Why Korean Dermatologists Will Ask You to Remove Your Makeup — and Why They Are Right

[mediK / HEALTH IN NEWS] Walk into a dermatology clinic in New York or London wearing a full face of BB cream, and nobody will bat an eye. Walk into a Korean dermatology clinic the same way, and you will almost certainly be asked to wash your face before anyone touches you.

This is not the clinic being fussy. It is the clinic being Korean.

Just as the philosophy of K-beauty is built on the foundation of thorough cleansing, Korean dermatology operates on a principle of diagnostic precision. Doctors here want to see your actual skin — its true color, its real texture, every spot and shadow that cosmetics are specifically designed to conceal. It is a cultural and clinical commitment to accuracy, and understanding it will make your visit to a Korean skin clinic considerably smoother.

The Medical Case Against Makeup

The instruction to remove your makeup before a procedure is not an arbitrary house rule. It is grounded in straightforward medical reasoning, and once you understand the logic, it is hard to argue with.
Foundation and other base makeup products physically block pores, which prevents the topical agents used during treatment from absorbing properly into the skin. Depending on the procedure, this can reduce the efficacy of the treatment by more than half. That is not a minor inconvenience — it is a compromised result on something you likely paid a significant amount of money for.

The risks go beyond efficacy. The pigment compounds found in many cosmetic products absorb laser energy, and when a laser treatment is performed over makeup residue, those pigments can overheat the surrounding tissue, more than doubling the risk of burns. In a clinical setting where precision is everything, this kind of variable is unacceptable.

There is also a more prosaic concern: makeup residue creates an environment on the skin surface where bacteria thrive, raising the likelihood of post-procedure infection or inflammation.

Beyond the procedural risks, Korean dermatologists conduct a quiet visual assessment the moment you sit down in the consultation chair. The color and tone of your complexion can indicate how well-oxygenated your skin is. The hue of your lips offers information about circulation. The actual, unfiltered surface of your skin tells the doctor how aggressively or gently to calibrate a procedure. Concealer and foundation obscure all of this. For accurate diagnosis and safe treatment, a bare face is not a preference — it is a clinical requirement.

A Practical Guide for Visitors

If you are planning a skin treatment during your time in Korea, timing and preparation matter more than you might expect.

On the morning of your appointment, skip the heavy base products entirely. A light moisturizer or basic skincare routine is fine, but leave the foundation, BB cream, and concealer at home. More importantly, aim to complete your cleansing routine about thirty minutes before you arrive at the clinic — not in the hospital bathroom at the last minute. Cleansing properly at your accommodation, without rushing, gives your skin time to settle and ensures that no residue lingers around the hairline or under the jaw, where a hurried rinse tends to miss.

For visitors who have not yet assembled a Korean cleansing kit, a quick stop at Olive Young (올리브영), South Korea's dominant health and beauty retailer, will solve the problem affordably. The Clean It Zero balm by Banila Co (바닐라코) is one of the best-selling cleansers in the country. It is a cleansing balm that melts away makeup without stripping or irritating the skin — the kind of product that has quietly become a cult staple across Asia and beyond.

For post-procedure care, La Roche-Posay's Cicaplast cream is worth picking up before your appointment rather than after. It accelerates the recovery of compromised skin and is regularly recommended by Korean dermatologists themselves as a go-to soothing product for the days following a laser or rejuvenating treatment.

Come with a clean face, leave with the results you came for. In Korean skincare culture, that exchange is the whole point.


[Korean]

뉴욕이나 런던에서는 가벼운 메이크업을 하고 피부과에 가도 별 문제가 없습니다. 하지만 한국 피부과에 BB크림을 바르고 갔다가는 "화장 먼저 지우세요"라는 말을 듣게 될 거예요.

이건 까다로운 게 아니라, 한국 의료 문화의 정확성과 안전 기준 때문입니다. K-뷰티의 핵심이 '클렌징'인 것처럼, 한국 피부과는 맨얼굴로 정확한 진단을 내린다는 철학을 가지고 있어요.

◇ 화장이 시술을 방해하는 의학적 이유

한국 피부과에서 화장을 지워야 하는 이유는 단순한 규칙이 아니라 의학적 근거가 있습니다. 먼저 파운데이션 같은 베이스 메이크업은 모공을 막아서 시술 시 사용하는 약물이 피부에 제대로 흡수되지 않게 만듭니다. 이렇게 되면 시술 효과가 절반 이하로 떨어질 수 있어요. 또한 화장품 속 색소 성분은 레이저 치료를 받을 때 문제가 됩니다. 색소가 레이저의 열을 과도하게 흡수해서 화상 위험이 두 배 이상 높아지거든요.

마지막으로 메이크업 잔여물은 피부 표면에서 세균이 번식하기 좋은 환경을 만들어 감염이나 염증을 유발할 수 있습니다.

의사는 당신의 맨얼굴을 보고 여러 가지를 판단합니다. 얼굴 색깔을 통해 산소 공급 상태를, 입술 색으로 혈액순환을 체크하고, 피부의 실제 상태를 파악해서 시술 강도를 결정하죠. 화장은 이 모든 중요한 정보를 가려버리기 때문에 정확한 진단과 안전한 시술을 위해서는 반드시 지워야 합니다.

◇ 외국인을 위한 실전 가이드

시술을 받기로 했다면 타이밍이 중요합니다. 시술 당일 아침에는 진한 화장을 하지 말고 가벼운 스킨케어 정도만 해주세요. 그리고 병원에 도착하기 30분 전쯤 클렌징을 완료하는 것이 좋습니다. 병원 화장실에서 급하게 지우는 것보다 집이나 숙소에서 여유롭게 깨끗이 지우고 가는 게 훨씬 안전하고 편해요.

올리브영 같은 드럭스토어에서 미리 준비하면 좋은 제품들도 있습니다. 클렌징으로는 Banila Co의 Clean it Zero가 K-뷰티 베스트셀러예요. 메이크업을 부드럽게 녹여내는 클렌징 밤 타입이라 사용하기 편하고 자극도 적습니다. 시술 후 피부 진정을 위해서는 La Roche-Posay의 Cicaplast 크림을 추천합니다. 손상된 피부를 빠르게 회복시켜주는 제품으로 한국 피부과에서도 자주 권하는 아이템이에요.

Oh Ha Eun medi·K TEAM press@themedik.kr

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