In my previous post, ‘Skinned Alive,’ I talked about how since arriving in Korea my skin has become increasingly inflamed and acne prone. And while Korea is known for its extensive array of products, many of which are positively recognised in the beauty community, none have proven effective on my current skin condition. Which would normally mean a visit to my family doctor for some topical medication. But in a foreign country there is no family doctor to visit. So, where does that leave me?

Well, for starters, it leaves me with a very empty wallet, because as a foreigner in Korea you almost always have to go to one of the larger cities in order to deal with anything remotely medical. And of course, I chose to go to Seoul. A city nearly four hours away. Sounds crazy, right? But when it comes to problems of the skin, there is no place better. Unlike most Western countries, dermatologists in Seoul do not typically prescribe medication to treat skin conditions, but rather innovative treatments such as micro-needling, lasers, and cell therapy that are designed to cure as well as prevent.

Though of course, I ended up being an exception.

After doing a consultation with the staff at AMOA skin clinic, I was told that I would need to take a drug known as accutane alongside the cell therapy. Now, for those of you who are unfamiliar with accutane, it is an oral medication often prescribed for severe cases of acne because it is quite strong, and has potentially dangerous side effects. However, it has also been proven effective, and in Korea, because of the strength of the drug, they will only allow for a short-term prescription.

Now, with regards to the cell therapy…I’ll be honest, I still don’t fully understand the treatment, but it involves some sort of machine which apparently helps to promote the flow of oxygen in the skin. Or something along those lines. Either way, it was non-invasive and painless, and since receiving the treatment on Saturday I have noticed an improvement in my skin. But it is exceptionally costly. I will not say how much, because I don’t particularly feel like being judged for my spending habits, but it was a lot to say the least.

Although, it is important to note that I did not just walk in, get handed a prescription, hooked up to a machine, and sent off on my merry way. The people at AMOA do not fuck around when it comes to patient satisfaction. They were determined to improve my skin then and there, so that I left with more confidence than I had arrived with. And while I appreciated all that, the fact of the matter is that it hurt.

It hurt like a bitch.

Mostly because they had to address my current inflamed skin, which meant that they had to do an extraction of the irritated areas. So I basically got poked by a needle…in my face…repeatedly…for half an hour. No wonder, I started crying. It wasn’t even a quiet, subtle falling of tears down the cheeks either, it was full blown shaky breath and quivering lips.

I felt like an idiot.

And it gets worse. Because immediately following the cell therapy were injections, which on paper didn’t sound too terrible. I knew it would hurt, but I assumed it would hurt in the same way that going to the dentist hurts. In other words, it would be annoying but tolerable. And for the most part, that is exactly what it was. I say for the most part, because as it turns out I am still deathly afraid of needles, a fact I keep forgetting because the fear only presents itself when the needles break the skin.

So once again, there I was crying in front of the Doctors and nurses, wishing that I could explain that no, they are not hurting me, I am just a giant scaredy cat.

At any rate, I was fine by the time that all was said and done. My skin did not feel sore or tight, though they had applied a high-end moisturiser. They also provided me with a face mask, and strict orders to limit sun exposure. So for the rest of the day, I felt like a celebrity trying to avoid recognition as I wandered the streets of Seoul with my hat and mask.

It was not a particularly fun day. But, as far as medical visits go, I feel the need to applaud the AMOA staff. They did an absolutely wonderful job of treating me, whilst maintaining a friendly and cordial atmosphere.

It almost makes having to go back not so terrible.