

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The End of Korea’s VAT Refund for Beauty Treatments

Until recently, foreign visitors were able to claim VAT refunds on some medical aesthetic procedures. This system allowed travelers to save up to 10% on eligible treatments, and helped make beauty tourism to Korea even more attractive to international clients.

The VAT refund medical aesthetic services at places like Medicube Clinic ended on January 1st, 2026.

Sadly though, the government officially ended the VAT refund for cosmetic and skin treatments in Korea on January 1, 2026. This means that medical beauty services like plastic surgery, laser treatments, botox, fillers, anti-aging or lifting treatments, AND cosmetic dentistry, are basically 10% more expensive now.

Fortunately, there are still quite a few ways to offset these added costs – which I’ll fill you in on next.

You can still get VAT refunds on regular retail shopping.

SIDE NOTE: This VAT refund only affects medical aesthetic services. You’ll still get tax refunds on purchases of 15,000 won or more on retail shopping at participating stores.

READ NEXT: Getting Vision Correction Surgery in Korea | What you Need to Know as a Tourist

How to Save Money on Skin Treatments in Korea

Over the last few years I’ve gone to skin clinics in Seoul from across the spectrum.

Whether it’s Ulthera Prime at a board certified dermatologist in Apgujeong, Rejuran injections at a foreigner friendly factory style spot in Gangnam, or a stop in Suwon for teeth whitening, it’s not a stretch to say I’ve learned a few things about how to reduce costs on skin treatments in Korea, without sacrificing quality.

Getting Rejuran injections at Xenia Clinic wasn’t fun – but the results were so worth it.

I’ll cover all the main strategies in the next section, but to really maximize the value of your skin treatments in Seoul, try combining some of the approaches I’m going to tell you about here.

Even small savings – 20,000 won here, 50,000 won there – can add up quickly, especially is you’re planning to have several different beauty treatments while you’re in Korea.

Compare Clinics and Do your Research

I know. How are you supposed to do your research, when the number of skin clinics in Seoul is totally overwhelming and most of the info is in Korean?

There’s an overwhelming number of hair salons, skin clinics, and medical services in Korea.

I’m not going to sugarcoat it. The truth is that it would be next to impossible for you, as a foreigner, to easily research that kind of info effectively. The reality is that there are just so many skin clinics in Seoul, it’s even difficult for locals to find relevant information.

As a non-Korean speaker, the best option for you, is to compare skin clinics in Seoul that have a global arm for dealing with international clientele. These clinics usually offer on-site translation services, and have information in multiple languages.

Many skin clinics in Seoul, like Plan;s have on-site translators and special services for foreigners.

That’s why I recommend using a trustworthy platform like Creatrip. They’ve done half the work for you, by already vetting the skin clinics in Korea that have dedicated services for foreigners. Trust me, it’s so much easier to read reviews, compare prices, and make an informed decision this way.

READ NEXT: What’s the Best Time to Visit Korea? Check out these Monthly Guides.

Take Advantage of First Time Trial Prices

Every Seoul skin clinic I’ve gone to, has a long list of beauty treatments that they offer as a trial experience. It’s worth finding the websites of clinics you’re interested in, to see what they’re offering on this basis.

LDM skin treatment is easy to find at first time trial prices in Korea.

Make sure to research the skin treatments you’re considering completely, before taking advantage of these type of promotions. Find out exactly what you’re getting before moving forward.

In my experience, it’s especially important to carefully assess the energy amounts offered for different lifting lasers. For example, there are a lot of ONDA lifting trials around for incredible prices, but it’s usually for just 10kj, which isn’t going to have much (if any) impact at all.

Make sure you’re getting exactly what you need.

Visit During Off-Peak Hours

Beauty clinics in Korea often have special discounts during off-peak hours. Usually, promotional pricing is for Tuesday to Thursday mornings. These prices are typically similar to the first time experience prices.

Again, make sure you know all the details of the skin treatments you’re getting, before going ahead.

READ NEXT: How to get a Full Medical Check up in Korea for Foreigners

Look for Package Deals

A lot of skin clinics offer package deals or discounts for multiple sessions of certain treatments. I’ve noticed these particularly for toning laser or laser hair removal procedures.

Pigmentation lasers are often sold in packages for a discount.

Tourists mostly can’t access these type of package deals due to time constraints, but if you’re staying in Korea for long enough, investing in a package is a great way to save money on your skin treatments in Korea.

I’d still recommend checking them out though, because the package price can still be cheaper than what you’d pay for a single treatment at home. The thing that comes to mind is underarm laser hair removal, which can cost as little as 20,000 won for 5 sessions (yes, for all 5 sessions, not each).

Use Booking Platforms

Using a booking platform geared to travelers can save you a ton of time, stress, and money. The one I recommend for any health and beauty services in Korea is Creatrip.

Getting Ulthera Prime from a board certified dermatologist at Seouleaguer in Apgujeong (yes, it’s on Creatrip).

While it’s not the only option, it’s the most reliable for foreigners, with english support, transparent pricing, extra promotions, and verified partners. They also offer unique extras like a Creatrip Travel Buddy, which is essentially a personal travel assistant, that you can use for free, when booking particular services.

Right now, they have a special Beauty Cashback Program going on, that allows you to recover 10% of the value of your beauty, dental, or Korean medicine treatments back. I’ll explain this in detail next… because it’s definitely worth checking out, if you’re coming to Seoul for skin treatments.

Full skin analysis is included with your treatments at many beauty clinics in Seoul.

What is the Creatrip 10% Beauty Cashback Program?

I have to say that the Beauty Cashback program from Creatrip is currently one of the best ways to offset the loss of Korea’s VAT refund for medical aesthetic services.

I’ll explain this in much more detail below, but essentially you can receive a full 10% of the value of your skin treatments in Korea, back in Creatrip points, by booking at participating clinics, and uploading your receipt.

These are just a few of the skin clinics in Korea, participating in the Beauty Cashback Program.

Each Creatrip point is equal to 1 won, so the value is 1 to 1, meaning the points are basically cash. The points get credited really quickly, so you’ll have time to use them while you’re still traveling in Korea. For example, you could use the points to book other services, like personal colour analysis, airport transfers, or food delivery. All of these (and much more) are available on Creatrip.

You can use your Creatrip points to book your Incheon Airport transfer! © Minseong Kim (CC BY-SA 4.0)

READ NEXT: 5 Ways to Get to Myeongdong from Incheon Airport

Is Creatrip a Trustworthy Travel Platform?

Definitely! Creatrip is a Korean owned and operated travel platform for international visitors. It connects non-Korean speakers with all types of verified local businesses, including restaurants, skin clinics, hair salons, medical services, and fun activities, like photoshoots or DIY perfume making.

Bright Eye Clinic is a top eye clinic in Seoul that works exclusively with Creatrip.

They only partner with reputable beauty clinics that have strong reviews and transparent policies and pricing. When you use Creatrip to book skin treatments in Korea, you can rest easy, knowing that you won’t be subjected to “foreigner pricing” or unexpected hidden fees.

Creatrip also happens to be the exclusive booking agency for unique cultural experiences, like the Changdeokgung Moonlight Tour for foreigners. It’s the only company trusted by the Korean Cultural Heritage Administration for these types of events (which says a lot!)

I went on the incredible Changdeokgung Moonlight tour through Creatrip!

How does the Creatrip Beauty Cashback Program Work?

Using this cashback program to book your skin treatments in Korea is simple and straightforward, but I’ll break it down for you step by step here anyway.

1. Browse participating clinics on Creatrip

Visit the Creatrip website or use their app to explore the list of partner clinics. The Korean dermatology clinics, dental offices, and Korean medicine practitioners that are participating in this program are all marked with a purple “Earn 10% Back” button. Most of them are in Seoul, but there are a few in Busan too.

I had Titanium lifting at Theia Clinic in Seoul.

Here’s a rundown of possible clinics. You can click each of them, read reviews, and check out services, prices, and promotions.

• Dermatology Clinics: There are honestly too many of these clinics to list them all separately. I can tell you, that the ones participating in the Beauty Cashback program have good reputations and are known for their transparency. Out of these, I’ve personally been to Theia Clinic (for Titanium lifting) and Plan;S Clinic (for ONDA).
• Korean Medicine Practitioners: These include treatments for posture and facial asymmetry correction, skincare, and weight loss using traditional herbs, and so much more.
• Dentists: New York Yonsei Dental Clinic (US licensed dentist), Reve Dental Clinic (specialists in teeth whitening)

Teeth whitening services are very affordable in Korea!

2. Make sure to book directly through Creatrip

Once you’ve selected a skin clinic in Seoul or Busan, make a reservation directly through the platform. If you book outside of the platform, your visit won’t be tracked for cashback eligibility.

3. Get your treatments and grab a receipt

Head to your selected health or beauty clinic, and enjoy your treatments. It’s vitally important that you get a receipt on-site. Don’t forget!

Make sure to grab a receipt from the skin clinic in Korea!

4. Upload your receipt on Creatrip

Receipts submitted for the Beauty Cashback Program must include: clinic name, payment date, and payment amount (in KRW). All three pieces of information are required. Additionally, the payment date must match the actual treatment date to be accepted.

These must be uploaded within 30 days of your treatment date.

5. Get 10% cashback and use the points to book other activities

Once your receipt is verified, 10% of your total payment will be credited to your account as Creatrip points. These points can be used just like cash to book more beauty treatments, other travel experiences like tours, or essentials like data / SIM cards or airport transfers.

You can try an IV drip for health or beauty with your Creatrip points!

Final Thoughts | Future of Beauty Tourism in Korea

Korea’s beauty industry is world-famous for good reason. The combination of advanced technology, skilled professionals, personalized treatments, and affordability make it a dream destination for anyone serious about skincare.

I think beauty tourism to Korea will only get bigger and bigger!

As Korea’s beauty industry continues to attract more and more global visitors, things are definitely evolving.

I’ve noticed an exponential increase in the number of skin clinics in Seoul, making things more foreigner-friendly, with multilingual services and transparent pricing becoming the norm, rather than the exception.

Rejuran is one of the most popular skin treatments in Seoul!

After getting various beauty procedures at over 20 beauty clinics in Seoul myself, I’ve learned that it’s not difficult to enjoy innovative and effective skincare at reasonable prices. With just a little research and some smart planning, saving money on skin treatments in Korea is totally possible, and so worth it!

Which skin treatments in Korea are on your list?

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How do you plan to save money on skin treatments in Korea? Are there any Seoul beauty clinics at the top of your list?