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Plastic surgery quote in Korea: what to check before you pay
A plastic surgery quote in Korea should name the surgeon and list the method, the anesthesia and who gives it, any implant by brand and size, tests, medicines, garments, follow-up visits and the revision and refund terms. Prices for the same procedure differ mainly because these items differ, so compare quotes line by line.
Why does the same surgery cost different amounts?
Two clinics can quote very different prices for what sounds like the same operation. A rhinoplasty quote may cover a silicone implant at one clinic and rib cartilage at another, sedation at one and general anesthesia at the other. Before you compare totals, check that you are comparing the same plan.
We do not list prices yet, because they vary by clinic and by plan. Instead, the table shows what usually changes the price and what to ask about each item.
Anesthesia is one line where plans differ: at some clinics a specialist anesthesiologist gives it, while at others the surgeon gives sedation during the operation. Ask any clinic which applies to you.
Combining procedures also changes the total. Ask for each procedure to be listed separately, along with the combined price, so you can see what changes if you add or drop one. A combined plan can also change the anesthesia and the number of days you need in Seoul.
| Factor | What changes | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Surgeon | Experience with your procedure, and whether the same surgeon operates from start to finish | Who operates, and how often they do this procedure |
| Method | Incisional or non-incisional double eyelid surgery, an implant or your own cartilage, how many areas are changed | Which method is planned, and why it suits your face |
| Anesthesia | Local anesthesia, sedation or general anesthesia, and whether an anesthesiologist gives it | Which type, who gives it and who watches you during surgery |
| Materials and implants | Implant brand, model and size, the cartilage source, threads or other devices | The exact product and size, written on the quote |
| Tests before surgery | Blood tests, heart checks or scans, depending on the surgery and your health | Which tests you need and whether they are included |
| Stay and aftercare | A night at the clinic, medicines, garments, follow-up visits and stitch removal | Which of these are in the price and which cost extra |
What should a written quote list?
Ask for the quote in writing, in a language you read well, before you pay anything. A message from the clinic is fine if it is specific. Go through it item by item and ask for anything missing to be added in writing.
- The surgeon’s name, and confirmation that the same surgeon does the whole operation.
- The procedure and the method in plain words, for example incisional double eyelid surgery or rib cartilage rhinoplasty.
- The anesthesia: local anesthesia, sedation or general anesthesia, and whether an anesthesiologist gives it.
- Materials: for an implant, the brand, model, size and surface; for a nose, the implant or the cartilage source.
- Tests before surgery, and whether they are included.
- Medicines to take home, listed by name.
- Garments and supports, such as a compression garment after liposuction, a support bra after breast surgery or a nose splint.
- Follow-up visits and stitch removal: how many visits, on which days, and what happens once you have flown home.
- The revision policy: what it covers, for how long, and who pays for surgery, anesthesia and materials if a redo is needed.
- Interpreter support: whether it is included at the consultation, on surgery day and at follow-up visits, and in which language.
- Payment terms: the deposit, when the balance is due, the payment methods and the currency.
- Refund terms: what you get back if you cancel, if the date moves, or if the surgeon decides at the in-person consultation that surgery does not suit you.
- Tax: whether any tax refund applies to your treatment.
Are medicines, garments and follow-up visits included?
These items are easy to miss in a headline price. After surgery you usually go home with medicines for the first days, and some clinics include them while others charge separately. Ask for the names in English, including the generic names, so a doctor at home can read them later, and tell the clinic about any medicines or supplements you already take.
Keep the medicine packets and the written aftercare instructions with your quote and receipts. If a problem comes up after you fly home, a doctor there may need to know exactly what you were given and when.
Garments depend on the surgery. After liposuction you wear a compression garment, usually for several weeks, and after breast augmentation a support garment day and night at first. Find out whether the first garment is in the price and what a spare costs.
Follow-up visits set how long you stay in Seoul, and some fall after you have gone home. For breast augmentation, our partner clinic, Urban Plastic Surgery, lists 3 to 4 follow-up visits and stitch removal at about 2 weeks, so the last of them usually falls after your flight. After incisional double eyelid surgery, stitches come out on day 5 to 7. Check whether these visits are in the price, and how the clinic checks on you once you are home, for example by photo or video call.
What should the quote say about revisions and refunds?
Any operation can need a second procedure. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons, for example, lists the possibility of revision surgery among the risks of rhinoplasty. Before you pay, ask what the clinic’s policy covers: which problems count, how long after surgery it applies, and whether surgery, anesthesia and materials are charged again. It is also worth asking whether a revision would mean flying back to Seoul. Our guide to planning revision surgery covers what to bring if you ever need one.
A deposit holds a surgery date. Before you pay one, get the refund terms in writing: what happens to the deposit if you cancel, if your flight changes or if the surgeon decides at the in-person consultation that the plan does not suit you.
Tax rules for foreign patients can change, so leave any tax refund out of your budget. Ask the clinic whether one applies on your treatment date.
What costs sit outside the quote?
The clinic quote covers treatment. The trip around it is yours to budget, and its cost depends on how many days the surgery needs. As general guidance, plan 5 to 7 days in Seoul from surgery day for double eyelid surgery, 7 to 10 days for rhinoplasty and 10 to 14 days for an SMAS facelift. Then add the nights before surgery that you need to arrive and attend the consultation.
Our week-by-week trip plan shows when each of these costs comes up.
- Accommodation for the whole stay, ideally close to the clinic so follow-up visits are easy.
- Extra nights if a check-up moves or swelling is slow to settle.
- Airport transfers, and taxis to each clinic visit.
- Food that is easy to eat while you heal, and delivery if you would rather rest.
- Flight changes, and the cost of bringing a companion.
- Small recovery supplies, such as cold packs, saline, gauze, and a scarf or sunglasses for the trip home.
Which red flags should make you pause?
Our guide on how to choose a plastic surgery clinic covers the other safety checks, such as confirming the surgeon’s specialty.
A low price on its own is not a warning sign. Look at what it leaves out and how you are asked to pay, and ask more questions if you see any of these:
- A very cheap event price for a single area. Prices advertised on Korean-language sites, including event prices, may not apply to international patients. Rely on your written quote.
- Pressure to pay a deposit right away, or a discount that disappears if you do not book today.
- No surgeon’s name on the quote, or a vague answer about who will operate.
- No written line for the anesthesia, or no clear answer about who gives it.
- A total that changes after you arrive, without a written reason.
- No written revision or refund terms.
How can our patient coordinator help you compare quotes?
Put each quote into the same list, item by item, before you look at the totals. Gaps show up quickly: a missing anesthesia line, a garment charged separately, follow-up visits that are not mentioned. Ask each clinic the same questions in the same order and keep the answers in one place. Clear written answers before you book also give you something to refer back to if a problem needs fixing later.
If you would like help comparing, a patient coordinator answers first, then the surgeon at the partner clinic that fits your case reviews your photos and consults in depth. The coordinator can point out lines a quote leaves out, but is not a doctor, so only the surgeon confirms the medical plan and the final quote. Our consultation and clinic matching are free for you, and treatment is paid at the clinic’s own price. You can start a free consultation or read short answers in our FAQ.
More questions
Is the price on a clinic’s website the final price?
Not always. A price on a website may cover only the basic operation. The final figure depends on your plan, which the surgeon confirms after examining you. Ask for a written quote that shows what is included before you pay.
Do I have to pay a deposit before I fly?
Some clinics do, to hold a surgery date. Ask how much it is, when the balance is due and in which currency, and which part you get back if the date moves or surgery does not go ahead.
Can the quote change after the in-person consultation?
Yes. An online quote is based on photos, and the surgeon may change the plan after examining you, for example the method or the amount of work. Ask the clinic to explain any change and update the quote in writing before surgery day.
Is an interpreter included in the price?
It depends on the clinic. Check whether someone who speaks your language will be with you at the consultation, on surgery day and at follow-up visits, and whether that adds to the bill.
What if I need to stay in Seoul longer than planned?
Ask before you book which visits are fixed and which can move. Choose accommodation you can extend and a flight you can change. If the clinic asks you to stay for an extra check, ask whether that visit is already in the quote.
Is a cheaper quote always a bad sign?
No. A lower price can reflect a simpler method or fewer items. It becomes a concern when the surgeon’s name, the anesthesia or the aftercare is missing, or when you are pushed to pay quickly.
Procedures in this article
Sources
- Nose reshaping (rhinoplasty). NHS
- Rhinoplasty Risks and Safety. American Society of Plastic Surgeons
- Liposuction Recovery. American Society of Plastic Surgeons
- Types of Breast Implants. US Food and Drug Administration