Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Blue Flower]

[Guest]

I can help with trying to estimate some costs depending on what you want to have done -- the more specific the better. But, all in all, even elective procedures are on the same level as those that are not so in Korea. On the whole, it's all pretty cheap. And if you have the national health insurance, even 'not approved' procedures are partially covered. I recently had a repeat-repeat shoulder procedure that would have spanned $6000 or so in the US and it was superiorly completed for around $1000 here ...

It kind of evens out. Medical costs are highly dispersed here and other than blatant vanity type procedures, costs should really not be prohibitive for folks like us here (foreigners with regular pay checks who are otherwise healthy)

[Blue Flower]

Ok - we're not talking about surgery at all. at all. I am a puss-y. No nose jobs, eye brow lifts, tummy tucks, etc.

I want to get a few moles removed. In ways that will not scar. Being that I don't think scars are attractive on females.

[Guest]

Moles smaller than 7 mm in diameter are nearly always easily removed with cryogenic procedures (liquid nitrogen, helium, and other actual drug combinations). The best ones for this therapy are less than 4 mm or so, because of the risk of resultant scars from tissue destruction (the freezing effect). The larger they are the more need there is for actual surgical resection -- fairly minor (high end of minor) surgical, but surgical nonetheless. If they are changing moles, then a more precise disection and removal is appropriate; to be sent to pathology for evaluation. If they are things that have not changed, are not symptomatic, and just cosmetic in nature, simply removal is fast, inexpensive, and in the hands of a good physician, limited in scaring (assuming you have no healing or scaring abnormalities). Might be best to be evaluated by a dermatologist if they are on the larger end, multiple in number, and maybe ask for a plastic/cosmetic surgeon to do the procedure if you are really worried about scars (and absolutely demand it if you want them removed from the face).

You should be able to have 3 or 4 "normal" moles removed for under $200 including all doctor/clinic fees. And if you talk honestly and realistically about what you want removed and what you expect you can have more done at one time -- thus limiting the costs even more by negating multiple visits. AND ... ABSOLUTELY follow medical advice for post removal/surgical care and diet and lifestyle conditions (i.e., smoking and drinking amounts and drug use - including things even like aspirin or ibuprofen) as they can severly affect wound healing and scar severity.

[Blue Flower]

I thought you could just get it done using lasers? That was what I was expecting, no knives. I had to get a mole cut out from my stomach, to see if it was malignant, and it's let a substantial scar, and it wasn't a big mole at all. Which is what makes me wary.

[Guest]

I'm not a big fan of LASER for mole removal, it's usually not done well, for the right reason and can increase the cost 3 fold. It's one of the evils of medicine -- changing to a highly advanced process for what is thought to be cooler, more expensive, and thus better. That's hardly the case. A good plastics guy can remove the "offender" precisely and allow for good wound approximation. A LASER is more of a blind, destructive process good for small (around 2 mm or less). Granted, you can find lots of clinics here to do it with a LASER, but generally you'll have better results with a more classic approach -- also, LASER is often no more than a LASER type scalpel which is not really what it seems like.

Yes, you can have it done via LASER, but increase the costs. The scars associated with it are often more pigment related and more diffuse and more easily concealed (make up and the like), but more circular.

This gastly scar you speak of was simply not done properly, in my uniformed opinion. It's hard to say without any factual information.

That is why my caviat was ... speak with a dermatologist first, to make a plan of attack and go from there; all cases are different and your aversion to knives (seemingly) will adjust the opinion of your provider I didn't quite specialize in dermatology, in fact it always gave me the heebie-jeebies (dunno why).

I can always recommend some specific hospital based people if you have no luck finding anyone.

There is a private clinic that does this sort of thing, but you can knock the costs up quite a bit more -- and they have no association with the health insurance. A popular Seoul clinic, with a good reputation is the BeautyMe Cosmetic Clinic - http://beautyme.co.kr/htm/english.htm as well as others.

I hope the information is somewhat useful ... though probably exceeding the scope of what you cared to hear.

[Blue Flower]

this is actually excellent. thanks very much.

The scar in question was from a I guess 3 mm mole, and is about 1cm long, with the marks left from the stitches. Being a delicate flower, I think I scar easily anyway. But jesus, I don't want any more like that.