2026/09/29 10:45
Huang Yuhao, a specialist in plastic surgery, said that people who receive treatment in South Korea are usually unlikely to return for treatment across the country. If something goes wrong after returning to Taiwan, follow-up treatment will naturally be more difficult; the picture shows the situation. (Picture taken from freepik)
[Central News Agency] As soon as the air tickets were booked to fly to South Korea, many people made more trips to "fix their faces." However, behind the "come and go" tourism medical aesthetics, there are hidden landmines such as cross-ocean claims difficulties and postoperative care gaps. Medical aesthetics is not about buying souvenirs. Experts remind you not to let beauty become a disguised adventure.
With the convenience of travel between Taiwan and South Korea, "free travel for medical beauty" in South Korea is gaining momentum. Many Korean hospitals have advertised in Traditional Chinese at National Taiwan University and invited Internet celebrities to unpack their products. The price is even only 2/3 of that in Taiwan, which makes many beauty-loving people excited.
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Ms. Weng, an office worker, said that she locked in non-invasive radio waves before setting off. The clinic is equipped with a Chinese translator, making the experience comfortable and cost-effective. "But I still dare not try invasive procedures such as injections or thread embedding." Ms. Yang, who works in the service industry, also said that when doing research, she found that there is a huge gap in clinic levels. Certified institutions are often full of appointments. She is worried about the risks of transnational medical care and does not consider invasive treatments.
Ms. Jiang, who had gone to South Korea for a thread lift, said frankly that she followed the recommendation and decided to have the threads buried. Although the results were good, it was still a bit risky in retrospect. In the future, invasive treatments will be done in Taiwan. "In case of malabsorption of the threads or infection, it is safe to be able to return to the clinic at any time."
Dr. Huang Yuhao, a practicing plastic surgery specialist, observed that overseas medical institutions are not subject to Taiwan's health authorities, and advertisements are inevitably full of discounts and filter packaging. When consumers arrive at the scene and listen to consultants' enthusiastic recommendations of "this can be done, and that can be added at the same time," it often becomes "a la carte-style medical beauty." In the atmosphere of "come here, come here", consumers pay the bill in a hurry, and most of them have no time to evaluate whether it is suitable for them.
Huang Yuhao reminded that if it is an energy-based treatment that only focuses on maintenance and has no wounds, it may just feel "ineffective" at best. However, if it involves injection, suture embedding, anesthesia or surgery, it involves issues such as material source, dosage, concentration, operation method and follow-up care.
In clinical practice, he has encountered people who reported that the results were not as good as expected and the appearance after injection was not satisfactory. In the end, they had to wait for metabolism or return to Taiwan for secondary adjustments. This also highlighted another practical problem: "after-sales service."
Huang Yuhao said that people who receive treatment in South Korea are usually unlikely to return for medical treatment across the country. If something happens after returning to Taiwan, such as displacement, redness, swelling or allergic reaction of injections such as hyaluronic acid, Taiwanese doctors must first confirm what was administered, the dosage and when. The relevant information may not be complete. If the initial consultation and consumption were rapid, the follow-up treatment will naturally be more difficult.
Crossing the sea to seek beauty is personal freedom. Huang Yuhao emphasized that just as Taiwan attracts overseas tourists to seek medical treatment in Taiwan with strict regulations and transparent information, the key is to fully understand the risks. After all, medical beauty is still a "medical behavior" in essence. If it is just superficial care, you can pay more attention. It involves invasive treatments such as surgery, anesthesia or injections. Considering the hidden concerns of wound care and long-term retention of foreign objects in the body, be sure to "stop, look and listen" for 3 seconds. Traveling can leave at any time, but medical beauty cannot be treated as soon as you say it.
