Pre-Surgery Preparation for Korea: 8-Week Checklist

8-Week Preparation Timeline

The timeline below separates preparation into three parallel tracks — bookings and administration, medical preparation, and practical logistics. Missing a gate in weeks 8 or 6 typically creates pressure on every subsequent step.

Pre-surgery preparation gates by week. Each row represents the minimum actions required at that timepoint.
Timepoint	Bookings and admin	Medical prep	Practical prep
Week 8	Submit consultation request to your target clinic; secure consultation date. Begin researching recovery accommodation within 1–2 km of the clinic.	Compile full medication and supplement list to send to the clinic coordinator.	Check passport validity (6 months beyond travel date). Confirm visa requirements for your nationality.
Week 6	Confirm surgery date and pay deposit. Book flights with a return date that allows minimum 7–10 days in-country post-op (14 days for major procedures).	Schedule GP visit to discuss surgery and request pre-op blood tests if doing them at home.	Book recovery accommodation. Arrange airport transfer — do not plan to use ride-share apps immediately post-op.
Week 4	Confirm post-op appointment dates with clinic in writing. Obtain clinic's emergency contact number.	Complete pre-op blood tests at home if applicable. Stop smoking from this point. Begin reducing alcohol intake.	Start assembling recovery kit (see packing section). Purchase travel insurance that explicitly covers elective surgical complications.
Week 2	Reconfirm surgery appointment. Send clinic any outstanding documents (blood test results, medical history forms).	Stop all blood-thinning supplements and medications (see list below). Stop alcohol entirely.	Pack recovery bag. Download clinic's app or messaging platform if they use one. Organise Korean SIM or roaming plan.
Week 1	Reconfirm accommodation and transfer bookings. Save clinic address in Korean script for taxis.	No new medications or supplements. Confirm pre-op fasting instructions with the clinic.	Charge translation apps offline. Prepare cash (₩) — many Korean clinics do not accept foreign cards for final balances.
Day of departure	Carry all medical documents in hand luggage: blood test results, medication list, GP letter if relevant.	Follow fasting instructions from the clinic exactly. Do not take unprescribed medications on travel day.	Wear compression socks on the flight. Sit in an aisle seat for movement. Hydrate consistently.

Missing the week-8 consultation booking is the single most common error for international patients — it compresses every downstream step and frequently forces a choice between an unfamiliar surgeon and a delayed trip.

Medications and Supplements to Stop Before Surgery

Stop the following at least 2 weeks before surgery. Each item on this list increases bleeding risk, impairs wound healing, or interacts with anaesthesia.

Over-the-counter medications and supplements to stop:

Aspirin and aspirin-containing products
Ibuprofen, naproxen, and other NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs — common pain relievers that thin the blood)
Fish oil and omega-3 supplements
Vitamin E supplements above dietary amounts
Ginkgo biloba
Ginseng (인삼, insam) — including Korean red ginseng teas and extracts
St John’s Wort
Garlic supplements (not food amounts)
Alcohol — taper from week 4, stop entirely from week 2

Prescription medications: Do not stop any prescription medication without consulting both your GP and your Korean surgeon. Your clinic coordinator will ask for your full medication list and the surgeon will issue a specific pre-op drug protocol. Antidepressants, anticoagulants (blood thinners), and hormonal contraceptives each require individual assessment — the answer is not always “stop.”

Smoking: Stop 4 weeks before surgery. 수술 전 금연 (susul jeon geumyeon, meaning “no smoking before surgery”) is standard clinic policy. Nicotine constricts blood vessels, impairs tissue oxygenation, and slows wound healing. Korean clinics routinely test for nicotine metabolites before proceeding and will cancel surgery if levels are elevated — forfeiting your deposit in most cases.

Disclose everything. Omitting supplements that are perceived as natural or harmless is one of the more avoidable causes of surgical complications.

Pre-Op Blood Tests: What’s Required and Where to Get Them

Most Korean surgical clinics require a standard panel of pre-operative blood tests before any procedure involving general anaesthesia or deep sedation. These tests confirm you are safe to operate on and establish baselines for post-op monitoring.

Standard required tests (confirm the exact panel with your clinic):

Full blood count (FBC) — checks red cells, white cells, and platelets
Clotting screen: PT, INR, and APTT — measures how well your blood clots
Liver function tests (LFTs)
Blood glucose
Blood type and Rh factor
Infectious disease serology: HIV, hepatitis B surface antigen, hepatitis C antibody

Two options for completing tests:

At home before departure: Your GP or a private pathology clinic can run this panel. Most Korean clinics accept home-country results if the tests were done within 4 weeks of your surgery date. Bring printed results; English is acceptable to most clinic coordinators. Confirm the required panel with your clinic in writing before ordering tests — panels vary slightly between clinics.
In Korea on arrival: Most clinics can arrange blood tests the day before surgery at an affiliated laboratory, with results returned the same day or within hours. This is convenient but adds a logistical step on an already demanding day.

What to Pack for Korea Surgery Recovery

Recovery after surgery in Korea means spending 7–14 days in close proximity to your clinic, with limited mobility, restricted sun exposure, and a need for comfort over style.

Medical and recovery items:

Silicone scar gel (e.g., Strataderm or equivalent) — available in Seoul pharmacies but typically cheaper to bring from home
SPF 50+ broad-spectrum sunscreen — post-surgical skin is highly vulnerable to UV damage and hyperpigmentation
Arnica tablets or arnica gel — evidence for bruising reduction is modest but they are widely used by surgical patients and carry minimal risk
A thermometer — fever above 38°C (100.4°F) in the first week requires immediate contact with the clinic
Your regular prescription medications in original packaging, with enough supply for the full trip plus one week extra

Clothing:

Front-opening button shirts or zip-up hoodies — nothing pulled over the head if you are having facial surgery
Slip-on shoes — tying laces is uncomfortable after rhinoplasty (코성형, koseongbyeong, nose reshaping surgery) and eyelid procedures
Loose elastic-waistband trousers or shorts — avoid waistbands that sit on abdominal incision lines after body procedures
A soft-brimmed hat for outdoor sun protection
If your clinic specified a compression garment: bring a second one in the same specification — one to wear, one to wash

Practical items:

A neck pillow for the return flight — sleeping upright reduces facial swelling after facial procedures
A portable phone charger — clinic waiting times can be long and your phone is your translation tool
A small notebook for writing down post-op instructions if verbal translation is incomplete
Sufficient Korean Won (₩) in cash for incidental costs — convenience stores, pharmacies, and some clinic fees are cash only

Often a good candidate

Has organised consultation and surgery booking at least 6 weeks before departure
Has a complete medication and supplement list ready to send to the clinic
Has confirmed pre-op blood test requirements with the clinic in writing
Has booked recovery accommodation within walking distance of the clinic
Has stopped smoking at least 4 weeks before surgery date

Should reconsider or wait

Booking within 3–4 weeks of intended surgery date — surgeon and timing options will be limited
Taking prescription anticoagulants or antidepressants — requires individual assessment by both your GP and your Korean surgeon before stopping anything
History of keloid scarring or healing complications — disclose this before surgery, not after
Travelling alone with no support person for the first 48–72 hours post-op

Not a suitable candidate

Arriving in Korea without pre-op blood test results and no time for same-day testing before surgery
Concealing medications, supplements, or smoking status from your surgeon
Booking a return flight less than 7 days after surgery for any procedure under general anaesthesia
Booking accommodation more than 3–4 km from the clinic without organised transport for daily post-op visits

How far in advance should I book surgery in Korea?

Book 6–8 weeks minimum for a named surgeon at a specific clinic. Popular surgeons in Gangnam have consultation waiting lists of 4–6 weeks, and surgery booking typically follows consultation by 1–2 weeks. Attempting to book 2–3 weeks out restricts your surgeon and timing options significantly. Three months out is ideal for peak-demand procedures like rhinoplasty and facial contouring.

Can I get pre-op blood tests done in my home country?

Most Korean clinics accept home-country blood test results if done within 4 weeks of your surgery date. Request: full blood count, clotting screen (PT/INR/APTT), liver function tests, HIV/hepatitis B/C serology, blood type, and blood glucose. Bring printed results in English and confirm the required panel with your clinic before paying for tests abroad.

What clothing should I pack for surgery recovery in Korea?

For facial surgery: front-opening button shirts or zip-up hoodies, slip-on shoes, and a soft-brimmed hat for sun protection. For body procedures: loose elastic-waistband clothing that avoids incision lines, plus a second compression garment to your clinic's specification. Recovery accommodation is typically well-heated and patients run warm post-surgery — pack lighter layers than you expect to need.