Apgujeong dermatology visit: getting there, timing and your afternoon after

Apgujeong dermatology visit: the short answer

Hello, I'm Dr. Won Woo Choi, a board-certified dermatologist and Medical Director at WELLS Clinic in Apgujeong, Seoul. I trained and was board-certified at Seoul National University Hospital, where I am an adjunct professor of dermatology.

Visitors often ask me the same practical question before an Apgujeong dermatology visit: how long will I actually be at the clinic, and what can I do in the neighbourhood afterwards? Here is the direct answer. Plan your appointment around our lunch hour, arrive by subway, and choose your afternoon by the treatment, not by the map.

A consultation and a laser session usually leave you free to walk around Apgujeong the same day with sunscreen on. A lifting treatment or a skin booster can leave the face tender or bumpy for a little while, so a quiet evening near your hotel is the better plan. Below I go through each part: getting here, timing, what you can do after, and where to stay if you need more than one visit.

Getting to WELLS from Apgujeong Station

WELLS is on the 8th floor of the Apgujeong B/D, 842 Nonhyeon-ro, Gangnam-gu. From Apgujeong Station on Line 3, take Exit 3 and walk about five minutes. WELLS was established in 2008, and the building is easy to spot from Nonhyeon-ro.

Most visitors come by subway, so it is worth sorting out a transport card before your first ride. If you are not sure which one to buy, this short guide to choosing between T-money and WOWPASS on K-Beauty Wallet explains the difference. K-Beauty Wallet is a travel site that lists clinics, stays, tours and restaurants in Korea in English and a few other languages.

At the front desk, consultations can be held in English. English, Chinese and Japanese interpreters are on staff, and for other languages we use an in-house AI interpreter app. You do not need to bring someone to translate for you.

Timing: the lunch hour, Saturdays and Sundays

The clinic is open Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 20:00 and on Saturday from 10:00 to 17:00. We close for lunch from 13:00 to 14:00, and we are closed on Sundays and Korean public holidays.

If you land in the morning, an afternoon consultation on the same day is realistic. If your treatment may leave redness or tenderness, I would put it early in your trip rather than on your last full day. That gives the skin a few calm days before your flight.

What you can do nearby after your treatment

This is where the treatment matters more than the neighbourhood. Apgujeong has Rodeo Street, department stores and many cafés, and you can browse stays, restaurants and things to do around Apgujeong before you come. Whether you should spend the afternoon walking outside depends on what we did.

After pigment lasers such as pico toning, the skin may look a little flushed for a short time. Walking around is fine, but wear sunscreen and a hat, because skin that has just been treated for pigment should not catch strong sun. Your doctor will tell you when you can put makeup back on.

After Genius RF microneedling, you can generally wash your face gently and go back to normal activities the same day, but skip scrubs for two to three weeks. After a thread lift, avoid saunas for two weeks, which also means leaving the jjimjilbang for a later trip.

Lifting with Ultherapy or Thermage is done with Air NOX, a non-sleep sedation system, so you stay awake and can walk out on your own afterwards. Some people feel a little tender and prefer to rest, so I would not book a long shopping afternoon right after it. Rejuran HB+ is usually planned as four sessions two to three weeks apart, which means one session per trip for most visitors.

• Pico toning or laser for pigment: walking is fine, protect the skin from sun
• Genius RF: normal routine the same day, no scrubs for 2–3 weeks
• Thread lift: no sauna or jjimjilbang for two weeks
• Lifting under Air NOX: you are awake and can leave on your own; plan a calm evening
• Skin boosters: plan one session per trip and leave a day for small bumps to settle

These are general patterns. The aftercare sheet you receive at the clinic is the rule to follow, because it is written for the exact treatment and settings used on your skin.

Where to stay if you need more than one visit

Some plans need two appointments in one trip, for example a consultation one day and treatment the next, or a check after a few days. In that case, staying within walking distance or a short subway ride of Apgujeong Station saves you a lot of time.

If you are still choosing a hotel, our clinic's page on K-Beauty Wallet shows stays near the clinic, with the walking time listed next to each one. Many visitors also pick a hotel elsewhere in Gangnam and come by subway, which works well for consultations and pigment lasers.

A short checklist before you message us

• Your arrival and departure dates, and the airport
• The concern you want to treat, with a clear daylight photo
• Any treatment you had in the last three months, such as lasers, fillers or skin boosters
• Whether your dates include a Sunday or a Korean public holiday
• Plans for the days after treatment: sun, beach, sauna, events or photos

If you are comparing clinics, I wrote about what to check before booking a foreigner-friendly skin clinic in Seoul. For pigment, our page on melasma pico toning explains how sessions are spaced.

Results and recovery vary by individual. Every treatment carries possible side effects, which are explained at the consultation. Prices are in Korean won, including 10% VAT, and confirmed at your consultation. This article is general information from the clinic, not a diagnosis.

Written by

Dr. Won Woo Choi

Medical Director · M.D., Ph.D. · WELLS Clinic, Apgujeong

• Board-certified dermatologist in Korea; trained at Seoul National University Hospital
• Dermatology residency, Seoul National University Hospital; board certification in dermatology in Korea
• Ph.D. in Dermatology, Seoul National University
• Former clinical instructor, Seoul National University Hospital
• Adjunct professor, Department of Dermatology, Seoul National University Hospital

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