Dermatology or plastic surgery — how are they divided?
The two specialties differ in scope and invasiveness. And a sign reading "dermatology" does not always mean a board-certified dermatologist — Korean signage rules let you tell the difference.
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Dermatology handles skin conditions and non- or minimally-invasive treatments; plastic surgery handles reconstructive and cosmetic operations involving incision.
The two overlap enough that the name of a procedure rarely tells you which door to walk through. What actually decides it is how invasive the work is and what the operator is board-certified in.
Where the two overlap
Lasers, injectables and fillers — anything without an incision — are performed in both. In that overlap, the operator’s experience and the aftercare system matter more than the specialty name. Work involving incision and suturing sits closer to plastic surgery.
Reading the sign
This is the part that trips most people up, and Korean law actually settles it.
| What the sign says | What it means |
|---|---|
| ○○ Dermatology Clinic (○○피부과의원) | The founder is a board-certified dermatologist |
○○ Clinic (○○의원) with a separate Department: Dermatology | Offers dermatology care, but may not be a specialist |
Article 40(4) of the Enforcement Rule of the Medical Service Act lets only a board-certified founder place the specialty and the word “specialist” ahead of the clinic’s own name, or insert the specialty between the name and the institution type. A non-specialist cannot put the specialty inside the name at all; under Article 41 they must display it separately with the word “department”, and that lettering is capped at 50% of the size of the clinic name. That is why it always appears small.
What to verify
Board certification does not guarantee a result, but it tells you what training the person had. HIRA’s detailed medical institution search publishes specialist counts by department for each institution.
Sources: Enforcement Rule of the Medical Service Act, Articles 40 and 41. Last checked 2026-08-30.
Frequently asked questions
Can I tell from the sign whether the doctor is a specialist?
Largely yes. Under Article 40(4) of the Enforcement Rule of the Medical Service Act, only a board-certified specialist may put the specialty inside the clinic's name, as in "○○ Dermatology Clinic". A non-specialist must use "○○ Clinic" and list the department separately.
What does a separate "Department — Dermatology" line on a sign mean?
That the clinic offers dermatology care — not that the doctor is a board-certified dermatologist. Article 41 caps that lettering at 50% of the size of the clinic name.
Can I check how many specialists a clinic has?
Yes. HIRA's detailed medical institution search publishes the number of board-certified specialists per department for each institution.