Behind Korea’s booming skin care industry, patients with actual medical concerns are often left with nowhere to turn
Im, an office worker in her 30s, said she recently stopped by a dermatology clinic in Myeongdong but was turned away.
“I had a pimple that seemed more serious than usual. The area around it was swollen, and I wanted to get it checked,” she said. “But the clinic told me they don’t treat medical skin conditions. They only offer 'cosmetic' procedures.”
Kim Ki-woong, 32, had a similar experience.
“I had a bump on my forehead, so I went to a dermatologist in Dunchon-dong,” a neighborhood in Seoul, he said. “They told me they don’t treat general skin conditions and couldn’t do anything about it.”
He eventually found help at a clinic in Jamsil, one his mother had been going to for years.
Korean dermatology clinics are internationally known for their cosmetic treatments, drawing patients with their expertise and relatively affordable prices. In 2024, Korea welcomed over 1.17 million foreign patients, surpassing the one-million mark for the first time, with a 93 percent increase from the previous year. The main driver of this growth was dermatological treatment.
In 2023, 35.2 percent of all foreign patients sought dermatological treatment. That number jumped to 56.6 percent in 2024, meaning more than 700,000 people came to Korea for skin-related procedures.
But when it comes to treating actual skin conditions, many clinics fall short.
A report by Donga Ilbo in November last year found that out of 445 dermatology clinics surveyed in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, 256, or 57.5 percent, said they could not treat a 3-year-old child with hives.
Hives are among the most basic dermatological conditions. That so many clinics refused to treat them suggests that they do not handle medical skin issues at all, according to the news report.
Patients and consumer groups point to financial incentives.
Cosmetic procedures are not covered by national health insurance and are far more profitable than treating skin diseases. By contrast, reimbursement rates for medical dermatology are low, leaving clinics with little incentive to provide those services.
“There’s also a perception that even at hospitals treating skin diseases, staff tend to be less attentive to those patients compared with clients receiving expensive cosmetic procedures," Im said. "I think it shows that money is the reason they deny the service."
The Korea National Council of Consumer Organizations has also reportedly called for policy changes, such as improving reimbursement rates for treating skin diseases, as a way to address this problem.
Another problem, doctors say, is that many clinics are run by doctors who are not board-certified dermatologists.
The Association of Korean Dermatologists told The Korea Herald that the problem stems from many of the clinics being run by doctors who are not board-certified dermatologists.
Some clinics are operated by general practitioners or doctors trained in other specialties. They can still list “dermatology” as a treatment area on their signboard.
The problem, according to the association, is that many deliberately blur the line to mislead patients.
“Although they are not dermatology specialists, some present themselves as if they are, through media appearances, misleading signage, or even giving falsifying medical opinions,” an association official said.
“For patients, it’s almost impossible to tell the difference just by looking at a clinic’s sign or online promotion,” he said. “This also has led to growing complaints, as well as reports of side effects caused by misdiagnosis or inappropriate treatment.”
Kang Hoon, president of the Korean Dermatological Association, agreed.
“There are countless signboards that say ‘dermatology,’ but many of those clinics do not actually have a board-certified dermatologist,” he said. “As a result, patients face confusion and inconvenience, and it creates the impression that there simply aren’t enough doctors,” Kang added.
Under current law, however, a clinic that lists dermatology as one of its treatment areas isn’t breaking any rules even if it turns away patients with actual skin problems.
The Health Ministry explained that if a clinic lacks the equipment or medication to treat a skin disease, that can be seen as a ‘justifiable reason’ for refusing treatment.
That is why, according to the Association of Korean Dermatologists, stronger legal and institutional safeguards are urgently needed.
“A survey shows that most board-certified dermatologists view the current situation as very serious,” the association said in a statement. “They believe tighter enforcement and legal revisions are essential to stop false claims, illegal advertising and clinics misrepresenting their services.”
The group also stressed that patients need better tools to identify qualified doctors.
“There should be an official certification mark or a reliable search service so that people can easily confirm whether a clinic has a board-certified dermatologist. Without that, patients are left guessing,” the official said.
Also, the association pointed to France as a model, where cosmetic procedures are categorized into tiers and restricted to specialists.
“A system like that would prevent unqualified clinics from performing skin treatments,” the official added. “It would also raise the entry barriers for offering cosmetic procedures, improving the overall quality of care.”
In the meantime, the association also advised patients to carefully verify whether a clinic actually has board-certified dermatologists.
“Rather than trusting only the signboard or advertisements, the safest way to receive proper treatment is to thoroughly check the doctor’s credentials,” he said.
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