A Dermatology Clinic That Only Does Cosmetic Treatments?

Hello.

I'm Dr. Tae Hoon Kim, board-certified dermatologist, thinking about your skin 10 and 20 years from now.

“I will hold fast, to the very end, to care that builds healthy skin.”

I do not see the growth of the aesthetic treatment market itself as a negative.

It is clearly a positive change that there are now so many good devices and products, and that more patients are taking an interest in their skin.

I also think it is a good thing that awareness of skin health and self-care has grown.

The problem, however, is that dermatology clinics are increasingly becoming not places to diagnose and treat the skin, but convenience stores that quickly hand customers the 'products' they want.

I mean a structure that consults mainly on popular treatments without looking closely at the skin's condition, that emphasizes how much something costs rather than why it is needed, and that puts instant satisfaction and event efficiency ahead of the skin's long-term health.

This approach may look efficient on the surface, but in the end it cannot have a good effect on the patient's skin.

As I always say, dermatological treatment should be a 'virtuous cycle'.

So that good results become good causes in turn and keep leading in a good direction.

A dermatology clinic that only does cosmetic treatments?

These days, the term 'board-certified dermatologist' is used far too much like a marketing slogan.

To me, the title of board-certified dermatologist is not an expression meant to look impressive; it is my self-respect and my 'responsibility'.

A board-certified dermatologist must be able to diagnose skin diseases, understand the skin and interpret the many things that can appear on it.

The key is judging what should be done for this skin right now, and what should not.

What is clear is that cosmetic treatments alone cannot create healthy skin.

Lifting, skin boosters, pigmentation treatment… these treatments can certainly help the skin a great deal, but what healthy skin actually needs is soothing, inflammation control, barrier recovery, a normalized sebum rhythm and so on.

It does not help with running a clinic, but a board-certified dermatologist aims not for financial gain but to empathize with the patient's discomfort and treat the condition more quickly and easily.

Beautiful skin must be healthy from within.

When I talk about healthy skin, I think of skin that is less shaken by irritation and recovers quickly.

To create this kind of skin, I apply lifting, skin boosters and pigmentation treatments in a stable way.

The starting point of every cosmetic treatment should lie on the same line as the goal of healthy skin.

These days, however, trendy treatments, and treatments that can leave the skin more sensitive afterwards, keep adding more irritation, and as this repeats, the skin gradually becomes more and more fatigued.

I pursue 'virtuous-cycle anti-aging', which can break this pattern.

I cut back on treatments the patient does not need, and I can clearly point out what should not be done right now.

And by putting the skin's condition ahead of trends, I suggest a direction that keeps the skin healthy for a long time rather than using it up.

Patients sense this far more keenly than you might think.

Whether this doctor is really looking at their skin when talking, or just pushing a set treatment regardless.

I carefully check the condition of each patient's skin and create the 'flow toward healthy skin' that is truly needed.

The belief that the patient's face is my business card and my signboard

To be honest, if I wanted to follow the current market trend, there are easier and faster ways for me too.

Going event-driven with rock-bottom prices, putting only popular treatments up front, and moving people quickly through the same consultation routine.

But I will never choose that path.

And I will not take the easy road in the future either.

Because I believe the skin of the patients I meet is my business card.

I hear that many dermatology clinics spend several million to tens of millions of won a month on advertising.

I get paid to advertise.

When I make a patient's face healthier and more aesthetically pleasing, that face becomes my clinic's advertisement.

Seeing the improved faces, many referred patients come to us.

In the end, this is a win-win for both me and my patients :)

Designed to lead you in a healthier direction

I make it my mission to hold fast, to the end, to the role of a board-certified dermatologist in building healthy skin.

These are not words meant to sound impressive.

Every day, in the consultation room and in the treatment room, I will ask myself these questions and make sure of the answers.

Is this truly for the patient's skin?

Does this choice really help the patient's skin?

Can it create a virtuous cycle for the skin?

By always keeping these questions in mind, I will protect the conscience of a board-certified dermatologist.

Regaining healthy skin

I believe a dermatology clinic should be a place that helps you regain healthy skin before any treatment that adds aesthetic appeal.

Beauty built on unhealthy skin is hard to sustain.

On the other hand, changes made on healthy skin look much more natural and last stably for longer.

Rather than being a clinic that simply consumes cosmetic treatments, I want to create a healthy flow that makes the skin comfortable, lets it protect itself from irritation without being shaken, and makes it firmer and prettier-looking.

That is what I believe the essence of medical care is, and the mission I pursue.

Thank you for reading this long post.

Sincerely, Dr. Tae Hoon Kim, board-certified dermatologist.