Botox in Korea means a botulinum toxin type A injection that blocks the nerve signal to a small muscle, so frown lines, forehead creases and crow's feet soften while that muscle rests. The needle work takes a few minutes per area, often with ice or a numbing cream first, and most people walk out with only small pin marks. Flying home the same or next day is usually fine. The change starts after about three to five days and settles at around two weeks. Clinics charge by the unit or by the treated area, depending on the product. The clinic cards and the price table on this page let you compare offers side by side.
Is it for you?
Who Botox in Hongdae suits, and who should wait
Toxin suits adults whose lines appear or deepen when they move the face: the vertical creases between the brows, horizontal forehead lines and the fan of lines beside the eyes. It also has medical uses, such as heavy underarm sweating.
It is not a fix for lines that stay visible with the face completely still, for lost volume, for loose skin along the jaw or for pigment and texture problems. Those need filler, energy devices, skin treatments or surgery. Toxin wears off, so it suits people willing to repeat it.
Usually a good fit
- Frown lines between the brows that deepen when frowning
- Forehead creases that show when raising the eyebrows
- Crow's feet that appear with smiling
- Heavy underarm sweating that disrupts daily life
May be better to wait
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding or trying to conceive
- Infection, active acne or a rash on the area
- Neuromuscular disease or medicines that affect nerve signals
- Deep static folds or sagging that need filler or surgery
Clinics in Hongdae
10 clinics for Botox in Hongdae
Every clinic below lists Botox among its treatments. Message a clinic directly.
1
2
3Toxnfill Clinic Hongdae
4Selena Skin Clinic Hongdae
5
6Cleor Clinic Hongdae
7Ohvelyjoo Clinic Hongdae
8
9VandS Clinic Hongdae
10NAIN Clinic Hongdae
How it works
How a Botox session runs
Botulinum toxin type A stops a nerve ending from releasing acetylcholine, the chemical that tells a muscle to contract. The injected muscle relaxes for a few months until new nerve endings form, and the skin over it creases less. It is an injectable medicine, not an energy device, so no heat, light or ultrasound is involved. A literature review by Satriyasa in Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology (2019) summarizes this mechanism and the clinical use of the toxin for facial wrinkles.
Menus in Seoul usually list several products: onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox, Allergan), incobotulinumtoxinA (Xeomin, Merz), prabotulinumtoxinA (Nabota, Daewoong, sold in the United States as Jeuveau) and Korean products such as Coretox and Meditoxin from Medytox. In a randomized noninferiority trial published in Dermatologic Surgery in 2010, Sattler and colleagues found incobotulinumtoxinA was not inferior to onabotulinumtoxinA for glabellar frown lines. Frevert, writing in Drugs in R and D the same year, measured the neurotoxin protein in three brands and showed it differs between them, which is why a dose is planned per product rather than copied across brands.
Wherever you book botox south korea treatment, the dose is written in units per area, and the number depends on muscle strength, sex, the area and the product chosen. That is also how a quote is built: product, area and units, with 10% VAT added at payment.
Assessment
The doctor asks you to frown, smile and raise the brows, checks how strong each muscle is and marks the points. Medicines, past toxin dates and upcoming events are discussed. Allow about 10 minutes.
Cleansing and comfort
Makeup is removed and the skin is cleaned. Ice or a numbing cream is used if you ask for it; cream needs roughly 20 to 30 minutes to work, while ice takes a minute or two.
Injection
A very fine needle places small amounts into each marked point. Each area takes a few minutes, and the whole upper face is usually done in under 15 minutes.
Check and aftercare
Light pressure stops any pin-point bleeding. You receive written aftercare and a suggested date for a review, often around two weeks later, if the trip allows.
Botox compared with other options
| Point | Botulinum toxin | Hyaluronic acid filler | Skin booster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Injectable muscle relaxer | Injectable gel | Injected hydrating or regenerative product |
| Main effect | Softens lines made by movement | Restores volume and fills static folds | Improves skin quality and fine texture |
| Where it acts | Muscle under the line | Under the skin or near bone | Upper layers of the skin |
| Onset | Builds over days | Visible straight away | Gradual over weeks |
| Downtime | Pin marks, rare bruise | Swelling and bruising for some days | Small bumps that settle in a day or two |
At a glance
Botox facts
| Products | Botox (Allergan, AbbVie), Xeomin (Merz), Nabota (Daewoong), Coretox and Meditoxin (Medytox), other Korean brands |
|---|---|
| Product type | Botulinum toxin type A, injected |
| Dose unit | Units per area, set per product |
| Numbing | Ice or numbing cream, optional |
| Session length | About 15 to 30 minutes including assessment |
| Downtime | Little; pin marks for a few hours |
| When results show | From about 3 to 5 days, settled at about 2 weeks |
| How long it lasts | Usually 3 to 4 months on the face |
| Earliest flight home | Usually the same or next day |
Recovery
What the days after look like
Small raised dots fade within an hour or so. Keep upright, avoid rubbing the area, skip hard exercise, saunas and alcohol.
Most people look unchanged. A mild headache or a small bruise can appear; makeup is usually fine from the next day.
Movement in the treated muscle starts to weaken. Lines look softer when you frown or raise the brows.
The effect is settled. This is the time to judge balance between sides and decide on any small adjustment.
Movement returns gradually. Repeat treatment is planned when lines come back, not on a fixed calendar.
Safety
Botox risks and limits
- Pin marks, slight swelling or a small bruise at injection points, settling within days
- Mild headache or a feeling of heaviness in the forehead in the first days
- Uneven brows or a raised outer brow, often corrected with a small top-up
- Rare eyelid or brow droop when toxin spreads to a nearby muscle, fading over weeks
- Very rarely, allergic reaction or a reduced response after repeated doses
- It does not lift sagging skin or fill folds that remain at rest
Evidence
Research behind this page
- Noninferiority of IncobotulinumtoxinA, Free from Complexing Proteins, Compared with Another Botulinum Toxin Type A in the Treatment of Glabellar Frown LinesDermatologic Surgery · 2010 · Sattler G, Callander M, Grablowitz D, Walker T, Bee E, Rzany B, et al. · doi:10.1111/j.1524-4725.2010.01706.x
Randomized double-blind trial showing incobotulinumtoxinA was noninferior to onabotulinumtoxinA for treating glabellar frown lines.
- Content of Botulinum Neurotoxin in Botox®/Vistabel®, Dysport®/Azzalure®, and Xeomin®/Bocouture®Drugs in R&D · 2010 · Frevert J · doi:10.2165/11584780-000000000-00000
Laboratory analysis measuring the amount of botulinum neurotoxin protein in three commercial products, showing the content differs between brands.
- Efficacy and Safety of Botulinum Toxin Type A in Primary Axillary Hyperhidrosis: A Meta-analysis and Systematic ReviewAesthetic Plastic Surgery · 2025 · Sun J, Chen S, Yang T, Huang L, Tang J, Feng Y, et al. · doi:10.1007/s00266-025-04909-6
Meta-analysis of twelve randomized trials with 904 participants in which botulinum toxin type A reduced underarm sweat more than placebo.
FAQ
Questions about Botox in Hongdae
How quickly can I plan Botox in Korea on a short trip?
A short trip works because the injections take minutes and need almost no recovery. Many clinics in Seoul see visitors on the day of the consultation, and the whole visit often fits into an hour. The effect builds over three to five days and settles at about two weeks, so treating early in the trip leaves time to see the result.
What separates onabotulinumtoxinA from incobotulinumtoxinA?
Both are botulinum toxin type A; the difference lies in how each product is made and purified. IncobotulinumtoxinA (Xeomin) is supplied without the complexing proteins that surround the toxin in some other products. A 2010 trial by Sattler and colleagues in Dermatologic Surgery found it noninferior to onabotulinumtoxinA for frown lines. Ask which product your quote names, because the dose is set for that specific brand.
Are Korean-made toxins approved in other countries?
Some are, though approval differs product by product and country by country. PrabotulinumtoxinA from Daewoong, sold in Korea as Nabota, received United States approval in 2019 under the name Jeuveau. Many other Korean brands are approved by the Korean regulator and in selected export markets. If you want the same product you can get at home for later top-ups, ask the clinic to show the box and name it on your receipt.
Is a unit of south korea botox the same as a unit at home?
A unit only means something within one brand, so compare doses product by product. Frevert, in a 2010 paper in Drugs in R and D, measured different amounts of neurotoxin protein across three brands. If your doctor at home used a certain dose of one product, tell the clinic the brand as well as the number. They can then plan an equivalent dose rather than copying the figure.
Can toxin injections calm heavy underarm sweating?
Yes, botulinum toxin type A is an established option for primary underarm sweating. A 2025 meta-analysis by Sun and colleagues in Aesthetic Plastic Surgery pooled twelve randomized trials with 904 participants and found greater sweat reduction than placebo. Many small injections are placed across the sweating zone, and the effect usually lasts longer than on the face. A starch-iodine test can map the area before treatment.
Who should wait before having toxin?
Anyone pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to conceive should postpone treatment. The same applies to people with a neuromuscular condition, an infection or rash on the area, or a recent allergic reaction to a toxin product. Tell the doctor about blood thinners, some antibiotics and muscle relaxants, as these can affect bruising or response. A careful consultation will also say when toxin is not the right tool for a line.
What should I avoid on the day of korea botox injections?
For the rest of that day, stay upright, keep your hands off the area and skip hard exercise, saunas and alcohol. These steps lower the chance of bruising and of the product drifting toward a nearby muscle. Gentle face washing is fine that evening, and makeup is usually fine the next morning, once the pin marks have closed.
Does it sting, and is numbing needed?
Most people describe a quick pinch at each point that lasts a second or two. The needle is very fine and the volume per point is small, so many patients skip numbing entirely. Ice or a numbing cream can be used if you are sensitive; cream adds about 20 to 30 minutes to the visit, so mention it when booking.
How do I compare one botox clinic in Seoul with another?
Start with the product name, the units per area and whether the doctor injects personally. Ask to see the sealed vial or box opened in front of you, and check that the quote shows prices before VAT with 10% added at payment. Clear written aftercare in a language you read well is worth a lot. A consultation that sometimes says no is a good sign.
What happens if the two sides look uneven at two weeks?
A small imbalance is common and usually easy to fix with a few extra units. Wait until about two weeks, when the effect has settled, before judging. Ask at the first visit whether a review is included and how long the clinic allows for it. If you have already flown home, a doctor there can adjust it once you know the product name.