Had a procedure in Korea: will a clinic back home remove the stitches?
In August 2026, a post became a topic on Girls Channel, a large Japanese women's forum. A dermatology clinic in Japan got a booking call from someone who had cosmetic surgery in Korea and wanted stitches removed and painkillers; the doctor said to decline, since they couldn't take over care midway. The thread passed 400 comments.
What the replies said
- Most said declining was the obvious call: you can't take responsibility for continuing another clinic's unknown procedure
- Plan your budget and schedule to stay until the stitches come out, from the start
- A harsher view: if you can't afford repeat trips, don't have it done abroad at all
- Medical care should happen in a language you understand without an interpreter
- A debate over whether treating complications of cosmetic procedures should use public health insurance, with many saying it should be self-paid
- Comments that seemed to come from medical staff noted similar "clean-up" problems with some cosmetic clinics in Japan too
Most comments were negative about having procedures abroad at all, and nearly everyone agreed: think about aftercare back home before you book.
Desk note Japan's Consumer Affairs Agency lists four things to check before cosmetic medical treatment: can you explain the drugs or products used yourself, do you understand the risks and side effects as well as the benefits, were you told about other options and chose for yourself, and do you need it right now. The first one also helps if you later see a different clinic at home. In Japan, the consumer hotline 188 points you to where to get advice.
If you have a procedure abroad, how would you plan for aftercare back home?
Original thread: Girls Channel (Japan) — A patient who had surgery in Korea called to book stitch removal · Reference: Consumer Affairs Agency (Japan)
Some of this can be prevented by how you plan the trip. When booking, ask the clinic when stitches come out or the follow-up check is, and book a return flight that lets you stay until then. Leave with a written note of the medicines and the procedure. If the dates simply don't work, save that procedure for the next trip. On short trips, just avoiding "treatment on the last day" gives you more options if something goes wrong.