Skin Botox in Korea places diluted botulinum toxin as dozens of shallow droplets in the skin instead of the muscle, and the smoother, less shiny look usually fades within about three to four months. Because the powder is mixed with more liquid than a wrinkle dose, the choice of that liquid, plain saline or a local anesthetic, changes how the many pricks feel during the session.
Clinics in Korea
0 clinics for Botox and fillers in Korea
Every clinic below lists Botox and fillers among its treatments. Message a clinic directly.
Guide
Why the mixing liquid matters for a skin-level treatment
Most toxins arrive as a dry powder that the clinic dissolves just before use. A wrinkle treatment needs only a small volume for a few deep injections. A skin-level session spreads the same toxin through much more liquid, so it can be placed as a grid of tiny blebs across the cheeks, forehead or nose.
With more liquid and more pricks, the liquid itself matters. Plain sterile saline is the standard. Some doctors mix in lidocaine, a local anesthetic, so each droplet numbs the skin around the next one, which raises the question of whether the toxin still works the same way.
Guide
What the 2024 Toxicon comparison set out to test
In a 2024 study published in Toxicon, Vachiramon and colleagues in Thailand compared incobotulinumtoxinA dissolved in normal saline with the same toxin dissolved in lidocaine, both injected into the skin to treat enlarged facial pores. Incobotulinumtoxin A is the purified toxin sold as Xeomin, made by Merz, with very little accessory protein.
The design asks a practical question: if lidocaine is added for comfort, does the treatment still work on the skin? The full results sit behind the journal paywall, so this page quotes no figures from it. If a clinic offers a lidocaine mix, ask why they chose it.
Guide
Ways to make many shallow pricks more comfortable
Comfort usually comes from several small steps. Ask which ones the clinic uses, and mention any past reaction to anesthetics.
| Method | How it works | What to tell the doctor |
|---|---|---|
| Numbing cream | Applied while the toxin is prepared, dulls the surface | Any past irritation from creams |
| Cooling | Ice packs or a cold device between passes | Sensitivity to cold on the face |
| Lidocaine in the mix | Each droplet numbs the area around it | Allergy to local anesthetics or heart rhythm problems |
| Fine needles or a multi-needle injector | Smaller, more even pricks across a zone | Tendency to bruise easily |
Guide
One session, from mixing to the last droplet
A typical visit starts with cleansing and photos, then numbing cream while the toxin is prepared. The doctor marks the zones, often the cheeks and forehead, and places droplets a short distance apart in rows. Once numbing has taken effect, the injecting itself is usually the shortest part of the visit.
Small raised bumps appear right away and usually flatten within an hour or two. Pinpoint redness can last the day, and a few bruises may take several days to fade. Changes in texture and shine tend to appear over one to two weeks.
- Same day: no massage, sauna or heavy exercise
- Next day: gentle cleansing and sunscreen; makeup once the pricks have closed
- Week two: compare photos taken in the same light
Guide
Questions to ask about the vial before it is opened
Ask which toxin brand is used, how much liquid it is dissolved in and whether that liquid is saline or contains lidocaine. The product and lot number belong in your record, so a doctor can repeat or adjust the plan on your next visit.
Also ask which areas will be left untreated. Droplets too close to the mouth or lower eyelid can briefly weaken a smile or the lid, so careful doctors keep a margin there.
Guide
Who should wait or choose another option
Intradermal toxin is a cosmetic treatment for surface texture and shine. It is not appropriate during pregnancy or breastfeeding, with a neuromuscular disorder, with an active skin infection or irritation in the area, or with a known allergy to any ingredient, including lidocaine when it is in the mix. People on blood thinners bruise more easily and should discuss timing first. Side effects are usually mild, such as redness, bruising and small bumps, but uneven expression and headache can occur.
Evidence
Research behind this page
- A Comparative Study Between Intradermal Incobotulinum Toxin A Reconstituted With Normal Saline or Lidocaine In the Treatment of Enlarged Facial PoresToxicon · 2024 · doi:10.1016/j.toxicon.2024.107500
Compared intradermal incobotulinumtoxinA dissolved in normal saline with the same toxin dissolved in lidocaine for the cosmetic treatment of enlarged facial pores.
FAQ
Questions about Botox and fillers in Korea
Does a lidocaine mix make skin toxin injections hurt less?
That is the reason some doctors add it: each droplet numbs the skin around the next prick. Plain saline is still the standard liquid, and numbing cream plus cooling already make most sessions tolerable. The 2024 Toxicon study by Vachiramon and colleagues compared the two liquids for a skin-level pore treatment. If you have ever reacted to a local anesthetic at the dentist, tell the doctor, because a saline mix is then the safer choice.
Is skin Botox Seoul treatment done with a needle or a machine?
Both are used, and many clinics in Seoul choose by area. Hand injection with a very fine needle lets the doctor adjust depth droplet by droplet around the nose and near the eyes. A multi-needle injector places several shallow droplets at once over wide, flat zones such as the cheeks. Neither method changes the toxin itself. Ask which one will be used where, and how the depth is set.
How soon can I put on makeup after the droplets?
Most doctors suggest waiting until the next morning, once the tiny puncture marks have closed. Raised bumps flatten within an hour or two, but each prick stays open for several hours. Use clean brushes and a gentle cleanser for the first two or three days, and ask the clinic which product suits freshly treated skin if a bruise needs covering earlier.
Can the droplets change how my face moves?
They can, briefly, if toxin reaches the small muscles near the mouth or the lower eyelid. Because the dose per droplet is small and placed shallow, normal expression usually stays. A slightly uneven smile or a heavier lower lid is the effect most often reported, and it fades as the toxin wears off over weeks. Mention any past reaction of this kind so the doctor can keep a wider margin.
Can I take a flight on the same day?
Flying the same day is generally possible, since the treatment is shallow and the bumps settle within hours. Cabin air is dry, so a plain moisturizer helps, and you should avoid rubbing or pressing the face against a neck pillow. Bruises, if any, may show for several days. Planning the session at least a day before important photos gives the redness time to clear.
How do I know whether the treatment worked or just wore off?
Compare photos taken in the same light at the start and at two weeks, which is roughly when surface changes appear. If nothing changed at all by then, the dose, dilution or area may not have suited your skin, and that is worth discussing at a review. A gradual return of shine after about three to four months is the usual fade of the toxin, not a failure. Results vary from person to person.