Nabota Korean botox in Seoul: the vial, the price and the visit

What is Nabota, the Korean botox people ask about?

Nabota Korean botox is the toxin many visitors ask for by name once they know they will be in Seoul. The questions behind the name are practical: is it genuine, what does it cost here, and is it worth choosing over the brand you know from home?

I am Dr. Won Sin Lee, a board-certified dermatologist trained at Asan Medical Center in Seoul, where I am now an adjunct professor of dermatology. I will keep this to what matters when you are planning a visit.

Nabota is a Korean-made botulinum toxin. Like any botulinum toxin, it works by relaxing the muscle or the nerve activity it is placed near. What changes the result is not the country on the box but the dose, the depth and the person who decides both.

Because it is made here, Nabota is often the toxin people want while they are in Seoul — the Korean botox Nabota option on a Korea trip. That is a perfectly reasonable preference. What I would not do is choose a clinic on the brand alone.

Where we use Nabota at WELLS

At WELLS, Nabota appears in two places on our treatment menu. The first is Rejuran Tox, our protocol that combines Rejuran HB+ (3 cc) with skin botox (3 cc) in one session. For this protocol you choose between Nabota and Allergan's BOTOX.

The second is hyperhidrosis treatment. For excessive sweating of the hands, feet, underarms, face or scalp, WELLS uses Korean-made Nabota for safety. The toxin blocks acetylcholine release to reduce sweating; the procedure is short and you can return to your day immediately.

For standard wrinkle or jaw botox, the dermatologist explains the product used, its approved indications and its potential risks at the consultation. If you would specifically like Nabota for that, tell us on WhatsApp before you arrive and we will plan around it.

The Nabota vial and packaging: how to know it is genuine

Some people search for photos of Nabota Korean botox packaging or the Nabota vial before they travel, hoping to recognise the real thing. I understand the instinct, but a picture of a box online cannot tell you what is in the syringe in front of you.

What protects you is the clinic's process. At WELLS, genuine product and quantity are guaranteed, and every injection is placed by a board-certified dermatologist. It is basic, and entirely reasonable, to ask to see the genuine product before the injection starts.

Whichever clinic you choose in Korea, these are the questions I would ask:

• Which toxin will be used, and can I see the product before it is injected?
• Who injects — a dermatologist, or someone else?
• Who decides the dose, and is the price confirmed before treatment starts?
• How can I reach the clinic in English after I fly home?

If a clinic cannot tell you which product is in the syringe, or is vague about the dose, that is already an answer. With Nabota botox in Korea, as anywhere else, the product and the person injecting it should never be a mystery.

Nabota botox price in Korea: what is listed and what is confirmed

Here is the honest version of the Nabota botox price at WELLS. The one toxin treatment with a listed price is Rejuran Tox, and the only difference between its two options is the toxin.

For standard wrinkle or jaw botox and for hyperhidrosis, the price is confirmed at consultation, because it depends on the areas and the dose. Prices at WELLS are in Korean won and exclude 10% VAT, and the dermatologist confirms the plan and the final price before anything starts.

If you are still deciding between the two brands, or between muscle botox and skin botox, I compare them in more detail in our Korean botox guide.

Dose and timing: why more Nabota is not better

Visitors sometimes want to make the most of one trip and ask for a larger dose. I usually say no. Too high a dose in expression areas such as the forehead, the frown lines and around the eyes can make the face look stiff, and forehead treatment can make the eyes feel heavy.

Botulinum toxin is a protein, and rarely the body forms antibodies to it, so the effect weakens over time. The two conditions that raise that risk are repeating treatment too often — within a month — and exposure to a very large dose at once. The doses used for facial wrinkle or jaw botox are generally not large enough to cause it.

Skin botox is different. The toxin is diluted and placed in the dermis rather than the muscle, so it does not affect normal expression. That is why it can be used across the whole face in Rejuran Tox without a frozen look.

Wrinkle botox lasts on average about three to four months, so we recommend leaving at least three months between treatments. If resistance does develop, switching to a toxin from a different company is one option; stopping botox for at least a year is another.

Getting Nabota Korean botox in Seoul: how the visit works

The visit follows the same path as every treatment at WELLS. You message us on WhatsApp with your concern and travel dates, and we reply in English with options and appointment times. At the clinic, a dermatologist examines your face and confirms the plan and price before anything starts.

Consultations are available in English, so you do not need a translator. Tell us your flight dates in advance and the dermatologist will advise on timing between the injection and your flight home. Our FAQ for international patients covers hours, VAT and booking.

We are on the 8th floor of the Apgujeong Building, about five minutes on foot from Apgujeong Station, Exit 3. Monday to Friday we are open 10:00–20:00 and Saturday 10:00–17:00, with lunch from 13:00 to 14:00.

When Nabota is not what you need

Toxin relaxes movement; it does not replace lost volume or lift sagging skin. If fixed wrinkles have set in, botox alone has limits, and other treatments may do more. For hollows and lost volume, the dermatologist may discuss dermal fillers instead.

For texture, dryness and fine lines, Rejuran works underneath while skin botox refines the surface, which is why we combine them. You can read about the booster side on our Rejuran HB+ page. In the 50s and 60s, Rejuran Tox alone may not be enough, and combining it with lifting treatments such as Thermage, Ultherapy or Sculptra is often the better plan.

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