Facial fat grafting cost in Korea is driven mainly by how many zones of the face are filled, followed by where the fat is taken from, how it is processed, the type of anesthesia and whether a second session is built into the plan. Most clinics quote per zone, such as temples, cheeks or under-eye grooves, or as a full-face package. Cell-enriched processing and general anesthesia both raise the total. Quotes are shown before VAT, and 10% VAT is added at payment. A written quote should list each zone, the processing method, the anesthesia, follow-up visits and top-up terms, so offers can be compared on the same basis.
Guide
How many face zones are filled, and why that leads the bill
Surgeons divide the face into zones and price the work around them: temples, forehead, the area between the brows, cheeks, the groove under the eyes, the lines beside the mouth and the chin. One or two zones is a short case; a full-face plan of five or more zones means a much longer operation.
Zones do not take equal effort. Under-eye skin is thin, so the surgeon uses a finer cannula and tiny amounts to avoid visible lumps. The forehead and brow area sit near vessels that need extra care. Higher fees for these zones than for the cheeks are not unusual.
Guide
Does the harvest site change what you pay?
Fat usually comes from the abdomen, thighs or flanks, and the harvest is a modest part of the cost. It grows when a slim patient needs two donor sites, or when the donor area is also reshaped, which becomes a separate body procedure with its own fee.
Paying for a particular donor site does not appear to buy a longer-lasting face. A 2015 systematic review by Yu and colleagues in the Chinese Medical Journal found no clinical evidence that any donor or recipient site gives a better survival rate. Choose the donor site by how much spare fat you have and where a small scar will bother you least.
Guide
Standard processing versus cell-enriched fat
After harvest, the fat is cleaned before it goes back in, by gentle centrifuge spinning, filtering or washing. Some surgeons also break it into very fine particles for the under-eye area. These steps add little to the price.
Cell-enriched grafting, often marketed as stem cell or cell-assisted fat, concentrates extra cells from part of the harvest and mixes them back into the graft. It needs more equipment, tissue and time, so it is quoted as an add-on. In a 2023 meta-analysis in Annals of Plastic Surgery, Karam and colleagues reviewed 8 studies with 275 participants and found higher mean volume retention with cell-enriched facial grafts, with no significant difference in infection rate; routine grafting had shorter operating time.
| Processing route | What happens to the fat | Effect on time and cost |
|---|---|---|
| Centrifuged or filtered fat | Oil, blood and fluid separated before injection | Part of the base fee |
| Very finely broken fat | Passed through fine filters for thin-skinned zones | Small add-on in some clinics |
| Cell-enriched fat | Extra cells concentrated and mixed back in | Longer operation, separate fee |
Guide
Local anesthesia with sedation or general anesthesia
One or two zones are often done under local anesthesia with intravenous sedation. A full-face case, or grafting combined with other facial surgery, more often uses general anesthesia, which adds an anesthesiologist, monitoring and a longer recovery-room stay to the bill. Ask who provides it and which monitoring is used; it matters for safety too.
Guide
Planned top-ups and what a full quote should spell out
Because part of the graft is reabsorbed, some surgeons plan a smaller second session months later. For a visitor that means a second trip, which can outweigh the fee gap between two clinics.
Clinics may include one top-up within a set period, offer it at a reduced rate or charge it as a new procedure. Read the time window and covered zones before paying a deposit.
- Each zone and the planned approach
- Harvest site and any donor-area reshaping
- Processing method and add-ons
- Anesthesia type and provider
- Follow-up visits and top-up terms
- Price before VAT, plus 10% VAT at payment
Guide
Serious risks belong in the consultation, not the small print
Lumps and oil cysts can mean paid extra visits. Rare but grave events also exist: the Yu review counted 21 severe complications in the literature, including vision loss, stroke and a small number of deaths, mostly linked to fat entering an artery. A lower fee should never come from skipping blunt cannulas, small volumes or slow injection. The site's separate guide to graft survival and risks covers these in detail.
Evidence
Research behind this page
- A Systemic Review of Autologous Fat Grafting Survival Rate and Related Severe ComplicationsChinese Medical Journal · 2015 · doi:10.4103/0366-6999.156142
Pooling 16 clinical and 10 animal studies, it found facial graft survival of 30 to 83 percent, no clinical evidence that donor site matters, and 21 reported severe complications.
- Stem Cell–Enriched Fat Grafts Versus Autologous Fat Grafts for Facial ReconstructionAnnals of Plastic Surgery · 2023 · doi:10.1097/sap.0000000000003553
Across 8 studies with 275 participants, stem cell-enriched facial grafts retained more volume, with no significant difference in infection rate.
FAQ
Questions about Vline Lipo in Gangnam
Is fat transfer to the face priced per zone or per amount of fat?
Most clinics in Korea price fat transfer to the face per zone or as a full-face package rather than by the exact amount injected. The volume in each zone is decided during surgery and can change once the surgeon sees how the tissue responds. Some quotes still give an expected volume range. Ask for both the zone list and the expected volume, so you can see whether another offer covers the same plan.
Do cell-enriched fat grafts cost more than standard grafts?
Yes, cell-enriched grafting is usually an add-on because it needs extra equipment, extra harvested tissue and a longer operation. The 2023 Karam meta-analysis found these grafts kept more volume on average in facial cases, though it rests on only 8 studies. Ask what the clinic adds and how it is prepared, and whether a standard graft with a planned top-up would meet your goal instead.
Why can two clinics quote very different totals for the same face?
Differences usually come from what each quote includes rather than from the injection itself. One clinic may count four zones where another counts six, or include general anesthesia, medication, follow-up and a top-up that another lists separately. Put every quote into the same list of items before comparing. A clear explanation of the plan is often worth more than a lower headline figure.
Is a second session charged again in full?
Not always; clinics handle a second session in three common ways: included within a set period, offered at a reduced rate, or charged as a new procedure. Terms also differ on whether stored fat or a fresh harvest is used. Read the time window and zones covered before you pay a deposit, and remember that a second session also means a second trip to Korea.
Are fat grafting quotes in Korea shown including VAT?
Quotes are normally shown before VAT, and 10% VAT is added at payment. This applies to the surgery fee and to add-ons such as cell enrichment or a top-up session. When you compare offers, check that each one is stated on the same basis, and budget for the VAT on top of every figure you are quoted, including any deposit paid before travel.