Three Korean beauty habits that are better than surgery

Take your cues from South Korea, where immaculate skin is the aesthetic standard that matters most. By Annabel Jones

The sucking-on-a-straw look is driving a worrying new trend for buccal fat removal, a minor, yet horrifying, surgical procedure in which a small pocket of fat is excised from the inside of the mouth to hollow out the cheeks in the pursuit of appearing “snatched” (the term used to describe tight, sculpted facial architecture). South Koreans honed the art of the snatch long before the phrase existed because a tight face devoid of imperfections is held in the highest esteem in the Asian country, and yet they rarely succumb to surgical shortcuts. In Korea, it’s all about three core principles: smart skincare, non-surgical treatments and face-sculpting facials.

The Golki facial

Iris Maglanoc at Dr David Jack’s Belgravia clinic is one of the only therapists in the UK trained in the Golki (bone energy) facial massage, also known as the Korean Glass Skin Facial. Maglanoc says: “Our bones thin first as we age – when this happens the muscles and skin move south because they have nothing to cling to.” Golki, she explains, can transform the shape of your face. It involves strong hand movements that work on meridian and acupressure points on the face to manipulate the bone structure and muscle tissue to address asymmetry, while moving stagnant toxins out through the lymph nodes to brighten and clear the complexion.

“Koreans don’t fall for quick surgical procedures, they have Golki facials regularly and combine it with mesotherapy or Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) treatment to brighten along with a good skincare regimen,” she says.

If you don’t like firm facial massages then best avoid this, but if you want results I’ve not found anything better for redefining contours naturally. Korean Glass Skin Facial, including cleansing, a gentle peel, LED and Golki massage, costs £170 at Dr David Jack (drdavidjack.com).

The Korean non-surgical facelift

Radiofrequency tightens and lifts the skin – Julianne Moore espouses its virtues regularly. Not all devices, however, are created equal. I tried The 5 Billion EXO RF Face treatment with Dr Shameema Damree, a specialist aesthetic doctor who trained in South Korea. Dr Damree uses the Korean Virtue RF machine with microneedling, similar to the Morpheus8, but smarter.

“Future RF delivers small pulses of high energy that are better absorbed than old technologies that emit constant heat, which can cause scarring,” says Dr Damree. She combines the skin-tightening technology with medical grade exosomes (messengers with proteins and lipids containing growth factors) and hyaluronic acid to reboot collagen synthesis that has slowed with age, while targeting redness and pigmentation.

“Taut, smooth skin reflects light better – hence the “glass skin” effect that Koreans are known for,” she says. The treatment begins with skin cleansing before an anaesthetic cream is applied to the face, lips and neck for 25 minutes. When the skin is numb, Dr Damree uses a small handpiece with ultra-fine needles to administer the radiofrequency to the skin in gentle stamping motions. It is virtually painless, though at times it can be pinchy. In between each pass (a full face) of

Dr Damree applies a serum with exosomes and hyaluronic acid, then she repeats the process twice more. In the days and weeks following, the skin around my eyes feels tighter and my eyelids less hooded. But the most remarkable difference has been my jawline, chin and neck which are less jowly. Three sessions are recommended for significant results, though I’ve had results with just one. Downtime is minimal. Morpheus8 or Profound RF are two nationwide treatments that combine Radiofrequency with microneedling. Whereas exosome therapy, though an emerging

Why Korean skincare is so good

Decimating the skin’s barrier (a vital lipid rich layer that keeps pollutants from entering and water from escaping) with aggressive percentages of potent acids like we do in the West is the root cause of skin sensitivity, resulting in rising cases of rosacea and adult acne, dermatologists frequently tell me. Star ingredients in Korean skincare aren’t big hitters like vitamin C and retinol (effective though potenenergy, tially sensitising) but gentle brightening agents such as glutathione and niacinamide along with mild exfoliators such as mandelic and azelaic acid, complemented by fermented probiotics used for centuries to calm a weak skin barrier.

Blending ancient traditions with leading technology, Korea is the leading manufacturer of exosomes, a collection of proteins and lipids that nudge the skin cells into repair mode, and can be found in Korean super creams including Celltweet’s Firming Moisturiser, which has calmed my redness considerably. Exosomes don’t come cheap (yet), but there is plenty of good Korean skincare that is affordable. See above for my top five.

Korean products often blend tradition and technology treatment, is available at Dr Barbara Sturm, Dr David Jack and Dr Sophie Shotter.