Patient case · in the doctor's own words
“The Treatments I Always Get in Korea”: Shelly's Repeat Visits, and How I Build a Maintenance Routine for Returning Patients
Shelly (@shellydemaria) has a set of treatments she gets every time she's in Korea. Her doctor explains how a sensible maintenance routine is built across visits, and when to change it.
Explained by
Dr. Hyunji Kim
Director · Lead Physician · Lifting, Laser & Anti-aging
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Some of my favourite consultations are with people who aren't new at all — they come back every trip and already know what they like. I'm Dr. Hyunji Kim, director of Delphic Clinic in Sinnonhyeon, Gangnam. I trained at Korea University Medical Center, and I consult and treat international patients myself. Shelly's post says these are the treatments she always gets in Korea, but the caption doesn't list them, so I won't guess. What I can do is answer the question returning patients ask me every week: what belongs in a routine you repeat every trip, and what should change from visit to visit?
Medically reviewed · Dr. Hyunji Kim ·
In her own words
(Translated from Spanish) These are the treatments I always get in Korea ✨
Why a repeat routine beats a one-off splurge
Skin renews in cycles, so steady care tends to look better over a year than one big treatment does. That's why many Korean patients come in regularly for small things instead of saving up for something dramatic. Visitors who return to Seoul can borrow the same habit, just on a travel calendar.
The trick is splitting your routine into layers: what you do every visit, what you do every few visits, and what you only revisit when your skin changes.
The three layers I build for returning patients
- 1
Every visit — clean and calm
Aqua Peel clears sebum, dead skin and debris from pores with AHA/BHA solutions and then hydrates. It takes 30–40 minutes with no downtime. I often pair it with a short LDM session in hydration or redness mode.
- 2
Every few visits — rebuild
A repair booster such as Rejuran when skin looks tired or thin. Small injection bumps can show for 1–3 days, so it goes early in a trip, not on the last day.
- 3
Only when something changes — rethink
New pigment, new breakouts or new laxity means the routine itself should change. I'd rather adjust it than keep repeating something that no longer fits.
There's more detail on how Aqua Peel clears congested, dull skin in one session, and on what LDM does for calm, hydrated skin.
Signs your routine needs to change
- The same treatment no longer seems to make a visible difference.
- You notice new spots or uneven tone that cleansing and hydration won't touch.
- Your skin has become more reactive or red since your last trip.
- Your main concern has shifted from texture to firmness, or the other way round.
This is why I still examine returning patients at every visit, even when they arrive knowing exactly what they want. Skin at 30 isn't skin at 35, and a summer trip isn't a winter one.
What a maintenance visit costs
Shelly's caption doesn't list her treatments, so these are example first-visit menu prices for the three-layer routine above. Returning patients pay our regular menu prices, which are public and identical for Korean and international patients:
- 1st Aqua Peel 1 session (Extraction not included/Solution 1-2) (First-visit trial)₩39,000≈ $30
- LDM 6min (Choose 1 mode: Hydration/Acne/Redness) (First-visit trial)₩39,000≈ $30
- Rejuran Healer 2cc (First-visit trial)₩178,000≈ $130
Example first-visit menu prices for this concern, not what Shelly paid · VAT excluded · same price for Korean and international patients · regular prices apply from the second visit (Rejuran Healer 2cc ₩350,000) · your routine is set at the free consultation.
Most maintenance visits use one or two of these, not all three. If you're weighing a repair booster, my Rejuran first-timer's guide covers cost, timing and what to expect.
Planning your routine around each trip
- 1
Before each trip
Message us on WhatsApp with your dates and a recent bare-skin photo. Tell me what changed since last time.
- 2
Early in the trip
Anything with marks or bumps, like a booster, goes in the first days. Gentle care can be any day.
- 3
On the day
A quick 1:1 check with me, then treatment the same day. English and Chinese interpreters are on site.
- 4
Finding us
We're a short walk from Exit 3 of Sinnonhyeon Station in Gangnam.
Is this for you?
Who this combination genuinely suits
Signs it may be time
- You return to Seoul at least once or twice a year
- Your pores feel congested between trips
- Your skin looks tired after long flights
- You've been repeating the same treatment without checking whether it still suits you
A good fit if
- You visit Korea regularly and want a routine instead of a new experiment each time
- Your skin is in reasonable shape and you want to keep it that way
- You prefer low-downtime care that fits around a busy trip
- You want a doctor to tell you when your routine should change
Not the right first step if: you're only visiting once and want to address a specific problem such as deep scars, sagging or stubborn pigment — then a targeted plan makes more sense than a maintenance routine.
“Send me a recent photo and tell me what you had last time before your next trip. I'll suggest what to keep, what to drop and what to add — honestly, even if the answer is “nothing new”.”
Questions patients ask me about this
What skin treatments should I get every time I visit Korea?
For most returning visitors, a gentle every-visit layer such as Aqua Peel with a short LDM session keeps skin clean and calm with no downtime. A repair booster can be added every few visits. The doctor adjusts this whenever your skin changes.
How much is a skin maintenance visit in Seoul?
At Delphic Clinic, first-visit prices are ₩39,000 for Aqua Peel, ₩39,000 for a 6-minute LDM session and ₩178,000 for Rejuran Healer 2cc, VAT excluded. Returning patients pay the regular menu, and international patients pay the same as Korean patients.
How often should I get Rejuran on repeat trips?
It depends on your skin and how often you travel. Many patients add a repair booster every few visits rather than every time. Small bumps can show for 1–3 days, so book it early in a trip.
Is Aqua Peel enough on its own?
For skin that mainly feels congested or dull, Aqua Peel alone can be a good regular step with no downtime. If you also have redness, pigment or loss of firmness, a doctor will usually add something targeted.
Do returning patients still need a consultation?
Yes, a brief check each visit is worthwhile because skin changes with age, season and stress. The consultation at Delphic is free and 1:1 with the doctor.
Get a free 1:1 consultation
Message our English-speaking team — same price as locals, no pressure.
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