Dermatology accounted for the largest share of foreign medical tourism. Last year, dermatology made up 49% (638.6 billion won) of foreign medical tourism spending, far ahead of plastic surgery (28%, 364.9 billion won). Until 2023, dermatology spending was about half that of plastic surgery, but last year saw a sharp increase, overtaking plastic surgery for the first time.

Foreigners Flock to Dermatology and Plastic Surgery Clinics
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This demand was especially concentrated at the end of the year. As of December last year, dermatology and plastic surgery accounted for 89% (about 118.9 billion won) of spending, meaning 9 out of 10 medical tourists visited a dermatology or plastic surgery clinic. During the same period, dermatology accounted for about 53% of total spending, and plastic surgery 36%.

This trend is also evident in the VAT refund data for foreign medical tourists. According to "2024 Foreign Tourist Beauty and Cosmetic VAT Refund Status" submitted by Democratic Party lawmaker Nam Insoon, a member of the National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee, to the Korea Health Industry Development Institute, the number of dermatology treatments last year was more than seven times that of plastic surgery. Dermatology treatments totaled about 414,200 cases, while plastic surgery was about 62,700 cases.

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Among dermatology treatments, cosmetic and anti-aging procedures (about 308,300 cases) were the most common, followed by wrinkle improvement procedures (about 66,800 cases). In plastic surgery, double eyelid surgery (about 37,700 cases) and rhinoplasty (about 5,900 cases) were the most popular. The total number of VAT refund cases last year was about 1,030,800 (95.5 billion won), a 169% increase from the previous year.

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The growth rate for dermatology procedures is also remarkable. Tattoo removal increased by 589% (about 6,000 cases), cosmetic and anti-aging procedures by 490% (about 300,000 cases), lipolysis by 303% (about 20,000 cases), and acne treatment by 276% (about 2,000 cases), all far exceeding the average growth rate (232%).

Hwang Joeun, PR Director of the global beauty medical platform "Gangnam Unnie," explained, "Plastic surgery is mainly decided by those in their early to mid-20s, whereas interest in dermatology procedures spans all age groups. Dermatology procedures are less burdensome and are performed more frequently than plastic surgery, resulting in consistent demand." She added, "While plastic surgery clinics are concentrated in Gangnam, Seoul, dermatology clinics are distributed nationwide, making them more accessible and contributing to this trend."

"Plastic surgery is mainly decided by people in their early to mid-20s, while skin treatments attract interest across all age groups," he explained. "Compared to plastic surgery, skin treatments are less burdensome and performed more frequently, resulting in continuous demand." He also added, "While plastic surgery clinics are concentrated in Gangnam, Seoul, dermatology clinics are distributed nationwide, which also affects accessibility."

By country, Chinese medical tourists spent the most on dermatology and plastic surgery, totaling 326.4 billion won. Of this, dermatology accounted for 242.4 billion won (65%), overwhelmingly higher than plastic surgery (84 billion won, 23%).

For US medical tourists, spending on plastic surgery (104.2 billion won, 39%) was slightly higher than dermatology (84.2 billion won, 31%), while for Japanese medical tourists, dermatology accounted for the largest share at 56% (128.8 billion won), followed by plastic surgery (74.7 billion won, 33%).

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In particular, the increase in Japanese medical tourists stands out. Until 2022, the number of Japanese medical tourists was lower than those from the US and China, but in 2023, 188,000 Japanese visited Korea for medical tourism. This is similar to the combined total of US (77,000) and Chinese (112,000) visitors that year.

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Director Hwang said, "In 2023, 80,000 Japanese patients booked Korean hospitals through Gangnam Unnie, and last year the number increased to 120,000. Currently, there are 1.3 million Japanese subscribers, so the number of visitors is expected to grow further." She added, "As Korean medical technology becomes more widely known, more Japanese are choosing Korea due to the relatively lower costs compared to Japan."

"In 2023, 80,000 Japanese patients made reservations at Korean hospitals through Gangnam Unnie, and last year the number increased to 120,000," adding, "Currently, the number of Japanese subscribers reaches 1.3 million, so the number of visitors is expected to increase further." He also said, "As Korea's medical technology becomes widely known, there is a strong tendency to visit Korea due to relatively lower costs compared to Japan."

Park Jinyoung, Head of the Foreign Patient Attraction Planning Team at the Korea Health Industry Development Institute, commented, "Recently, there has been a surge in foreigners coming to Korea for dermatology procedures. In particular, many Japanese now come for weekend treatments and return home. Korea is now establishing itself not just as the center of K-beauty, but as a global hub for beauty medical care."