Personalized plastic surgery, laser & anti-aging care in Haeundae, Busan
en-US
Tattoo Removal
Tattoo removal in Busan, Korea combining N-Derm microcoring with laser under the TAE-SFCT protocol, performed by Dr. Kim Ki-tae at TAE Plastic Surgery.
Tattoo Removal in Busan, Korea
Medically reviewed by Dr. Kim Ki-tae, MD — Board-Certified Specialist in Plastic Surgery, Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons; Director and founder, TAE Plastic Surgery Clinic TAE Plastic Surgery Clinic, Haeundae-gu, Busan
Tattoo removal in Busan at TAE Plastic Surgery Clinic uses the TAE-SFCT protocol, which brings N-Derm technology together with laser treatment instead of relying on the laser alone. The clinic's stated reason is that tattoo and scar tissue are difficult to treat by a single method, so it uses a customized approach built from tissue extraction and advanced laser treatment. Fading is progressive, the number of sessions depends on the tattoo, and complete clearance is not something this page promises.
What Is Tattoo Removal?
Tattoo removal is the progressive reduction of tattoo pigment in the skin, carried out over a series of sessions and planned around the characteristics of the individual tattoo.
At this clinic it is delivered under the TAE-SFCT name, the TAE-Scar Fractional Coring Technique.
N-Derm uses a coring technique to extract scar and tattoo-related tissue.
N-Derm is combined with advanced laser treatment rather than used on its own.
The clinic describes N-DERM as creating microscopic skin columns, which are then used in conjunction with laser treatment to target pigment.
The approach is designed to overcome the limitations of laser-only treatment.
Conventional tattoo removal relies primarily on laser energy to break down pigment. That is the comparison the clinic draws when it explains why it adds a coring step. Its own position is that treatment must be customized according to pigment type, depth and size, and that a tattoo which is stubborn under one approach may not be stubborn under a combined one.
What this treatment cannot do is worth reading before the first session. Complete tattoo removal cannot be promised. A specific number of sessions cannot be promised. Freedom from scarring cannot be promised. A perfectly pigment-free result cannot be promised. The clinic itself states that tattoo removal requires different numbers of treatments depending on the characteristics of the tattoo, and both the response and the session count vary from person to person.
Who Performs Tattoo Removal at TAE Plastic Surgery Clinic
**Dr. Kim Ki-tae
**Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon
Tattoo removal is performed by Dr. Kim Ki-tae, the clinic's founder and sole doctor and the listed performing doctor for the parent Scar & Tattoo Treatment specialty.
Dr. Kim Ki-tae holds the Board-Certified Specialist designation in Plastic Surgery issued by the Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons. He graduated from Inje University College of Medicine and trained as a Clinical Fellow in the Department of Plastic Surgery at Pusan National University from March 2003 to February 2004. He founded TAE Plastic Surgery Clinic in 2005 and has practised there ever since.
TAE-SFCT is recorded among his documented named techniques, listed as a method used within this service as well as within scar treatment. The clinic describes its experience using this combined approach for tattoo and scar work. That matters here for a practical reason: tattoo removal is one of the treatments most often delegated to a technician, and it is not delegated at this clinic. TAE Plastic Surgery Clinic is a single-doctor clinic, so the surgeon who assesses you is the surgeon who treats you. His profile is on the doctor page.
Tattoo Removal Options and Types Available
There are two approaches worth understanding before you choose a clinic, and this one uses the second.
| Approach | How it works | Where the clinic places it |
|---|---|---|
| Laser-only removal | Relies primarily on laser energy to break down pigment | The conventional method, and the one the clinic's protocol is defined against |
| TAE-SFCT | N-DERM microcoring creates microscopic skin columns, then laser treatment targets the pigment | The clinic's own combined protocol, intended to overcome the limits of laser alone |
The clinic also discusses other microcoring technologies, naming Punch and Ellacor, for comparison with N-DERM. Its documented approach for this service is N-DERM combined with advanced laser treatment; the others appear in its material as points of reference rather than as options it offers here.
Within TAE-SFCT, the variable is not the protocol but the tattoo. Pigment type, depth and size all change the plan, and so does the skin it sits in. Tattoo-related scarring is treated as part of the same picture rather than as a separate problem — see Scar Treatment for the scar side of the clinic's work under the same protocol.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Tattoo Removal?
You may be a candidate if
You have an unwanted tattoo.
You have permanent makeup you want reduced or removed.
You have tattoo-related scarring.
You have a tattoo that has proved difficult to treat.
Your tattoo needs a customized rather than a standard approach.
Treatment may be unsuitable or need postponing if
You are pregnant or breastfeeding.
There is an active infection at the tattoo site.
The skin at the tattoo site has recently been tanned.
Suitability otherwise depends on your skin condition, the characteristics of the tattoo, your medical history and the clinician's assessment. The doctor confirms it individually at consultation, and the assessment is specific to the tattoo in front of him rather than to tattoos in general.
What to Expect: Procedure, Recovery, and Results Timeline
Consultation assesses the tattoo's size, color, depth and location, your skin type, and any previous treatments, before a treatment plan is selected. Previous removal attempts matter here as much as the original tattoo, because they change both the pigment and the tissue around it.
The session follows five stages:
Individual consultation and assessment of the tattoo condition.
Planning of a customized approach based on the tattoo and scar characteristics.
N-Derm treatment, using a fractional coring technique to extract targeted tissue.
Laser treatment applied as part of the combined TAE-SFCT protocol.
Follow-up management according to your individual skin response.
Pain-control methods vary according to the treatment area and your sensitivity. The clinic's usual approach for treatment of this kind is topical numbing cream with cooling during the session, and the exact approach is confirmed with you at consultation. The procedure itself typically takes thirty minutes to an hour per session. Treatment duration and the number of visits depend on the tattoo's size, color and depth, and on the treatment method chosen.
Before treatment, avoid sun exposure or tanning of the tattoo site, and pause retinoid or strong exfoliating skincare for several days beforehand. Mention any long-term condition or regular medication so the plan can be adapted around it.
| Stage | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Each session | Usually between thirty minutes and an hour |
| Between visits | Redness or light flaking where the tattoo sits generally clears within several days |
| Fading | Occurs progressively rather than immediately |
| First two to three sessions | Visible improvement typically begins to build |
| Full course | The final result typically appears after the recommended course is completed |
| Follow-up | Typically a check after the final session, with more scheduled if a further course is recommended |
| Travel | Downtime is minimal, and a single day is often enough for one session before flying home |
Afterwards, follow the clinic's wound-care and sun-protection instructions. Avoid sun and heat exposure such as saunas on the tattoo site for a short period, and the clinic's written aftercare guidance covers the specific timeline. Recovery varies with treatment intensity and individual healing; the clinic describes TAE-SFCT as a method intended to minimize unnecessary skin damage by combining microcoring with laser treatment.
The claim the clinic makes for the combined approach is narrow, and this page keeps it that way: it presents N-Derm together with laser treatment as an approach intended to provide effective tattoo-treatment results, and it states that it uses microcoring technology and laser under the TAE-SFCT name for scar and tattoo work. That is the whole of the documented claim. No figure for pigment clearance, no session average and no comparative efficacy statement appears in the clinic's materials, so none appears here.
The clinic has not published a price or a price range for this procedure, so none is stated here, and cost is confirmed at consultation.
Combining Tattoo Removal with Other Treatments
Combination is not an add-on for this service; it is the protocol. TAE-SFCT is itself the pairing of N-Derm coring with advanced laser treatment, and the clinic applies that pairing as its standard route for tattoo work.
Scar Treatment — for tattoo-related scarring, or scarring left by an earlier removal attempt.
Scar & Tattoo Treatment — the parent specialty page, which frames both services.
HALO Laser — the clinic's hybrid fractional laser, where surrounding skin texture is also a concern.
Bespoke Laser Treatment — the clinic's individually planned laser service.
Safety, Precision, and Clinic Standards
TAE Plastic Surgery Clinic is a Registered Medical Institution for Attracting Foreign Patients, certified by the Ministry of Health and Welfare under the Medical Overseas Expansion and Foreign Patients Attraction Act. The clinic has operated at the same address in Haeundae, Busan since 2005. TAE Plastic Surgery Clinic publishes neither case volumes nor complication rates for this procedure, and this page claims neither. The clinic reports approximately 240 surgical procedures and approximately 3,600 non-surgical treatments a year; these are clinic-wide totals across everything it offers, not figures for this procedure.
The clinic's stated risk control is the design of the protocol. N-DERM microcoring is followed by pigment-targeting laser treatment. The clinic states that the technique is designed to minimize unnecessary skin damage. That is the claim it makes, and this page does not extend it.
Possible effects of tattoo-removal procedures include temporary redness, swelling and discomfort. Pigment changes can occur. Blistering can occur. Scarring can occur. Prolonged inflammation is possible. Infection is possible. Delayed healing is possible. Textural change is possible, though less common. Individual risk varies according to skin type, the characteristics of the tattoo and the intensity of treatment.
Pigmentation risk is the question that most often decides whether this treatment is right for a particular patient, and it is assessed against your own skin before a plan is set rather than after the first session.
Independent material is worth reading before committing to a course. The NHS sets out how to weigh up a cosmetic procedure and its risks (NHS). The US Food and Drug Administration publishes patient information covering regulated devices such as lasers (FDA). The American Academy of Dermatology maintains a public library on cosmetic dermatology (AAD).
The Bottom Line
The clinic combines N-Derm coring with laser rather than treating with the laser alone.
TAE-SFCT is its own named protocol, used for tattoo work and for scars alike.
The plan is set by pigment type, depth and size, and by the skin the tattoo sits in.
Fading is progressive, and the number of sessions varies with the tattoo.
Complete removal, a fixed session count and freedom from scarring are not promised here.
FAQ
How is this different from laser tattoo removal?
Conventional removal relies primarily on laser energy to break down pigment. This clinic combines microcoring technology with laser treatment: N-DERM creates microscopic skin columns, which are then used in conjunction with the laser to target the pigment. The stated purpose of adding the coring step is to overcome the limitations of laser-only treatment.
How many sessions will I need?
It depends on the tattoo, and the clinic says so directly rather than quoting an average. Different tattoos require different numbers of treatments. Visible improvement typically builds across the first two to three sessions, with the final result after the recommended course is complete.
Will the tattoo disappear completely?
Complete removal is not promised, and neither is a perfectly pigment-free result. The realistic goal is progressive reduction of tattoo pigmentation. How far a particular tattoo moves depends on its pigment type, its depth and its size.
Can permanent makeup be treated?
Yes. The clinic includes unwanted permanent makeup alongside tattoos among the concerns it treats, and describes its approach as covering tattoos of different pigment types, depths and sizes. Suitability is still confirmed individually at consultation.
Does it hurt?
Pain-control methods vary according to the treatment area and your sensitivity. Topical numbing cream with cooling during the session is the clinic's usual approach for treatment of this type. Most patients describe mild warmth or tingling rather than significant pain, and comfort measures can be adjusted on request.
What are the risks?
Pigmentary changes, prolonged inflammation, infection and delayed healing are the recognized ones, with scarring and textural change less common. Blistering can follow laser-based tattoo treatment. Risk varies with your skin type, the tattoo's characteristics and how intensively it is treated.
How much can be done on a single trip to Korea?
Usually one session, since downtime is minimal and most patients can fly home the same day or the next. A full course generally spans months, so international patients plan around starting rather than finishing. Agree the realistic sequence with the doctor before you book travel.
What if something looks wrong once I am home?
Contact the clinic promptly and provide photographs together with a description of the symptoms. The clinic lists 051-746-7004 as its telephone number. Blistering that is not settling, signs of infection, or a wound that is not healing should also be assessed locally without delay.
Book a Consultation at TAE Plastic Surgery Clinic
Tattoo removal in Busan begins with an assessment of the pigment itself — its type, its depth and its size — and of the skin that has to heal around it. English-speaking assistance is available for both online and in-person consultations, and consultations are arranged through the clinic's contact page. TAE Plastic Surgery Clinic is at 4th Floor, Gunam Building, 27 Gunam-ro, Haeundae-gu, Busan, South Korea, and opens Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 18:00 and Saturday from 09:00 to 13:00, closed Sundays and public holidays.
Disclaimer
This page is for general informational purposes and does not constitute individualized medical advice. Candidacy, technique, anaesthesia and outcome can only be determined in an in-person consultation with a qualified doctor. Individual results vary.
References
NHS — Cosmetic procedures
US Food and Drug Administration — Medical Devices
American Academy of Dermatology — Cosmetic treatments