RoDam Korean Medical Clinic specializes in CORA Therapy, Korean acupuncture treatments to minimize the effects of scarring. Another of their specialties is diet medication using ingredients from Korean traditional medicine.
About RoDam Korean Medical Clinic
RoDam Korean Medical Clinic was opened in 2006, starting with its Gangnam branch. Currently, there are a total of 8 branches in operation.
RoDam Korean Medical Clinic’s Gangnam branch consists of nine staff and four doctors. The two areas of medicine that the clinic focuses on are Saesal-Chim CORA Therapy (Korean acupuncture treatment for scars) and Korean diet programs.
About CORA Therapy: Korean Acupuncture Scar Treatment
The ‘CORA’ in CORA Therapy stands for Collagen Regeneration Acupuncture Therapy.
Acupuncture is an essential component of both general alternative medicine and traditional Korean medicine. It is a procedure in which thin needles are inserted into the body. While the general concept is the same for all forms of acupuncture, there are actually several variations of the procedure.
Acupuncture is present in traditional medicine around the world, and there is no singular origin. As a result, you can find many different variations of the procedure depending on the country and philosophical background of practitioners.
CORA Therapy is one type of acupuncture. The purpose of this procedure is to treat various types of pitting scars, or indented scars. Forms of scars this procedure can treat include acne scars, surgical scars, mole removal scars, varicella scars, herpes zoster scars, etc.
In South Korea, many hospitals perform procedures similar to CORA Therapy. However, the origin of this type of acupuncture actually originated at RoDam Korean Medical Clinic in 2006. In 2012, academic research examining CORA Therapy was published in a Korean academic journal (KCI), popularizing the procedure.
Principles of CORA Therapy
You may be wondering how acupuncture can cure various pitting scars. So, allow us to break down exactly how this treatment method works.
Before the procedure, RoDam Korean Medical Clinic’s doctors apply anesthetic cream on the scar that is being treated. After waiting 20 to 30 minutes, the area becomes numb enough for the treatment to proceed with minimal pain.
Patients may experience a poking sensation. However, pain is very minimal, even patients as young as seven years old can tolerate the procedure. Additionally, the clinic cares a lot about hygiene so they make sure that all needles are thoroughly sterilized before CORA Therapy begins.
The needles that are used for the procedures are incision needles. They are tiny needles that can cut bonded fibrous tissues under scars. After cutting bonded fibrous tissues several times, it creates space under the skin. This space can be filled with collagen, and it has a permanent filling effect. Overall, it allows you to generate new skin cells that can fill in the scar.
Redness may occur after the procedure, however, it should calm within a week or two. Additionally, the number of procedures needed for full treatment will vary. The effectiveness of the procedure varies depending on the shape and depth of the scars. However, on average, new skin cells will completely fill in the scar after four treatment rounds. Normally treatment rounds are set at two-week intervals, however, intervals can exceed two weeks.
How Korean Acupuncture Fills in Scars
First Step) Normal, tight skin before injury.
Second Step) Skin after injury, that has deteriorated in regeneration ability (acne, chickenpox, surgical scars, etc).
Third Step) Korean acupuncture breaks up bonded fibrous tissues and creates room for new skin cells to form.
Fourth Step) Skin begins to regain its regeneration abilities
Fifth Step) New skin cells begin to generate. As the process continues, sunken scars are filled.
Sixth Step) As new skin cells form, dead skin cells are exfoliated. Eventually, the skin rises to the height of normal skin.
After CORA Therapy Korean Acupuncture Scar Treatment
After receiving Cora Therapy in the clinic, there is some aftercare that patients should do at home.
The first task is to apply regenerative cream to the scar area for skin regeneration, which can be applied every day in the morning and evening. The regenerative cream can be purchased at Rodham Korean Medical Clinic. Secondly, customers must apply sunscreen when they go outside. Finally, patients need to avoid exercise, alcohol, and saunas. These three can raise the temperature of the skin and can cause an inflammatory reaction.
CORA Therapy Examples
In each of the following series of images, you can see the progression of Korean acupuncture treatment on scaring. The first image shows before treatment, the second shows during treatment, and in the final image, you can see healed scars after several months of treatment rounds.
Acne Scars
Surgical Scars
Chicken Scars
Removed Mole Scars
Actual Photos of Treatment at Rodham’s Gangnam Branch
Results after four treatment rounds.
Before, during, and after four treatment rounds.
Before, during, and after six treatment rounds.
Cost of CORA Therapy
The cost of CORA Therapy depends on the type of scar and its extension. Usually, tiny scars (less than 1centi-meter) cost 100,000 Won(77 USD). If there are multiple scars in a particular area, the price may be cheaper. Discount programs that apply to the first visit and parallel treatment can be decided upon through consultation. Please refer to the price list below that is set for each part of the face.
| Scar less than 1 cm | 100,000won (77 USD) per round |
| Both Cheeks | 300,000won ~ 650,000won (230 – 500 USD) per round |
| Both Temples | 100,000won ~ 200,000won (77 – 155 USD ) per round |
| Forehead | 150,000won ~ 300,000won (115 – 230 USD) per round |
| Nose | 150,000won ~ 350,000won (115 – 270 USD) per round |
| Middle of the Forehead | 100,000won ~ 150,000won (77 – 115 USD) per round |
| Whole Face | 700,000won ~ 1,000,000won (540 -770 USD ) per round |
Foreigners Are Welcome at RoDam Medical Clinic
As you may know, CORA Therapy is not common overseas. Every year, many foreigners from Japan, China, the United States, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia visit RoDam Medical Clinic. Even for foreigners who do not live in Korea, additional rounds of treatment are available whenever they want to visit Korea. Thus, it is okay if multiple procedure rounds are not performed consecutively.
About RoDam’s Korean Diet Program
RoDam Korean Medical Clinic is well known for its scar treatment. However, the clinic also conducts Korean Diet Programs, prescribing herbal medicine.
The two types of traditional Korean medicines focused on diet control are called ‘Chae-Bi-Talk’ and ‘Jung-Hwa-Hwan’. They are made of natural herbs, that are well-known across Asia. These medicines do not contain any narcotics or opium.
These medicines contain the following ingredients: Astragali Radix, Atractylodis Macrocephalic Tuber, Glycyrrhizae Radix, Ciniamomi Cortex, Zizyphi Intermis Fructus, Angelicae Gigantis Radix, Paeoniae Radix, Rehmaniae Radix. If the customer needs to take these medicines overseas, RoDam’s physicians can fill out a prescription for the customer so they can submit it to customs at the airport.
The Effect of Chae-Bi-Talk
RoDam’s diet herbal medicine(Chae-Bi-Talk) is not just a medicine for weight loss. It also helps to maintain your health by suppressing appetite, promoting body fat decomposition, promoting body fat discharge, promoting metabolic circulation, improving basic metabolism, and controlling satiety.
The Effect of Jung-Hwa-Hwan
Usually, our bodies encounter a lot of stressors including; processed foods, irregular mealtimes, and inadequate sleep. If we go on a diet in this state, our bodies will inevitably accumulate more toxins. So the organs responsible for the release of toxins such as the liver, kidney, etc. may be dysfunctional.
Jung-Hwa-Hwan helps to release toxins accumulated in the body, improving liver, kidney, and intestinal functions, while maximizing body fat decomposition and body fat emission effects. Therefore, Rodham’s doctors highly recommend taking both ‘Chae-Bi-Talk’ and ‘Jung-Hwa-Hwan’ together.
Cost of ‘Chae-Bi-Talk’ & ‘Jung-Hwa-Hwan’
The costs of RoDam’s diet medicines depend on the duration, normally one or two months are prescribed during a single visit. The expiration date is for two years.
| Chae-Bi-Talk | 240,000 KRW (185 USD) for a month |
| Jung-Hwa-Hwan | 90,000 KRW(69 USD) for a month |
Popularity of RoDam Diet Medication Among Japanese Patients
Since 2019, about 7,000 Japanese patients have been prescribed diet herbal medicines at RoDam Korean Medical Clinic. The clinic is steadily attracting Japanese patients through its Japanese bidding company. As a result, they have more than 20,000 Japanese Instagram followers.
Opening of Overseas Branches
RoDam Korean Medical Clinic is planning to open its first overseas branch in Vancouver, Canada next year. Then, they hope to open a second branch in Japan. With this opportunity, we expect to develop our hospital globally.
Location & Reservation
RoDam Gangnam (로담한의원 강남본점) Address: 12 fl Geukdong Building, 596 Gangnamdae-Ro, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul Korean address: 서울 강남구 강남대로 596 극동빌딩 12층 Operating Hours: Mon-Wed: 10:00 AM - 07:00 PM Thu,Fri: 10:00 AM -09:00 PM Sat: 10:00 AM - 05:00 PM Closed: Sundays Break Time: 01:00 PM -02:00 PM Instagram: Rodam_Gangnam Website: skincora.com
