REPIC Clinic Myeongdong — Dermatology Clinic
Sagging and loss of firmness
Sagging happens in layers: the surface skin, the dermis, the SMAS layer under it, and fat that has dropped. Each layer has its own tool, and most faces need more than one.
What usually causes it
- 01
Thin surface skin
The top layers have lost collagen and water. Skin looks papery and lined but has not actually dropped yet.
How we tell them apart
- Fine lines that show when you smile or squint
- Crepey texture on the cheeks, neck or under the eyes
- The jawline is still where it was
What we'd suggest, by cause
RF (Thermage FLX · Density)
RF energy delivered to the dermis stimulates the skin to rebuild collagen it has lost.
Re2O · CellRedm
A skin booster that fills the extracellular matrix — the scaffold collagen sits on — to support renewal.
Collagen boosters (Juvelook, Sculptra, COLLAUM)
- JUVELOOKJUVELOOK Skin 4cc 3 Sessions1,050,000 KRW
- SculptraSculptra 1/2 vial 1 Session600,000 KRW
- COLLAUMCOLLAUM 240 2cc 1 Session280,000 KRW
Rebuild the skin's own collagen over months.
Skin boosters (Rejuran Healer, Belotero Revive)
Water and repair for the top layer.
- 02
Dermal laxity
The dermis has lost its spring. Skin pinches up easily and settles back slowly. Heat-based RF works at this depth.
How we tell them apart
- Pinch the cheek: it takes a beat to settle back
- Pores stretching into teardrops
- Softening around the mouth and cheeks, not yet the jaw
What we'd suggest, by cause
- 03
SMAS layer (deep sagging)
The muscle-fascia layer that holds the face up has loosened. This is what makes jowls and a softened jawline. Ultrasound reaches it; surface treatments do not.
How we tell them apart
- Jowls or a blurred jawline
- Lifting the skin at the temple with a finger fixes most of it
- Nasolabial folds and marionette lines deepened together
What we'd suggest, by cause
Ultherapy / Ultherapy Prime
Shurink Universe
Thread lifting (Jamber, Mint)
A mechanical lift for when energy devices are not enough.
- 04
Dropped fat and heaviness
Fat in the lower face has slid, or there is simply too much of it. Tightening skin over extra weight does not hold. Reduce first, then lift.
How we tell them apart
- The lower face is fuller than the upper face
- A double chin even at a normal weight
- Pinching gives a thick fold, not a thin one
What we'd suggest, by cause
V-Olet
Inmode Lifting
Reduces fat and tightens in the same session.
Diagnosis comes first
What we look for first is which layer moved. Thin, crepey skin is a surface problem. Loss of bounce when you pinch is the dermis. A jawline that has slid is the SMAS. A heavy lower face is fat. The scan puts a number on elasticity so we can track it over time.
At the Myeongdong clinic a consultant goes through your concern with you, and the Mark-Vu/Meta-Vu scan and report set the plan from there.
Good to know
- Energy treatments build over months as new collagen forms. The day-after look is not the result.
- Layers stack. A common plan is ultrasound for the SMAS plus RF for the dermis, spaced apart.
- Ultherapy and Thermage have little visible downtime, which is why they suit a short trip. Threads need more care afterward.
Common questions
Thermage or Ultherapy?
Different layers. Thermage FLX heats the dermis; Ultherapy reaches the SMAS. Loose, thin skin leans Thermage. A dropped jawline leans Ultherapy. Many people need both, and the scan and exam decide the order.
When will I see a change?
Little on the day. Gradual change over months as collagen builds. Judge it at the follow-up, not the next morning.
Can I do this on a short trip?
Yes for most energy devices: minimal downtime, no bandages. Threads and fat-dissolving need a little more recovery, so tell us your dates.
Other concerns
Results vary from person to person. A doctor decides on treatment after examining you, and nothing on this page is a promise of outcome.