Korean botox in Seoul: brands, price and how a visit works

What does "Korean botox" actually mean?

When someone messages us about Korean botox, they usually mean one of three things: having botox done in Seoul, choosing a Korean-made toxin brand, or the "skin botox" technique they have seen on Korean skincare accounts. The worry underneath is almost always the same — is the product genuine, who is holding the needle, and will it be done before the flight home?

Those are fair questions, and the answers are more practical than glamorous. I am a board-certified dermatologist trained at Asan Medical Center in Seoul, and I co-founded WELLS in Apgujeong in 2008. This is how I would explain Korean botox to a friend who asked me before booking a trip.

Botulinum toxin itself is the same idea everywhere: it relaxes the muscle or nerve activity it is placed near. What differs from clinic to clinic is the product, the dose, the depth, and who decides all three.

Korean botox brands: Nabota vs Allergan, and which is best for you

The question I hear most is "what is the best Korean botox brand?" At WELLS the choice is kept simple on purpose. For our Rejuran Tox protocol you choose between two toxins: Nabota, which is Korean-made, or Allergan's BOTOX.

Both are genuine and both are dosed by the dermatologist. For excessive sweating, our hyperhidrosis treatment uses Korean-made Nabota. The toxin we use carries US FDA approval, and the dermatologist explains the product, its approved indications and its potential risks before anything is injected.

So which is the best Korean botox for you?

Honestly, the brand matters less than people expect. The result depends far more on where the toxin goes and how much of it goes there. If you already have a preference — because you have had one of them at home, or you want the Korean-made option while you are in Korea — tell us on WhatsApp and we plan around it.

Where there is a listed price difference between the two, it is shown openly in the Rejuran Tox table further down. For standard botox, the price is confirmed at the consultation.

Muscle botox vs Korean skin botox: two different injections

Most people think of botox as a wrinkle or jaw-slimming injection. That is conventional botox: the toxin goes deep into the muscle layer and relaxes that muscle. On our botox page you will see the two main uses — expression lines, and slimming enlarged muscles such as a bulky jaw.

Korean skin botox works differently. The toxin is diluted and injected shallowly and densely into the dermis instead of the muscle. Because it does not affect normal muscle movement, it can be used across the whole face without the frozen look people fear.

Skin botox tightens enlarged pores by relaxing the tiny muscle attached to each hair follicle, and it can help flushing by quieting the small nerves around blood vessels. It suits people whose makeup does not sit well, or whose pores and fine lines stand out in photos.

Why we often pair skin botox with Rejuran

Skin botox alone tightens the surface, but it does not fix inner dryness or regeneration. Rejuran alone regenerates, but may fall short on visible pore tightening. That is why Rejuran Tox combines Rejuran HB+ (3 cc) with skin botox (3 cc) in one session — one rebuilds from inside, the other refines the surface. I explain the Rejuran side in more detail in our Rejuran guide.

Is Korean botox safe? Who injects, and how the product stays genuine

Safety with toxin comes down to three things: a genuine product, the correct amount, and a doctor who knows the anatomy. At WELLS, genuine product and quantity are guaranteed, and every injection is placed by a board-certified dermatologist — not delegated.

Our botox is injected by dermatologists with twenty years of clinical experience. My own residency and board certification were at Asan Medical Center, where I am an adjunct professor of dermatology. You can read about each of us on the doctors page.

Individual results vary, and side effects are possible with any injectable. That is exactly why every treatment here starts with a consultation rather than a menu order. The dermatologist explains the product, where it will go and what the risks are before you agree to anything.

• Ask any clinic which toxin they are using, and whether you can see the product.
• Ask who will inject you — a dermatologist, or someone else.
• Ask who decides the dose, and whether the price changes with it.
• Ask how to reach the clinic after you have flown home.

Korean botox price at WELLS: what is listed and what is confirmed

I know most people searching Korean botox want a number. Here is the honest version. For standard muscle botox, the price is confirmed at your consultation, because it depends on the areas and the dose the dermatologist sets for your face.

Rejuran Tox is the one toxin treatment we list, in Korean won and excluding 10% VAT. The only difference between the two options is the toxin.

Whatever the treatment, the dermatologist confirms your plan and the final price at the consultation, before anything starts. You can see all our injectable options on the injectables and skin boosters page.

How a botox visit in Seoul works, and timing around your flight

The visit itself is simple, and you can plan the whole thing in English. Consultations at the clinic are in English, and so are our replies on WhatsApp and Instagram.

• Message us on WhatsApp with your concern, a photo if you like, and your travel dates. We reply with treatment options and available times.
• At the clinic, a dermatologist examines your face and confirms the plan, the toxin and the price.
• Treatment takes place in the same clinic. You leave with aftercare instructions and can reach us on WhatsApp afterwards.

On timing: tell us your flight dates on WhatsApp and the dermatologist will advise how to schedule around the injection. If you choose Rejuran Tox, small raised bumps appear where the product goes in; they usually settle within two to three days, though some people see them fade in a day and others after about five.

If you have a wedding or photo shoot coming up, Rejuran Tox is one we often suggest, because it works on texture and hydration in a single session. Still, even a fast-acting treatment can backfire if it does not suit your skin, so let the dermatologist check first.

WELLS is on the 8th floor of the Apgujeong Building, 842 Nonhyeon-ro, Gangnam-gu — about five minutes on foot from Apgujeong Station, Exit 3 on Line 3. We are open Monday to Friday 10:00–20:00 and Saturday 10:00–17:00, closed Sundays and Korean public holidays. Directions are on the clinic page.

When botox is not the answer: jowls and fixed wrinkles

Part of my job is telling people when toxin will not do what they hope. Botox relaxes; it does not lift. Botox for jowls is a common request, but a jowl is generally about sagging tissue rather than an overactive muscle, so I usually talk about lifting options instead.

Timing matters too. Once wrinkles become fixed in the 50s and 60s, what botox can do becomes limited, which is why we suggest regular muscle botox on the forehead, between the brows and around the eyes from the 30s. At that later stage, combining treatments such as Thermage, Ultherapy or Sculptra tends to do more — I have written about one of them in my Ultherapy guide.

If a hollow is the problem rather than a line, that is a filler question. Our dermal filler page explains how we plan volume, and combining filler with botox extends the result.

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

Written by

Dr. Won Sin Lee

Medical Director · WELLS Clinic, Apgujeong

• Board-certified dermatologist in Korea; trained at Asan Medical Center in Seoul
• Dermatology residency, Asan Medical Center; board certification in dermatology in Korea
• Adjunct professor, Department of Dermatology, Asan Medical Center
• Former director, Bokji Dermatology Clinic, Korean Leprosy Welfare Association
• Commendation for Outstanding Service as a Public Health Physician

Full profile