Medical Aesthetic News

 On May 19, Dexlevo held its "The GOURI: Begin in Korea" symposium for Korean physicians at Josun Palace in Gangnam, Seoul. GOURI, a liquid-form PCL collagen stimulator that had first shipped roughly one million syringes across approximately 50 countries abroad, made its official debut in its home market about eight months after receiving Korea's MFDS approval in September 2025. Prof. Beomjoon Kim of Chung-Ang University Hospital outlined the safety rationale behind a "microsphere-free liquid structure," presenting the large-scale 218-patient trial that showed a 70.23% improvement rate in crow's feet at 12 weeks, while Dr. Jeyoung Park of Apgujeong Oracle Dermatology Clinic identified "reproducibility" as GOURI's key differentiator through a comparative analysis of PLLA, CaHA, and PCL. Dr. Jimyung Seo of Galleria Dermatology, Gaepo-Dogok branch, and Dr. Johannes Kohlmann of Germany also contributed basic science data and real-world lifting stra...

 On May 14, VIOL Medical hosted the inaugural session of "V.CODE: SYLFIRM X" at the 3F Boardroom of Park Hyatt Seoul—a gathering where Sylfirm X heavy users came together to refine the clinical framework of dual-wave RF. V.CODE is the first domestic academic platform the company has launched since completing a phase of corporate redefinition (a 2025 controlling-stake acquisition by VIG Partners, a relocation to Pangyo, and a February 2026 rebrand), and it placed one message at its core: precise control of tissue response, not raw output. In a panel chaired by Dr. Jongwook Hong (Mulbangul Plastic Surgery Clinic), with Dr. Jaesung Park (Yonsei My View Clinic), Dr. Arim Min (Min & Min Clinic), and Dr. Hyunkyung Kim (Mouda Clinic), physicians shared frontline clinical know-how across a wide range: the 'delayed erythema' endpoint as a critical signal in refractory melasma, preliminary in-clinic scalp data showing an approximately 5% increase in hair count, the growing ...

 In aesthetic medicine, radiofrequency (RF) lifting has become a widely used non-surgical anti-aging treatment, yet consumers still lack clear answers to the questions that matter most: which areas it works best on, how much it hurts, and how long results last. Wrinkles in curved areas — around the nose, along the nape of the neck, and on the scalp — have been especially hard to address, as conventional devices struggle to maintain consistent contact on those surfaces. Dr. Gwahnwoo Cheon of Maylin Clinic Ilsan (Goyang, Korea), recognized as a 2025 'Top Ranker' for recording the highest nationwide procedure volume with Sunny, SHENB's combined monopolar-bipolar RF platform, explains that the Quasar tip — with 25 independently moving comb-like electrode pins — conforms to curved skin and can be used for scalp lifting. A full-face session of 1,200 shots takes about 25 to 30 minutes, with a pain level most patients tolerate without sedation. From the immediate collagen contracti...

 More patients who have used fillers to restore lost volume are now seeking alternatives, citing the buildup of residual filler over repeated treatments, along with concerns such as delayed-onset inflammation and vascular complications. As aesthetic medicine shifts from "instant filling" toward "natural regeneration," PDLLA-based biostimulators, which stimulate the skin's own collagen production, are drawing growing attention. One such product is AestheFill, a PDLLA biostimulator that Dr. Woong Choi of VS Line Clinic Apgujeong uses extensively. He describes the difference this way: "If filler is like packing in thick cement, AestheFill places porous microparticles so that the tissue can fill itself in naturally." Because the procedure is designed for gradual improvement rather than completion in a single session, he offers a note of advice: "A physician who tells you they'll add more next time if it isn't enough is, in fact, the more trust...

 We attended the 2026 Spring Conference of the Korean Primary Care Society (KPCS), held on Sunday, May 17, at Gwanggaeto Hall, Sejong University. Running simultaneously across three rooms (A, B, and C), the conference spanned both reimbursed primary care and self-pay aesthetic practice. President Jongho Jeon highlighted the society's "field-centered" philosophy, while key faculty—including Drs. Moohyun Son, Sanghoon Lee, Hwajun Lee, Uk Lee, Jongho Jeon, and Kyeongmu Kim—delivered sponsored lectures spanning EBDs to injectables: PDLLA, dual lifting with thread and CaHA, 6.78 MHz monopolar RF, GLX-based combination lifting protocols, True Picosecond pigment treatment, and a comprehensive review of skin boosters. On an exhibition floor with markedly broader sponsor participation than the previous year, products emphasizing safety—Dual-HA collagen boosters, multi-pulse pigment lasers, precision 532 nm output—appeared alongside combination protocols pairing EBDs with injectabl...

 Pigmentation that keeps darkening, color that lingers even after dozens of toning sessions, and the sense that the spots actually worsen after treatment. Even with the same-looking brown spot, the right laser changes entirely depending on its depth and type — and when the diagnosis is off, the result is either no improvement or post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), where the pigmentation darkens further. Dr. Hanmi Jung, who recently opened Heal House Dermatology Gangnam, offers a clear answer to this concern: "The outcome of pigment treatment ultimately comes down to the very first diagnosis." We spoke with Dr. Jung about her approach of incorporating 785 toning — delivered with the HELIOS 785 PICO from LASEROPTEK — for pigmentation that responds sluggishly to 1064nm toning alone, balancing pigment responsiveness with safety, her clinical philosophy of "precision" in accurately reading each patient's unique pigment depth and character, and her perspective ...

 A novel category of HA biostimulator — neither a conventional HA filler nor a standard skin booster — HILO WAVE is drawing growing attention among physicians. Unlike the vast majority of HA products, which are elasticity-dominant, HILO WAVE exhibits a distinctive rheological profile with a tan δ greater than 1, indicating that its viscous modulus exceeds its storage modulus. Dr. Hyoungmoon Kim, Medical Director of Maylin Clinic Apgujeong, captures this property with a single Korean expression — "mingming" (gentle, understated, unforced) — and explains its clinical advantages through the framework of tissue rheology. In high-elasticity tissue environments such as the reticular dermis, injecting a high-G′ filler can readily lead to embossing or nodule formation, whereas a viscosity-dominant formulation integrates more naturally within that environment. We sat down with Dr. Kim to discuss the anatomic zones where he finds HILO WAVE particularly advantageous — including the fore...

 "Once the vacuum engages, you no longer need to press down. That is one reason it can feel less painful than other needle RF devices." In Part 2 of this hands-on demonstration, Dr. Soyoon Park demonstrates how she decides when to turn the Vacuum on or off across challenging regions including the nose, forehead, and periorbital area, along with region-specific procedural techniques. She also addresses the periorbital application known internationally as the SENSE KISS protocol, describing it as "a new option, through tightening and a tenting effect, for patients who may have difficulty accessing Eye Thermage." She presents combination protocols with MFU and monopolar RF platforms to enhance synergy, and a post-care routine that applies stem cell-conditioned medium with LDM ultrasound-assisted topical delivery within the six-hour window during which the microchannels remain open. "I strongly recommend this device to physicians who want to develop their own param...

 As the men's laser hair removal market expands rapidly, Dr. Jongwon Lim of Modern Standard Clinic has selected Candela's dual-wavelength platform, the GentleMax Pro Plus, as his core device. Currently operating four units at near-full capacity with workloads approaching 10,000 shots per unit per day, Dr. Lim highlights two pillars of his practice: an operational system that charts treatment parameters and tissue response at every session to minimize operator-to-operator variability, and a treatment philosophy grounded in trust in DCD cooling performance, enabling delivery of adequate fluence rather than defaulting to overly conservative settings. From his use of intermittent ice-pack cooling during treatment to how hair removal can serve as an entry point into broader male aesthetic care, we share his practical operational insights. #MedicalAestheticNews #Candela #GentleMaxProPlus #ModernStandardClinic #DrJongwonLim ★ Article Link: https://www.medicalaestheticnews.com/news/art...

"Surgery feels too daunting, yet conventional treatments leave you wanting more." For people concerned about aging around the eyes, this has long been a familiar dilemma. A new combination treatment, Eye Thermage paired with Juvelook i, is now drawing attention as a way to bridge the gap between the burden of blepharoplasty and the limits of conventional procedures. Eye Thermage, a monopolar RF treatment using a 0.25 cm² eye-specific tip, reaches even the thinnest, most contoured periorbital skin, while Juvelook i, the smallest-particle PDLLA collagen booster, supports gradual replenishment from within — one tightens what has loosened, the other gradually rebuilds collagen over time. We sat down with Dr. Byonghan Song of Renewme Dermatology, Hongje Branch, whose practice centers on anti-aging treatment. The conversation covered how Eye Thermage and Juvelook i generate synergy over time, why many patients can return to makeup as early as the next day, and his candid take on ch...

 In aesthetic medicine, a product's high procedure volume is more than just a number.In aesthetic medicine, a product's high procedure volume is more than just a number. It reflects clinical expertise accumulated through countless procedures and often signals the patient trust earned through consistent results. While large clinics can naturally generate high volume simply because they have more practitioners, the Top Rankers series focuses on something different: practitioners who have translated high case volume into practical clinical insight. This edition features Dr. Woong Choi of VS Line Clinic, Apgujeong, recognized as one of the most prolific users of AestheFill, the PDLLA-based biostimulator. From the clinical reasoning behind his shift to AestheFill, to injection-layer strategies for nodule prevention, to patient-specific retreatment protocols, Dr. Choi shares candid clinical insights drawn from extensive practice.  #MedicalAestheticNews #Humedix #AestheFill #VSLineCl...

 The AURA PRIME GRAND SYMPOSIUM, held on May 9 at the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas, brought together Korean clinicians for the first public release of large-scale real-world data (RWD) for Ultherapy PRIME®. The program examined evidence across multiple dimensions: first-year results of a multicenter retrospective observational study (UP-KR-MAS001) enrolling 1,155 patients across 20 Korean institutions; the Gold Standard 2.0 protocol, which has evolved from dual-layer to triple-layer treatment; and DeepSEE visualization-based strategies for personalized treatment design. As evidence-based practice becomes a defining benchmark in medical aesthetics, the four lectures and panel discussion converged on a broader proposition — that Ultherapy PRIME represents not merely a device upgrade, but a shift toward visualization-driven personalized protocols and clinical standards grounded in real-world evidence.  www.medicalaestheticnews.com  #MedicalAestheticNews #MerzAesthetic...

 "A device should not simply make the operator's work easier. It should help maximize patient outcomes." This is how Dr. Soyoon Park, director of ECLAT DE Cheongdam Clinic, explains why ELLISYS SENSE has remained one of the core devices in her practice for the past three years. In this hands-on demonstration, Park draws on her clinical experience to show that Double Shot and Vacuum are not merely convenience features, but part of a structural design intended to minimize epidermal damage while enhancing dermal coagulation and collagen remodeling. From patient feedback that "the results feel different because the depth is precise," to her observation of no post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation cases over three years of use, to the flexibility to build customized protocols through fine control of DUTY and emission time — Korea's first ELLISYS SENSE adopter walks through the entire 25-pin procedure on video.  #MedicalAestheticNews #ChungwooMedical #ELLISYSSENSE #E...

Dr. Sunghwan Ahn of Gangnam Yonsei Line Clinic challenges the long-held belief that pain is the price of effective lifting. Comparing the latest monopolar RF device, XERF, to a drone, he explains how the treatment minimizes discomfort while delivering meaningful results. The key, he says, is precision targeting. Just as a drone navigates directly to its destination, XERF protects the skin surface with a built-in cooling system while delivering radiofrequency heat to the targeted depths beneath the surface. The result is a noticeably gentler experience without sacrificing results, even for patients with thinner or more sensitive skin. Cheeks, the midface, and the jawline can each be addressed with tailored precision, and a typical session takes around 20 minutes. Dr. Ahn shares why this new approach is reshaping the standards of RF lifting—lowering both the pain barrier and the cost barrier at once.  #MedicalAestheticNews #CynosureLutronic #XERF #GangnamYonseiLineClinic #DrSunghwanA...

 Continuing our coverage from the 52nd Spring Conference of the Korean Association for Laser, Dermatology, and Trichology (KALDAT), we now turn to the solution booths. Just as in the EBD segment covered in Part 1, the message of "Therapeutic Strategy" was just as palpable at the booths of solution companies showcasing skin boosters, biostimulators, ECM, and needle-free injectors. One ECM skin booster surpassed KRW 10 billion in sales within just one year of launch, emerging as a market centerpiece, while liquid PCL and CaHA formulations are reshaping the safety conversation around the keywords "particle-free" and "long-lasting." Needle-free injectors and topical dermal remodeling products are forging a movement that some in the industry call "zero-invasive." We covered the front lines of this shift firsthand—where clinical interest is expanding from "how to deliver energy" to "what to deliver into the skin and how to deliver it...

 We attended the 52nd Spring Conference of the Korean Association for Laser, Dermatology, and Trichology (KALDAT). Held on May 3 across Hall C of COEX in Seoul under the slogan "Therapeutic Strategy for Aesthetic Medicine," the conference ran nine concurrent tracks—laser, lifting, hair, clinic management, and more—spanning the full spectrum of aesthetic medicine. KALDAT President Dr. Minsoo Park framed the meeting around a single question: "Not what to do, but how to design it." In line with this direction, conference director Dr. Haewon Jeong of Aurum Clinic positioned staged approaches by indication and combination treatment planning as the core pillars of the EBD track. On the exhibition floor, the message was unmistakable. From monopolar RF and HIFU to picosecond lasers, Q-switched Nd:YAG lasers, and vascular lasers, each category showcased competing strategies—originality, dual concepts, cooling innovations—signaling that competition is shifting from device spe...

 "Fillers look unnatural, but skin boosters alone don't deliver enough volume" — a long-standing dilemma for aesthetic medicine consumers. A new category of skin booster, HILO WAVE, is gaining attention for bridging the gap between the volumizing capacity of fillers and the skin-rejuvenating benefits of conventional boosters. Built on a structure that combines two types of hyaluronic acid with different molecular weights, HILO WAVE also offers the safety advantage of being reversible — it can be dissolved if needed. We sat down with Dr. Hyungmoon Kim, who recently relocated and reopened Maylin Clinic Apgujeong, and whose clinical philosophy centers on treatments that are "low-pain, less swelling, and natural-looking." Long focused on improving skin through energy-based devices rather than injectables, Dr. Kim shares why HILO WAVE is the only product he uses on his own face, how natural-looking volume is achieved in an era when 85% of his consultation patients sa...