Exclusive Interview with Dr Moon Seop Choi: the Latest Gangnam Style Non-Surgical Face Lifting
Wonder why popular Korean superstar Lee Min Ho is constantly looking at his best?
Today, through an exclusive interview with Mr Lee’s physician, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon Dr Moon Seop Choi, IFAAS is to uncover the secrets behind his Gangnam Style non-surgical face lifting technique that also helped many other Korean celebrities in up-keeping their perfect images.
About Dr Moon Seop Choi
IFAAS Faculty
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, South Korea
Director of Grace Aesthetic Surgery Clinic, Seoul, South Korea
Attending Assisting Professor of Seoul St. Mary Hospital
Panel Member on Blepharoplasty, Breast and Non-Surgical Aesthetic Injectables Expert Groups, Korean Society of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeons
Check out the highlights of the exclusive interview below:
1. IFAAS Q: Dr Choi, What are the procedures that you most specialised in?
Dr Choi A: I’m currently on the board of 3 expert panels under The Korean Society of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeons, including Blepharoplasty, breast surgery, as well as the non-surgical aesthetic injectable treatments. Naturally, my practice is build around these procedures.
2. IFAAS Q: For the specific procedures you are most specialised in, do you see differences in patients' expectations between Western and Oriental? and what are the differences in the techniques used?
Dr Choi A: Biologically, Oriental faces are often wider and flatter, whereas Westerners’ faces appear to be more tridimensional.Therefore Oriental patients prefer to have procedures done to reduce their cheekbones, while Westerners sees higher cheekbones more desirable.
For Blepharoplasty,, Oriental patients want to achieve bigger eyes through the surgery. However, eye lid surgeries are more commonly done to get rid of droopy eye-lids among Western patients.
For rhinoplasty, Oriental patients prefer to enhance the height and tip of the nose. While in most cases, Westerners would very much prefer a reduction surgery that remove the bump on their nose.
Regardless of Western or Oriental faces, Doctors need to operate depending on the face shape of the patient and focus on what they want.
3. IFAAS Q: Do you think its applicable for western doctors to use Korean's techniques in their practice?
Dr Choi A: For generations, Western doctors are leading the trends in the aesthetic industry, Korean doctors have to travel overseas to learn new techniques. However, in the recent years, booming cosmetic industry and fierce competition in the market has formed Korea into a popular aesthetic medical hub, attracting many foreign doctors to come here instead on learning the latest advancements.
Different techniques are designed uniquely to fit different bone structures and aesthetic needs, thus certain oriental techniques may not be applicable for western patients. However, I found out through the IFAAS course we were just teaching over the weekend, thread lifting actually works better for Western patients. Western skins are much thinner compared to the Oriental skin, thus you can see more instant lifting results from them post the procedure, if the thread insertion design is being implemented correctly.
4. IFAAS Q: There are only 2 FDA approved absorbable threads available in the market at the moment, during the workshop, we were teaching non-surgical face lifting using FDA-approved MINT. At the same time, we heard that you used Silhouette Soft threads in the past as well. Can you please share with us what are the differences between them?
Dr Choi A: When it comes to threads, there are only 2 factors to take note of:
Lifting power and longevity.
For MINT threads, their molding cogs are stiff, tight and hard, that give doctors stronger lifting power for achieving better lifting results instantly. MINT is made of PDO so its longevity is 6-9 months long.
Silhouette Soft threads on the other hand, are finer, smaller in diameter, resulting in minor lifting power. However, it is made of PLLA threads so have a longevity of over a year.
Ultimately, I do think MINT Lifting helps doctors achieve better results due to the stronger lifting power. Moreover, it’s always nice to build rapport with the patients , have them come to see you now and then to track the results , and if necessary, insert a few more threads to maintain the long-lasting face-lifting effects. And I guess that’s why Mint in despite being the new kid (4 years) on the block is taking over the market share by storm.
5. IFAAS Q: Do share with us one secret of your Gangnam Style non-surgical face-lifting technique?
Dr Choi A: I like to use combination therapies. In order to achieve optimal lifting and rejuvenation results, I combine laser for the reduction of the fat tissue, ultratherapy to tighten the lines and wrinkles, and at last use MINT-lift threads’ to create instant lifting results.
This combination therapy is particularly good for some patients who are not ready for surgical face lift but still want to look at their best through non-surgical means.
Hope the insights Dr Choi has shared in this exclusive interview are going to help you better your practice. Taking this opportunity, we would like to thank Dr Choi again for being one of the faculties for IFAAS's hands-on master class on Korean Advanced Minimally Invasive Combination Therapy that was just happened in Seoul, South Korea last week.
The special hands-on course attracted delegates coming from 10 different countries and was a great success. The delegates particularly appreciated Dr Choi sharing the first hand knowledge on the latest Korean advancements in minimally invasive combination therapy, and all managed to master the skills taught through the hands-on training across 3 days.
Missed the event? Don’t worry! Click here to check out the event album & watch exclusive video captured during the course.
To learn more about the latest Korean advancements for Non-Surgical Face Lifting by registering for
Region's 1st Hands-On Master Class on
Latest Korean Non-Surgical Face Lifting Techniques using Aesthetic Injectables, Devices and Thread Lifting
2 Days Power Packed Training Program: Theory + Live Demonstration + Hands-on Training
8 Live Demonstration Cases Showing Step-By-Step Procedure
6 Hours Hands-On Training with Maximum Live Patients Practice Experience
Gain Proficiency to Perform and Launch New Procedures Right After the Training
Become Region's Pioneer on Korean Non-Surgical Face Lift Techniques with No/Minimum Competitions
Available Master Class Dates and Venues
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