The Era of Aesthetic Treatments,
A New Chapter for Skincare
Medicalization & Dermocosmetics
K-Beauty,
Now Extending to Dermatology Clinics
For international visitors to Korea,
beauty experiences are expanding beyond cosmetics shopping
to dermatology clinics.
To understand K-beauty today,
we also need to look at changes in the aesthetic treatment market.
2025 International Patient Visits to Korea
Surpassing 2 Million for the First Time on Record
International Patients by Year
2023: 610,000
2024: 1.17 million
2025: 2.01 million
International patients in 2025: 2.01 million
Dermatology visits: 1.31 million (62.9%)
2025 Breakdown by Medical Specialty
Dermatology: 62.9% (1.31 million)
Other specialties: 37.1% (approx. 750,000)
Total: 2.01 million (100%)
Source: Ministry of Health and Welfare, Republic of Korea (April 2026)
More Aesthetic Treatments.
What Does That Mean for Skincare?
You may wonder whether more treatments
could mean less spending on skincare.
But skin care continues after treatment.
Cosmetics are gaining attention as a way
to maintain a daily care routine.
Dermocosmetics Market
2026: USD 41.5 billion
2035: USD 85.7 billion
CAGR: 8.4%
Source: GMI
Medical Aesthetics Market
2026: USD 31.96 billion
2034: USD 89.59 billion
CAGR: 13.75%
Source: Fortune Business Insights
Figures based on the cited market forecasts.
Chart unit: USD 100 million
People who receive aesthetic treatments
are potential dermocosmetics customers.
“Post-Treatment”
Is Everywhere on Today’s Skincare Shelves
Take a closer look at the wording on store displays.
Beyond results such as hydration or brighter-looking skin,
the message now focuses on what comes after treatment.
Dermatology clinics and aesthetic practices
are becoming a starting point for skincare concepts.
Let’s explore this shift.
Text in the store photos
• Hydration and radiance after professional care
• SOS Hydrating Modeling Essence
• Institut Esthederm Cellular Water Watery Essence
• One-step care even after intensive skin treatments
• Self-Toning Care
• No. 1 Post-Treatment Recovery Cream
This shift goes beyond products
designed specifically for post-treatment use.
Ingredients first encountered in dermatology clinics
are also attracting attention in everyday skincare.
PDRN is a leading example.
First widely known through skin booster injections,
it has now become familiar enough
to rank No. 1 among search terms on Olive Young.
PDRN
A major breakout ingredient in K-beauty in 2025–2026,
now expanding into sun care, hair care, and makeup.
Medicube PDRN Line
Cumulative Sales as of February 2026
50 Million Units
New PDRN Product Filings in China
First Half of 2026
931 Filings
Beyond Ingredients,
Look at the Concerns Treatments Address
Familiar ingredients are only one source
of inspiration from aesthetic treatments.
The concerns consumers want to address through treatment
can also become a starting point for new products.
One example is volume.
Facial Volume Concerns
• Hollow temples
• Under-eye hollows
• Sunken cheeks
Related Treatments
• Dermal fillers
• Autologous fat grafting
• Collagen-stimulating injections
Volufiline™:
Back in Focus with the Medicalization Trend
Remember Volufiline™,
the ingredient once promoted as a “topical filler”?
Previously popular in volume-care products,
Volufiline™ is attracting renewed attention
alongside the medicalization trend.
1. Toxnfill Volume Shot Lip Serum
Volufiline™ 50,000 ppm
2. Abib PDRN Volume Fill-it Booster 2.5 Tube
PDRN + Volufiline™ 10,000 ppm
3. d’Alba Intensive Volufiline Ampoule
Volufiline™ 50,000 ppm
Volufiline™ was developed using an ingredient
derived from Anemarrhena asphodeloides root,
based on a mechanism that promotes
adipocyte differentiation and lipid accumulation.
PAST
Products for fuller-looking body contours
EXPANDING APPLICATIONS
PRESENT
Products targeting fullness in specific facial areas
Previously associated with body-volume products,
Volufiline™ is now drawing interest
for targeted facial care.
Even the same ingredient can inspire a new product concept
when connected to a different area or concern
Which Skin Concern
Will Inspire the Next Skincare Product?
From PDRN, familiar through aesthetic treatments,
to Volufiline™, focused on volume-related concerns.
Skincare development is expanding
from choosing which ingredients to include
to deciding which concerns to address—and how.
Planning your next product?
Look to the ingredients, principles, and care goals
behind aesthetic treatments
for ideas that can translate into everyday skincare.
PDRN
An ingredient familiar through aesthetic treatments
Volufiline™
A specific concern: fullness
NEXT?
Which skin concern deserves attention next?
COSEED
MAGAZINE
Discover the next beauty trend
and new possibilities in cosmetics
with COSEEDBIOPHARM.
Business Inquiries
mkd@coseed.co.kr
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