This is a guide for anyone considering getting a LAMS procedure done in Korea.
LAMS is a Korean ”invention” that is a great alternative to a standard liposuction. LAMS is perfect for you if you want results similar to those after lipo but a shorter and easier recovery.
Whether you are browsing or looking for concrete information about LAMS, this guide is for you. It will cover all the essentials, such as:
- What is a LAMS procedure
- Benefits of LAMS vs. liposuction
- Cost of LAMS in Korea
- Top LAMS clinics in Korea
- Much, much more
This guide will contain all the essentials you need on your journey to a successful LAMS in Korea.
Let’s start with first going over what LAMS is and its benefits:
Table of Contents
ToggleWhat Is LAMS In Korea
LAMS or Local Anesthetic Minimally-Invasive Liposuction, or mini-liposuction, is a procedure from Korea that offers a unique approach to fat reduction.
It combines liposuction and fat-dissolving injections, which helps LAMS be more efficient than fat-dissolving injections and less invasive than traditional liposuction.
You can get LAMS for any part of your body but note, that not a lot of fat can be removed with it. One of the most common areas is the arms.
It is a perfect solution for those, wanting to get similar results to liposuction without having any major procedures done.
How Does It Work
LAMS is a combination of both liposuction and fat-dissolving injections. Here is how it utilizes both procedures simultaneously:
- Fat-dissolving injections: Injecting them, helps dissolve some fat before undergoing the liposuction part of the procedure
- Liposuction: Used to suck out excess fat and to shape the treated area
Both procedures are done together, without general anesthesia or larger needles/cannulas for fat extraction.
After some time, the fat-dissolving injections also start helping your body break down the remaining fat cells and remove them naturally.
LAMS can take anywhere from 30 minutes to about 1 hour. It is done under local anesthesia so you are fully awake during the procedure.
Recovery
One of the main benefits of LAMS is a shorter and much easier recovery than liposuction. However, there are still some things we want to point out.
Due to its minimally invasive nature, discomfort during and after the procedure is minimal and goes away fast.
There is no hospitalization required so you can leave almost immediately after the procedure. Take it easy for the first 24 hours and rest up.
Expect some mild bruising, pain, and swelling for a few days. However, it should all subside quickly.
Korean clinics recommend different aftercare treatments to help sculpt the body more. However, these are not a must, results will be visible without them.
There might be a small scar left after the procedure, but it is barely visible and fades away nicely over time.
Results Expectations
You can expect to see results immediately after the surgery. However, you will need to wait a few days for the final results to set in.
Results depend from person to person as each body reacts differently to fat-dissolving injections.
After all the bruising and swelling go down, that is when results start to show. On top of that, fat-dissolving injections help reduce fat over time so they contribute to the results too.
Don’t expect that you can have permanent results without doing anything. Proper diet and exercise are key to maintaining results.
Even though Korean clinics like to advertise it that way, LAMS is not a treatment and solution for obesity.
Benefits Of LAMS
Since LAMS is a combination of liposuction and fat-dissolving injections, it draws benefits from both of the procedures.
Because of this, LAMS has some great benefits compared to liposuction and some great benefits compared to fat-dissolving injections.
In the end, the main difference is in the price, recovery, procedure, and results.
LAMS Vs. Liposuction
Both procedures target fat in stubborn areas of your body and remove it. However, one is far more invasive than the other. Here are the main differences/benefits:
- Anesthesia: LAMS is done under local anesthesia while lipo is done under general/sleeping anesthesia
- Scarring/stitches: LAMS leaves small hole-like puncture scars and needs no stitches while lipo leaves a larger scar and needs stitches to close the incision
- Price: LAMS is significantly cheaper than your standard liposuction but still gets you similar or even better results
- Recovery: Since LAMS is minimally invasive, recovery after is simpler and quicker while it takes longer to recover after lipo and it’s a more difficult recovery too
Overall, LAMS provides similar or better results for a lower price, no general anesthesia, a faster recovery, and almost no scarring after the procedure.
However, LAMS is only recommended to those, who don’t wish to have lots of fat removed. For those who want that, liposuction is a better option.
LAMS Vs. Fat-Dissolving Injections
The main difference here is in the results and the price.
Both LAMS and fat-dissolving injections have fast and simple recovery, injections being a bit faster but not much of a difference.
As for the results, LAMS can get you far more defined results and a sculpted body.
Fat-dissolving injections are great for those not want to undergo any procedures. Plus, fat-dissolving injections are quite cheaper than LAMS.
We recommend fat-dissolving injections to those not having much time in Korea or those who do not need a lot of fat removed and don’t mind injections.
Alternatives To LAMS
If you feel like LAMS is not a good solution for you, there are some alternatives to it. However, the results from these other procedures won’t be the same.
Here are our recommendations for alternatives for LAMS:
- Liposuction: A more invasive procedure that can remove more fat but has a longer recovery, costs more, and leaves a bigger scar
- Fat-dissolving injections: A faster procedure with almost no recovery, way cheaper, but doesn’t get you as defined results as LAMS or lipo
- CoolSculpting: A relatively cheap and fully non-invasive procedure, that has almost no downtime, but cannot guarantee results as good as with LAMS
We linked our guides for those procedures if you decide that LAMS is not a good solution for you.
Note, that none of these procedures are a substitute for a healthy diet and normal weight loss. These are more or less meant to remove stubborn fat which doesn’t go away with exercise and diet.
Cost Of LAMS In Korea
Prices for LAMS in Korea start at around 1,630,000 KRW (= 1,200$) for about 100cc of fat removed.
However, this is only a starting price for this procedure. Several factors influence the final cost of your LAMS procedure. Some of the more noticeable are:
- Areas treated: You can have multiple areas treated with LAMS, but the price will be higher
- Amount of fat removed: You can have less or more than 100cc – usually you have less, which means a lower price
- Extra medication, and aftercare necessities: You have to pay extra for this but clinics will write you a prescription for a pharmacy, where you can get everything. For LAMS, this does not exceed 136,000 KRW (= 100$)
So as we said, the above price for LAMS is only a starting figure. In the end, it can be higher or lower (depending on discounts, etc.).
Note, that the price can go as high as 14,000,000 KRW (= 9,400$) if you have multiple areas treated and lots of fat removed.
Another thing about Korean prices is that they are more or less all-inclusive. This means that things like VAT, anesthesia, operating room fees, etc. are already in the price.
Cost Compared To Liposuction
The procedure which has similar results to LAMS is a traditional liposuction. In Korea, LAMS is way cheaper than lipo, which is why it’s very popular.
Here is what you can expect to pay on average for liposuction:
- 7,500,000 KRW (=5,500 $) in Korea
- 4,850,000 KRW (=3,600 $) in the US
- 6,070,000 KRW (=4,500 $) in Australia
As you can see, not only is LAMS significantly cheaper than traditional liposuction in Korea, but it’s also at least 3 times compared to the US.
Now the main reason for such low prices is that LAMS was invented in Korea. You will rarely find similar procedures outside Korea.
Even though the fact that it’s done only in Korea should mean higher prices, the competition between clinics counters all that.
In Seoul, there are over 500 clinics so, to attract customers, clinics offer very competitive prices.
Since it’s cheaper than liposuction, gets you very similar or even better results, and is minimally invasive with a quick recovery, LAMS is a popular alternative to lipo.
Lower The Cost Even Morea
LAMS is already very cheap in Korea, but that doesn’t mean you can lower your final cost even more.
These are the tips we got from personal experience, people who had surgery in Korea, locals, etc. We used them and they worked, so we recommend you try the same ones.
If you want to learn more about lowering the cost or need help with booking, we know all the risks and what to avoid. You can reach out to us at info@seoul.clinic and we will help you free of charge!
Paying In Full
If you can, never pick a deferred payment or payment in installments. Clinics prefer if you pay in full, so they might offer a discount of up to 10% on the final price.
We suggest asking about this discount before booking an appointment since this is the best way to actually get it in the end.
Writing A Positive Review
This one is a bit controversial but works regardless. Korean clinics like good publicity and will offer discounts if you write a positive review about them.
However, these are not forced and they will only ask you if you liked the experience and are satisfied with the results. We will talk more about such reviews later in the guide.
Tax Refund
If you are a foreign patient and had plastic surgery in Korea, then you can get a VAT refund when leaving.
This is a great way to get some money back since the only requirement is that you are not a Korean citizen.
Keep all your invoices and look for tax refund machines at airports, train stations, etc.
Why Is LAMS In Korea A Great Choice
Korea is famous across the world as the ”plastic surgery capital of the world”. They are at the top for plastic surgery in results and popularity.
KPop and Korean beauty standards have a big influence on plastic surgery and are one of the main causes why it’s so good.
Koreans also invest a ton of money into plastic. For reference, in 2020, the Korean plastic surgery industry was worth well over $10 billion.
However, those are not the only reasons why having LAMS in Korea is a great choice as opposed to having liposuction or similar procedures elsewhere.
Cost-Efficiency And Affordability
LAMS is a very cheap and efficient alternative to liposuction.
If we compare the cost of LAMS in Korea to the cost of liposuction in other popular destinations like the US or Australia, LAMS is at least 3 times cheaper.
This is possible because of all the money invested and the technology Korean plastic surgery has. LAMS comes from Korea and certain Korean clinics perfected the procedure.
Advanced technology and modern equipment help clinics lower the cost of surgery as well as certain staff costs. This leads to lower prices for customers.
On top of that, there are plenty of ways you can save money on LAMS in Korea.
Advanced Equipment
We already mentioned how much money is in the Korean plastic surgery industry. This allows clinics and surgeons to invent and develop new equipment and techniques.
With the help of large investments, clinics can have modern facilities and only the best equipment and technology available.
LAMS is just one of the inventions of Korean clinics. The first clinic to introduce it was 365mc Medical Group, a clinic from Seoul.
Since LAMS comes from Korea, they only have the latest available technology and equipment for it, which allows them to only the best results.
Experienced And Skilled Surgeons
Korean surgeons are one of the most skilled and the ones with plenty of experience. The fact that they perform over 1,000,000 procedures yearly only speaks in favor of their skills and experience.
They also perform lots of LAMS procedures, as it’s one of the more popular ways of getting fat removed and shaping the body in Korea.
Since Koreans also invented LAMS, they are the most skilled in performing it. They perfected the techniques and with only the best equipment, can guarantee great results.
Not only that, but they are also specialized. You won’t find a surgeon who is not specialized in at least one category of plastic procedures.
The Best LAMS Clinics In Seoul
The most important thing about getting LAMS in Korea is selecting the best clinics for it.
Lucky for you, there are only a few credible clinics offering LAMS in Korea, and the best one is 365mc Medical Group. They are located in the Seocho district of Seoul.
365mc is also the clinic that invented LAMS and is now the best choice for it and some other fat-related procedures.
If you need any help with booking a consultation with 365mc, booking the procedure, finding accommodation, translators, transport, etc., we are here to help you.
We once went through everything and we know what to avoid and how to get the best deal possible. You can reach out to us at info@seoul.clinic. We will help you with everything for free!
Specialization
Specialization is very important when it comes to finding a good clinic.
As for LAMS, if a clinic performs it, this means they get approval and have the skills and equipment to do it properly.
The best choice is 365mc Medical Group, a clinic that invented LAMS. They are also one of the few clinics in Seoul that specializes only in fat-related procedures (lipo, LAMS).
We recommend 365mc because they invented LAMS and are the best one at performing. A team of specialized surgeons and doctors is there to ensure you get the best results.
Reviews
Another important thing when selecting a clinic is customer reviews, and 365mc has a ton of good ones.
Customer reviews are a great way of getting plenty of information about the clinic such as:
- Treatment of patients (foreign and local)
- Communication (online, in-person, after the procedure)
- Aftercare and help with recovery
- Results (pictures, whether or not they are good, …)
These are just some of the things that should be your focus points when reading reviews of a certain clinic, in this case, 365mc. Here is an example of a review:
This is a somewhat decent review that gives you some valuable information. It tells you about communication (translators, responsive staff, …), it warns you about a possible waiting time, …
However, it’s impossible to get all the information from one review. That is why we suggest you look at multiple different ones for all procedures.
We tend to use Google reviews when researching clinics but some other sites like Reddit, WhatClinic, PurseForum, … are also good options.
Lastly, we should warn you about fake positive reviews. These are the reviews that seem overly positive and exaggerate lots of things.
Even though such reviews are not completely fake – they are written by someone who had a positive experience with the clinic, they are still ”too perfect”.
State-Of-The-Art Facilities
It’s important that a clinic you pick has amazing facilities that are not lacking in any aspect.
365mc has everything a clinic specializing in LAMS should have. It’s a modern clinic that uses only the latest equipment to perform its procedures.
They also have rooms where patients can recover and relax after the procedure. The clinic is very accommodating to foreign patients, helping them with travel, accommodations, etc.
Having state-of-the-art facilities is the only way that a clinic can guarantee safety during the procedure and also get you great results.
Korean clinics all follow very strict standards that are the same as the ones for hospitals. Safety is something that can be guaranteed at almost every clinic in Korea.
Consulation
To finish it all up, Korea is the best choice for LAMS, as you will get the best results and experience there.
Being the only country where LAMS is done, it might seem self-explanatory that they are the best. However, results from Korean LAMS are on par with top lipo clinics across the world, and for a fraction of a price.
Compared to the cost of lipo in other popular destinations, LAMS in Korea is at least 3 times cheaper.
Plus, because of the skills and experience of Korean surgeons, getting LAMS in Korea is a safe choice.
As for the clinics, 365mc is one of the few offering LAMS, and they have only the latest and most advanced equipment available. They are, in our opinion, the best choice for LAMS in Korea.
If you need any help with booking a consult, procedures, hotels, etc., or have any questions about LAMS, don’t hesitate to contact us. We will help you as soon as possible and for free.
FAQ
What is the LAMS procedure in Korea?
LAMS or Local Anesthetic Minimally-Invasive Liposuction, or mini-liposuction, is a procedure from Korea that offers a unique approach to fat reduction.
It is a minimally invasive ”liposuction” that uses two different methods. Fat-dissolving injections help dissolve the fat while liposuction then removes it.
It’s an innovative method of reducing and removing fat that requires no incision and has a fast recovery time.
How much does LAMS cost in Korea?
Prices for LAMS in Korea start at around 1,630,000 KRW (= 1,200$) for about 100cc of fat removed.
However, this is only a starting price for this procedure. Several factors influence the final cost of your LAMS procedure.
The final cost of LAMS can go as high as 14,000,000 KRW (= 9,400$), but it all depends on factors like areas treated, fat removed, extra medication, etc.