Booking and planning your trip
How do I book from abroad? Here is how to book: send your history, your medication list and any previous operative notes, then have an online pre-consultation. After that you receive a written plan and an estimate in English.
What time zone are you in, and when can I message you? Seoul is on Korea Standard Time, 9 hours ahead of UTC, and Korea does not use daylight saving time. That puts Seoul 13 to 14 hours ahead of New York and 16 to 17 hours ahead of Los Angeles. You can reach us in English on WhatsApp during clinic hours. A reply often arrives overnight in North America.
Do I need a visa? It depends on your passport. Many visitors, including United States and Canadian citizens, enter visa-free for short stays. If your country requires a visa, the visa for medical treatment, type C-3-3, is the usual route; tell us early so the timing works. Check the official K-ETA site before you book.
What if my flight is delayed or I need to change my dates? Tell us as early as you can. Appointments are scheduled so that patients do not wait with other patients. That means a time you cannot keep may need to be reset. Allow a buffer day before your first appointment, and keep your first night's booking flexible. If you miss a connection, send a short message with your new arrival time.
What should I do about medication before I travel? Bring enough of your regular medication for the trip plus a few days, in its original packaging, in your carry-on bag. Tell us about blood thinners, hormone therapy and supplements at pre-consultation, and do not stop any medication without your own doctor's agreement.
Do I need to travel with someone? A companion is welcome but not required. A companion can help with luggage, transport and remembering instructions. If you travel alone, choose accommodation close to the clinic and keep the nurse line number saved in your phone.
Paying for surgery in Korea: prices and insurance
How much will it cost? We send a written estimate in English after consultation. Prices follow the clinic's published fee schedule, and the estimate confirms the items that apply to your case.
How can I pay? Payment can be made by international credit card. Payment by international bank transfer is also accepted. The written estimate states the total before anything is booked. Tell your bank you are traveling, because a large card payment from abroad can be blocked.
Will my insurance cover it? That depends on your policy. Functional procedures such as incontinence and prolapse repair are covered by many insurers, often with pre-authorization; cosmetic procedures usually are not. Ask your insurer which insurance claim documents it needs. We prepare the documents international insurers typically require: an itemized English receipt, a medical certificate, procedure codes and a completed claim form. Whether a procedure is reimbursed depends on your policy; we provide documentation, not coverage decisions.
Anesthesia and what to expect
What anesthesia will I have? Anesthesia follows a four-step protocol tailored to the procedure and the patient. For labiaplasty, local anesthesia of the surgical area is always used, and intravenous propofol sedation is recommended in addition; general anesthesia is not required. Pelvic ligament suspension for incontinence alone is performed under IV sedation, with same-day discharge.
What happens before surgery? Patients fast for at least 4 hours before surgery. Written consent for the surgery and the anesthesia is taken.
Recovery after surgery in Korea and flying home
How long do I need to stay in Seoul? Plan for 5 to 10 days in Seoul after incontinence or prolapse surgery. A final check is done 5 to 10 days after surgery, before you fly home. For other procedures, your written plan gives the number of days. It usually covers the consultation, the procedure, a check-up and the flight home.
When can I fly home? After a check-up, when we confirm healing. The timing depends on the procedure and on your recovery. Results and recovery vary from person to person.
Do I go home the same day? Patients usually go home the same day; an overnight stay in a private recovery suite can be chosen. Recovery rooms are private single-occupancy suites. Each suite has its own bathroom.
What if something goes wrong after I get home? Patients have a 24-hour nurse contact line after surgery. A video follow-up is scheduled after you return home. If you need to be seen locally, we send your operative summary in English to the doctor you choose. Follow-up care is provided for ten years after surgery under the clinic's aftercare policy: a repeat of the same procedure is free of charge; sedation anesthesia fees and any additional procedures performed at the same time are charged.
Privacy, language and documents
Will forms and documents be in English? Consultations are available in English. Medical records and receipts are issued in English on request. Ask any question about a document before you sign it.
Is my visit private? Appointments are scheduled so that patients do not wait with other patients. Recovery rooms are single-occupancy, so you do not share a room with other patients.
Can I see before-and-after photos? Photographs are shown at consultation. Before-and-after photographs are shown only with written patient consent and under identical conditions.
Can I bring someone to my consultation? Yes. You are welcome to bring a friend or partner to your consultation.
Other care: check-ups, pregnancy and delivery
Do you provide pregnancy care or delivery? No. The clinic does not provide obstetric delivery services. General gynecology care for foreign patients covers check-ups, STI testing, contraception counseling including IUDs, menopause care and irregular periods. Obstetric care, meaning pregnancy care and delivery, is not provided.
Can I get a Pap test, STI panel or IUD at the clinic? The following can be done on the day of your visit: an STI panel, Gram stain, ThinPrep Pap test, HPV test, TeleCervicogram (digital imaging of the cervix), transvaginal ultrasound with Doppler, blood tumor markers and blood chemistry. Previous results from abroad are reviewed. All types of IUD can be inserted on the day of your visit.
If your question is not in this gynecology clinic in Korea FAQ, write to us in English on WhatsApp during clinic hours and we will answer it before you book anything.
Questions
Is surgery painful?
Pain varies from person to person and by procedure. Anesthesia is planned for you under a four-step protocol, and pain relief and written instructions are provided for the days after. Most patients describe soreness rather than pain after the first day.
Who will treat me?
All three doctors are board-certified specialists in obstetrics and gynecology. Two of the clinic's three OB-GYN specialists are women.
Do I need to speak Korean?
No. Consultations are available in English. Medical records and receipts are issued in English on request.
Where is the clinic, and when can I come in?
The clinic is on the second floor of a building on Gangnam-daero, near Gangnam Station. Evening appointments are available on weekdays.