A stem cell injection in Korea at an aesthetic clinic most often means a fat transfer: a small amount of your own fat is suctioned, washed and broken down into microfat or nanofat, which carries fat-derived stem cells along with other tissue, then injected into the face or the backs of the hands. Some doctors blend in platelet-rich plasma made from your blood. Cell-free culture products are a separate category and are applied to the skin rather than injected. Expect local anesthesia, a small harvest site, and swelling or bruising for up to one to two weeks. Published trials are small, and an extra benefit from adding cells or plasma has not been shown.
Stem cell processingGuide
What actually goes into the syringe
The word stem cell on a price list covers several materials, and each one changes how invasive the visit is.
- Microfat: small fat parcels that restore volume in hollows such as cheeks or temples
- Nanofat: fat emulsified into a fine fluid for skin quality rather than volume
- Fat with platelet-rich plasma: either of the above mixed with plasma concentrated from a blood draw
- Isolated or cultured cells: handled under separate cell therapy rules in Korea, not a routine clinic injection
- Cell-free exosome or conditioned media products: classed as cosmetics in Korea and used on the skin surface after needling, not injected
Guide
How the procedure runs
It is closer to minor surgery than to a filler appointment. The doctor numbs a donor area, often the abdomen or inner thigh, and draws fat through a thin cannula. The fat is rinsed or spun to remove blood and oil, then prepared to the texture the plan requires.
The face is numbed too. The fat is placed through tiny entry points with a blunt cannula in small amounts, layer by layer. If plasma is part of the plan, blood is taken at the start and spun while the fat is collected.
Guide
Does adding plasma or cells improve the outcome?
This is the key claim behind the label, and the data remain thin. In a 2018 split-treatment trial in Aesthetic Surgery Journal, Sasaki gave 10 patients equal volumes of fat on both sides of the midface and in both hands, mixed with platelet-rich plasma on one side and saline on the other. Volume on the plasma side measured higher over one year, but the difference was not statistically significant.
Three independent evaluators saw volume restored with both mixes. No adverse events occurred during the year, and swelling, redness, bruising and tenderness lasted one to two weeks at most.
| Study | Design | What it found | Main limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sasaki, 2018 | 10 patients, fat with plasma vs fat with saline on opposite sides | Higher volume with plasma, not statistically significant | Very small group |
| Garcés and colleagues, 2025 | 20 patients, nanofat right after low-energy RF microneedling | Better aesthetic scores at 1, 3 and 12 months | Looked back at records, no control group |
Guide
Nanofat paired with RF microneedling
Some doctors combine the injection with a device. In a 2025 retrospective study in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open, Garcés and colleagues reviewed 20 patients aged 20 to 45 who had nanofat injected immediately after low-energy Morpheus8 radiofrequency microneedling, and global aesthetic improvement scores rose significantly.
Blinded raters noted smaller-looking pores, more luminous skin and softer fine lines, with no adverse events reported. The authors wrote that larger controlled studies are needed before cause and effect can be claimed.
Guide
Risks, recovery and who should not have it
Bruising and swelling at the face and the donor site are expected, and the donor area often feels sore for several days. Lumps, uneven take and partial absorption of the fat over the following months can happen. Infection is uncommon, and fat entering a blood vessel is a rare but serious complication of facial fat injection, which is why blunt cannulas and slow, small-volume placement matter.
It is not suitable during pregnancy, with a bleeding disorder or on blood thinners that cannot be paused safely, with an active skin infection, or for people with very little fat to harvest. Results vary from person to person, and no injection reverses aging.
Evidence
Research behind this page
- A Preliminary Clinical Trial Comparing Split Treatments to the Face and Hand With Autologous Fat Grafting and Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP): A 3D, IRB-Approved StudyAesthetic Surgery Journal · 2018 · doi:10.1093/asj/sjy254
In 10 patients with split face and hand treatment, fat mixed with platelet-rich plasma kept more volume over one year than fat with saline, but the difference was not statistically significant.
- Low-energy Morpheus8 and Nanofat Grafting for Compartment-specific Facial Rejuvenation: Selective Fat Remodeling and Skin Quality EnhancementPlastic and Reconstructive Surgery - Global Open · 2025 · doi:10.1097/gox.0000000000007185
A retrospective review of 20 patients found improved aesthetic scores after nanofat injected right after low-energy RF microneedling, with the authors calling for larger controlled studies.
FAQ
Questions about Stem cell therapy in Gangnam
Is a fat transfer the same as a stem cell injection?
In most aesthetic clinics, yes: the injection labeled stem cell is your own fat, processed so that its stromal cells come along with it. The fat is not purified into a pure cell product, and it also carries connective tissue, blood vessel cells and fluid. Purified or cultured cells sit under separate rules and are not routine clinic work. Ask the doctor to describe the preparation step so you know exactly what is injected.
How long does swelling last after a fat-based injection?
Swelling and bruising usually settle within one to two weeks, though the first few days look the most obvious. In the 2018 Sasaki trial, swelling, redness, bruising and tenderness lasted up to one to two weeks at most. The donor site may ache when you sit or bend. Cold compresses, sleeping with the head raised and avoiding alcohol and hard exercise early on are common instructions.
Will all of the injected fat stay in place?
No, part of the transferred fat is reabsorbed over the following months, and how much remains differs from person to person. This is why some doctors place a little more than the final goal or suggest a top-up later. Smoking, heavy movement of the area and large single volumes tend to work against survival. Ask how the doctor judges the final result and when a follow-up check would be scheduled.
Can exosomes be injected at Korean clinics?
Exosome skin products sold to Korean clinics are classed as cosmetics, so they are applied to the skin after needling or laser rather than injected. Health authorities have warned against injecting cosmetic products with a syringe. That puts these serums in a different category from a fat-based injection. If a clinic proposes to inject one directly, ask for the product name, maker and its approval status before agreeing.
When is it reasonable to fly home?
Many people fly once the early swelling has eased, but leaving several days between the procedure and a long flight is a sensible margin. Flying does not damage the result, yet bruising and soreness are easier to manage near the clinic. Tell the doctor your departure date at consultation so the plan suits your timeline. Carry the written aftercare sheet with you.
Can a fat-derived injection reverse skin aging?
No treatment reverses aging, and the studies on fat-derived injections are small and mostly uncontrolled. They report improved volume and skin quality in the groups studied, not a lasting reset. Aging continues after any procedure, and the transferred fat changes with weight and time. Think of it as one option for volume or texture, weighed against fillers, skin boosters or a surgical consultation.