How to avoid ghost doctors, are there signs to look out for?

[kpopkelly]

I am paranoid about ending up with a ghost doctor. I have read horror stories online and while I know it is more rare now as Korea is cracking down on a lot of these fake docs, I am still concerned. Are there signs to look out for, like red flags and such to let me know a doctor is not legit? I read that it was estimated around 100,000 people were victims of ghost surgery between 2008 and 2014 alone. I have for sure already decided to get my work done in Korea, I just want to narrow down my options and make sure I don't have any regrets. 

[EveRose]

There are a number of things you can do.

You want to meet face to face with your surgeon if/when possible to confirm their credentials, name, etc. You can made sure they are board certified by the Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons. You may also be able to check this in the US (if you are in America) via the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

Another common one is to request footage of your surgery. Beginning in 2021, Korea has a law that mandates any operation under anesthesia has to be recorded via cameras in the rooms and patients can request the footage and it must be provided.

Red flags include extremely low costs for surgeries, allowing or outright skipping in-person consultations, and receiving uninformative, vague, or questionable answers when you raise concerns about your surgery.