The kind of South Korea beauty treatment experience that I fear the most is this: when you enter a clinic, you are first bombarded with 30 minutes of marketing rhetoric by a consultant before you even meet a doctor. And after the doctor examines you for less than 5 minutes, they immediately prescribe a treatment plan for you. It’s like walking into a clothing store and trying to buy some clothes, only for the staff to spend half the day selling you a membership card. You know what I mean.
However, the experience at Theia Clinic Seoul was nothing like that at all.
The reason I joined Theia
I made my reservation through the BeautsGO customer service. When the representative asked which director I would like to see, I mentioned “Kim Hyung-do”. The customer service informed me that Director Kim was fully booked and suggested that I reserve my appointment one week in advance. This advice was very helpful; if I had tried to make the reservation directly on the official website, I would likely not have been able to get a slot and would have had to choose another doctor instead.
Actually, before going to Theia, I also consulted at other clinics. Some of these clinics had a very strong marketing approach—the consultants would constantly emphasize how serious my problem was and suggest various treatments, each one more expensive than the previous one. In contrast, Director Kim’s advice felt much more comfortable and reassuring to me.
Record of the admission process
On the day of arrival at the hospital, the entire process proceeds as follows:
- Upon arrival, present your BeautsGO reservation form, and the staff will immediately guide you to the waiting area. The environment there is comfortable and quiet, giving off the atmosphere of a small, high-quality clinic.
- Fill out the health questionnaire and consent form (which takes about 5 minutes); the nurses are very friendly.
- The nurse took her to the consultation room, where a basic skin examination was conducted first.
- Headmaster Kim Hyung-do entered and began conducting in-person consultations.
Pre-surgical facial examination
The nurse first used professional equipment to conduct a comprehensive facial skin examination for me, which revealed the condition of my fascia layer, the density of Collagen in my skin, and the distribution of sebum. These data would serve as a basis for Director Jin to make his assessments during the subsequent consultation.
👨⚕️ Director Kim Hyung-dao’s 20-minute in-person consultation record
I actually timed it out, because I was really curious about how much time a “internet-famous dean” would actually have available for me.
Result: Director Jin spent a full 22 minutes with me.
He didn’t use any marketing rhetoric at all. First, he used instruments to examine my fascia layer and the distribution of Collagen in my face, and then he said directly, “Your problem doesn’t require too many treatments. Your facial foundation is quite good; your main concern is firming. I suggest starting with a Titanium Lifting treatment of 80KJ. After half a year, we can re-assess the situation and decide whether to add more treatments such as thread lifting.”
Then he explained four things in detail:
- Why choose Titanium Lifting instead of HIFU? The contour of my face requires “tightening” rather than “lifting”, and the radiofrequency energy used in Titanium Lifting is more suitable for my needs.
- Logic behind the configuration of injection depth and the number of injections: He explained why each area needed to be injected at a specific depth, rather than all areas being treated at the same depth uniformly.
- Possible reactions after the procedure and the normal recovery period: This includes the duration of redness and mild tenderness, as well as the circumstances in which a follow-up visit is necessary.
- Key points for post-operative care: maintaining moisture, protecting against sun exposure, avoiding high temperatures, and recommending skincare ingredients suitable for use after surgery.
There was no sales pressure throughout the process, no suggestions like “I recommend adding XXX”. The plan proposed was tailored specifically to my skin condition, rather than a standard package.
Injection process: The technique is very steady.
During the treatment, President Jin personally performed the procedure throughout the whole process. After treating each area, he would ask me, “Is the energy level appropriate here? If it’s too strong, please let me know.” This made me feel very secure, as it gave me the impression that he was actually adjusting the settings based on my immediate feedback, rather than simply administering a fixed number of treatments mechanically.
After the procedure on one side of his face was completed, he asked me to look in the mirror and compare the two sides. The difference was very noticeable; the side that had undergone the treatment showed a clear upward elevation in its contours. This immediate comparison during the procedure gave me confidence in the final outcome and also strengthened my trust in his judgment.
Postoperative experiences
After the treatment, my face became slightly red and swollen, but the redness subsided after about 3 hours. The swelling lasted for approximately 5 days but completely disappeared after a week. During the follow-up visit one month after the procedure, Director Jin said that the regeneration of my Collagen was better than expected and provided me with recommendations for maintenance treatments for the second half of the year.
In summary: The advantages and disadvantages of Theia Clinic
Let’s start with the disadvantages:
- It is indeed quite difficult to get a reservation, especially for Director Jin’s schedule. It is highly recommended to book at least one week in advance.
- The prices in Gangnam are not the cheapest, but they are transparent and reasonable, with no hidden fees.
Advantages:
- President Jin has sufficient time for in-person consultations and does not engage in any marketing activities; the advice he provides is always very practical and insightful.
- The entire procedure was performed personally by the hospital director, rather than being carried out by a technician.
- The BeautsGO channel offers full Chinese-language service throughout the reservation process, and upon arrival at the clinic, dedicated staff will guide you.
- After the procedure, BeautsGO’s customer service takes the initiative to check on the recovery process.
- The facilities in these institutions are comfortable, and they are not crowded or noisy like an assembly line.
- Free follow-up consultation one month after the procedure
My overall experience score at Theia (out of 10): Environment: 9 points; Service: 9 points; The director’s expertise: 10 points; Results: 9 points; Value for money: 8 points. The main reasons for deducting a few points are that it is indeed quite difficult to get a reservation; I highly recommend making a reservation at least one week in advance.
If you still have questions after reading this, you can always make a one-on-one consultation appointment through s-sourire and directly discuss your concerns with the consultant. They will help you organize your thoughts before confirming them with the clinic, thus saving you a lot of time and hassle.
When choosing a medical aesthetics clinic, how can one distinguish between promotional rhetoric and professional advice?
In South Korea’s medical aesthetics market, it can sometimes be difficult to distinguish between marketing tactics and professional advice. Here are some simple criteria for making such distinctions:
- Consider the number of procedures recommended: If a clinic immediately suggests that you undergo more than 5 procedures, it is likely that their approach is primarily marketing-oriented.
- Check whether there is any pressure to “act now”: Professional advice will not include phrases like “If you don’t do it today, the discount will expire”.
- Pay attention to the descriptions of the effects: Reputable institutions will clearly explain the limitations of these effects and potential side effects; marketing-oriented institutions, on the other hand, will only highlight the benefits without mentioning any risks.
- Regarding the consultation time: The director only took 3 to 5 minutes to issue the prescription, so it’s very likely that this was just part of some marketing campaign.
- Check whether packages are actively promoted: Professional institutions will recommend packages based on your needs; they will not force you to accept anything you don’t need.
Postoperative care recommendations from Director Kim Hyung-do
Postoperative care is an important factor that affects the effectiveness of the treatment. President Jin particularly emphasized the following points:
- Moisturization: For the first two weeks after the procedure, use moisturizing products with non-irritating formulas daily. Avoid using skincare products that contain alcohol or acids.
- Sun protection: Use sunscreen with an SPF of 50 or higher every day for one month after the procedure, and avoid prolonged exposure to the sun.
- Avoid high temperatures: For one week after the procedure, avoid saunas, hot baths, and high-temperature yoga exercises.
- Gentle cleansing: Within three days after the procedure, gently cleanse the area with warm or cool water; avoid rubbing your face too vigorously.
- Follow-up appointment: One month after the procedure, a follow-up visit is scheduled for the hospital director to assess the results. In case of any adverse reactions, immediate contact should be established.
Let me share a “marketing trick” that I encountered myself: Some time ago, I visited a clinic in Gangnam. As soon as the consultant approached me, they said, “Your Nasolabial Fold Correction is quite deep, and your face also has obvious indentations. You will need to undergo a full course of Filler injections and Thread Lifting, which will cost approximately 3 million Korean won.” At that time, I had never undergone any cosmetic procedures, so I almost believed them.
Later, I went to Theia to see Director Jin. After examining my face, he said, “Your problem isn’t that serious. Let’s start with an ultrasound facial treatment first and then see how it goes.” The treatment plan he recommended included two-thirds fewer procedures than what that consultant had suggested, but the price was much more reasonable. This is exactly the difference between having a conscience and not having one.
Therefore, the standard I use when choosing a clinic now is this: I consider whether the advice provided by that clinic or doctor truly addresses my specific needs, or whether it is merely an attempt to promote more treatments.
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