Korean Job Discussion Forums

KoreaninKorea · Joined: 10 Oct 2008 Location: Incheon

Okay, I had this skin rash or something on my skin for over a week. I didn't have my health insurance (even thought its in my contract) yet. So, I thought I'll wait it out and it might clear up on its own. Well it only got worse. So my Korean friend told me that I should go with him and he will put it under his insurance. I was pretty sure this isn't legal but what the hell.

Well, I just got back from a Korean dermatologists and lets say I'm not impressed. My Korean friend translated for me and I couldn't believe what the doctor told me.

I was told that what I had was very common in Korea. Then he also told me that he didn't know what it is or where it comes from. What!? To top it off, he prescribe some medicine which will make the rash six times worse before healing! Umm I never took anything that me sicker before getting better. I think my skin looks really bad right now. I can't imagine it being six times worse. Crying or Very sad

Anyways, I guess I just wanted to vent. If you notice something wrong with your skin, go to a doctor right away. A small rash becoming six times worse is a lot better then a medium rash becoming who knows what.

OBwannabe · Joined: 16 Feb 2008

Sounds like he took you to a doctor of Oriental(Chinese)medicine. They are nothing but quacks.

Make sure it was a western style(science based) doctor. Or at least try seeing one more for a second opinion.

BreakfastInBed · Joined: 16 Oct 2007 Location: Gyeonggi do

Might be something you ate. My wife cooked up a special batch of samgyetang last year and threw in some new kinds of sticks and pieces of bark for that extra deliciousness and a day later I broke out in a furious rash that also did not just go away on its own. Seems I'm allergic to 옻나무 which is basically poison ivy. Go figure. I went into a pharmacy and got some special ointment and that pretty much did the trick in two days without making it worse first.

Xuanzang · Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Location: Sadang

Wouldnt anyone be allergic to poison ivy?

KoreaninKorea · Joined: 10 Oct 2008 Location: Incheon

I was a western type doctors office. Maybe it some kind of poison ivy, but wouldn't you think they would know. He did say it wasn't a kind of skin fungus nor was it allergies. So I would assume it's some kind of virus, but he also says it's not contagious. How I got it is a mystery to both me and the doctor.

nomad-ish · Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 8:27 pm Post subject:

most korean doctors either don't know what they're doing or are just corrupt, imo.

doctor 1 (western trained): i told him my problem, i told him the medicine i was previously taking and was helping (and is available in korea), but instead he prescribes some half-ass medicine that hardly does a thing. i go back a second time, once again say what i need and that his medicine wasn't working. he offers to prescribe me yet another different drug instead. ridiculous. i was later told that he probably gets a cut of the profits for certain drug sales (?)

doctor 2 (western trained at a top hospital in seoul): i finally get the medicine that i need, but with one catch; i have to buy the university hospital's new, oh-so-special medicine as well. in the end, my medicine was less than 10,000 won and that damn hospital's was about 70,000.

livinginkunsan · Joined: 02 Dec 2006

BreakfastInBed · Joined: 16 Oct 2007 Location: Gyeonggi do

Xuanzang · Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Location: Sadang

http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=2575

DERMATOLOGISTS IN SEOUL?
Posted By: Ian Thomas [email protected]
Date: Tuesday, 7 May 2002, at 9:17 a.m.
In Response To: Re: DERMATOLOGISTS IN SEOUL? (chiaa)

If you want a good dermatologist you may wish to contact Dr. Hea-shin Chung. I know her personally and I had her give a number of lectures to my students on skin care when I was teaching at Sookmyung Women's University. She will not rip you off and she speaks excellent English. A couple of my friends have been to her and they are very happy with the results. Her clinic is near Ehwa Women's University. You can contact Chungdam Leejiham Skin Clinic at 02-296-3600 or e-mail your questions to her at [email protected]. She writes articles for the Korea Herald every Friday on skin care. I hope this will help you.

I dont know how valid this information still is now but try ti get an English speaking opinion.

Xuanzang · Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Location: Sadang

Chris_Dixon · Joined: 09 Jan 2008

You do know that even without insurance a visit to a doctor is like 10,000 won or so.....

Go and see a proper doctor, most ive found to be pretty good...if a little rough and uncaring

mrgisa · Joined: 30 Oct 2008

True story...

Had a foot infection from wearing shoes that were too tight. My foot had really swollen up and I could not walk on it. Brought a Korean female friend of mine to the hospital and went to see the doc.

So what I wanted was antibiotics...

After waiting 1.5 hours, I saw the doctor who was indeed a bit *rough*. After my friend explained what happened, we went downstairs to the xray room.

Xray room? ? WTF?!

I had to work later on that day and had no time to quibble so I just did the damned xray. The doc looked at it and told me I hadn't broken any bones in my foot.

Well, gee...you think?!

Got my antibiotics, and it cleared up after a few days. Naturally the a""hold doc told me to take them for 2 weeks, which completely nuked the natural bacteria in my stomach. I don't think I've ever fully recovered from that...

My point? I'm sure there are some good Korean docs, but most are in it for the money and could care less about you. Second opinions almost seem manditory and my faith in docs here is virtually non-existant.

At least it's not as killer expensive as the states though...

Gisa ^^

D.D. · Joined: 29 May 2008

SOOHWA101 · Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2009 12:41 am Post subject:

D.D. · Joined: 29 May 2008

When your body is toxic and your kidneys and other systems that excrete these wasted are not working so well the skin becomes the means to excrete toxins.

Not all the time but much of the time this is what a rash is. Taking drugs puts more toxins into your system. When the system is overloaded it over reacts ( allergies).

Drink heaps of water, don't smoke and drink and eliminate as much processed foods as possible. Find a detox tea. If you can find sunrider products Calli tea is very good.

Get lots of sleep and seek out fresh air if possible. If this doesn't work take the drugs.

Acupuncture on your kidneys might be a good idea.

Give me some ideas about your diet and lifestyle and I can make some suggestions.

Remember health problems need lifestyle and diet changes not drugs.

Drugs are a bandaid and are worst case scenario and usually cause other complications that will need more drugs which will cause other complications that need more drugs.....................