Contouring Injection
윤곽주사 · also: Fat-dissolving, V라인 주사, Kybella-type
Injections that break down small, stubborn fat pockets — double chin, cheeks, jawline — for a slimmer contour without surgery. Best for fine-tuning, not large volumes.
This breaks the skin or carries vascular/systemic risk, so a medical intake is required before treatment.
How it works
A deoxycholic-acid-based solution is injected into the fat layer to dissolve fat cells, which the body clears over weeks. Expect swelling after each session; results build across a short course.
Fat-layer injection · acts at 3–10 mm · deepest layer: Fat layer
Subcutaneous fat. Volume, contour, and the target of fat-reducing treatments.
Depths are indicative and vary by device, cartridge, body area and individual.
Fat-layer injection
Placed into the subcutaneous fat, where the solution acts on fat-cell membranes.
People choose this for
What it does
- ✓Slimmer chin / jaw
- ✓Refined contour
- ✓No surgery
Good for you if
- •Double chin
- •Small stubborn fat
- •V-line contouring
Aftercare
- ✓Expect swelling, tenderness and firm lumps for several days up to two weeks.
- ✓Bruising is common; avoid blood thinners and alcohol beforehand where you can.
- ✓Light massage or compression only if your clinic recommends it.
- ✓Report spreading redness, heat or fever immediately.
Not suitable if
- !Pregnancy or breastfeeding.
- !Liver or kidney disease.
- !Bleeding disorders or anticoagulant use.
- !Autoimmune or inflammatory conditions without medical clearance.
- !Any clinic unwilling to tell you what is in the syringe.
FAQ
What's actually in a 'contour injection'?
Usually not disclosed. Most Korean clinics use a proprietary blend of five to ten ingredients — commonly phosphatidylcholine and deoxycholic acid with anti-inflammatories and drainage agents — and describe it as a house recipe. Deoxycholic acid is the component with a regulator-approved precedent for submental fat; the rest varies by clinic.
Are the premium house blends worth more?
There's no independent way to tell, which is the honest answer. A clinic charging double for its 'signature' or 'high-concentration' version is asking you to trust an undisclosed formula. It's entirely reasonable to ask what makes it different and whether the product is MFDS-approved.
Is it safe?
In trained hands with approved products, generally yes. Regulators including the US FDA have warned about unapproved fat-dissolving injections causing scarring and infection — and because these formulas aren't standardised, the clinic matters far more here than the price.
How much will actually change?
A modest reduction in a small, localised pocket over a course of several sessions. It won't reshape a jaw that's heavy from bone or muscle, and it isn't a weight-loss treatment.
Price range by care tier
Market ranges for reference — actual quotes depend on the clinic, doctor and area.
Before you compare quotes: what this price is actually per
- Injectables are sold per cc. One cc is a small syringe; most full-face plans need 2–8 cc, so multiply before comparing.
- A flat per-visit price. The thing to check is how many visits the full course needs.
Per cc for the blend, per session for area-specific versions — and these are among the cheapest items on a Korean menu. One Seoul list ran ₩15k per 3 cc for a basic contour injection, ₩19k and ₩29k per 3 cc for house 'upgraded' blends, and ₩200k per session for a deoxycholic-acid double-chin treatment. A face typically needs 3–9 cc per visit and a course of several visits.
- Follow-up sessions in the course
Won prices quoted above are from a dated reference price list for one Seoul clinic chain (2026-07-24), used to show the shape of pricing — not a national average, and not a quote. Prices include 10% VAT: the foreign-patient cosmetic VAT refund ended on 31 December 2025.
How it compares
Contouring Injection beside the other Botox & Fillers options travellers usually weigh against it.
| Comparison factor | Contouring Injection윤곽주사 | Botox (Jaw / Face Slimming)보톡스 | Skin Botox스킨보톡스 | Hyaluronic Filler필러 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best at | Injected slimming for small areas | Face-slimming & wrinkle relaxing | Pore-tightening micro-botox | Volume & contour on demand |
| Depth reached | Fat layer · 3–10 mm | Muscle · 4–10 mm | Dermis · 0.3–1 mm | Fat layer · 2–8 mm |
| How it works | Fat-layer injection | Intramuscular injection | Intradermal injection | Deep injection |
| Downtime | 1–3 days | Noneleast downtime | 0–1 days | 0–2 days |
| Pain | gentlest | |||
| Visits for full result | 2–4 visits | 1–3 visits | 1 visit | 1 visit |
| Results last | Long-lasting once fat is cleared | 3–6 months | 3–4 months | 9–18 months by area & product |
| Trip fit | Several visits weeks apart — one trip = partial result | Any trip — one visit, no recovery days | Any trip — one visit, no recovery days | One visit, plus recovery days to plan around |
| Priced per | per cc injected · per session | per unit of toxin · per area | per area | per cc injected |
| From | ₩80k–150k | ₩50k–120k | ₩80k–150k | ₩150k–300k |
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