Solta Medical Korea Successfully Concludes the Korea-Japan Aesthetic Medicine Council ‘SOMA’ with Director Choi Won-woo

On January 24, the ‘SOMA Korea-Japan Aesthetic Medicine Council,’ hosted by Solta Medical Korea, was successfully held at Le Venue Hall in Raum Art Center, Seoul.

This event was organized as an international academic exchange where leading aesthetic medicine clinicians from Korea and Japan gathered to share clinical strategies and treatment trends.

Academic exchange on Asian skin aging research with Korean and Japanese clinicians

This council was a venue where clinicians representing both Korea and Japan in the field of aesthetic medicine came together for in-depth discussions centered on the characteristics of skin aging in Asians, the latest treatment trends, and strategies for treating skin aging.

It is regarded as a meaningful academic event because it focused not on a simple presentation-centered conference, but on sharing practical treatment strategies based on real clinical experience.

Director Choi Won-woo chaired the discussion on Thermage-based skin aging treatment

Following the welcome dinner and opening remarks, the main session proceeded, and Director Choi Won-woo of Wells Dermatology served as chair to lead a discussion with clinicians representing Korea and Japan on skin aging treatment strategies using Thermage.

This session was structured around real-world clinical applications and treatment protocols rather than theory, drawing strong interest from clinicians on site.

SOMA session structured around interactive discussions

This year’s SOMA event was run not as a simple lecture format, but as an interactive discussion session with direct participation from leading clinicians from Korea and Japan.

In the first session, co-hosted by Director Choi Won-woo of Wells Dermatology and Director Ishikawa of Cross Clinic in Japan, Dr. Kang Tae-jo of Eugene Plastic Surgery, Director Choi Won-woo of Wells Dermatology, and Director Ishikawa of Cross Clinic took part in a deep discussion centered on comparative analysis of skin aging patterns in Asian patients, treatment strategies, and the latest clinical data on radiofrequency-based procedures.

Wells Dermatology plays a central role in international academic exchange with Thermage clinical expertise

Wells Dermatology is a specialized dermatology clinic representing Korea, and it has continuously advanced a personalized energy-based design and outcome-oriented treatment protocol tailored to each patient’s skin condition, rather than relying on a procedure-centered approach.

Based on this, Director Choi Won-woo’s clinical experience and research achievements have attracted great interest not only in Korea but also from Japanese clinicians, establishing him as a key link in the exchange of Thermage technology between Korea and Japan.

Conventional Thermage FLX is a procedure that delivers radiofrequency energy into the skin to generate heat, thereby inducing collagen regeneration.

However, Wells Dermatology approached the issue from the perspective that aging caused by skin barrier damage and repeated inflammatory responses cannot be fundamentally resolved with heat-stimulation-centered treatment alone.

Accordingly, the clinic conducted joint research with QutisBio, a company specializing in the skin microbiome, and developed a new treatment model, Thermage MAX.

Key design structure of the Thermage MAX program

• Protects collagen cells that may be damaged during radiofrequency treatment

• Directly penetrates ingredients needed for collagen production

• Maintains the internal skin environment in an optimal biological structure

• Moves beyond a treatment structure centered only on thermal energy delivery

Through skin microbiome analysis technology, it was confirmed that the biological environment of the skin was maintained in a healthy state—or even improved—without a decrease in beneficial bacteria, thereby proving the clinical excellence of the Thermage MAX program.

Securing a leading position in Korea-Japan technology exchange

Wells Dermatology’s Thermage MAX program has secured a technologically leading position between Korea and Japan, playing a role in presenting professional clinical perspectives and treatment standards.

This SOMA event once again demonstrated that Wells Dermatology possesses competitive expertise in Thermage procedures on the international academic stage.

Solta Medical Korea CEO Han Sang-jin said, “Korea and Japan are countries that lead the world in aesthetic medicine,” and added, “Through this council, by sharing treatment methods and clinical data optimized for the skin characteristics of Asians, we will be able to together establish safer and more effective standards for aesthetic treatment.”

He also added, “We will continue to support the SOMA Korea-Japan Aesthetic Medicine Council so that it can grow beyond simple academic exchange into a platform for the sustainable development of Asian aesthetic medicine and the training of next-generation experts.”

Closing remarks

Wells Dermatology will continue to stand at the center of this kind of international academic collaboration, share cutting-edge Thermage procedure know-how, and work to further strengthen its leadership in the global aesthetic dermatology field.

※ What is SOMA™?

SOMA™ (Solta Medical Academy) is a global medical education program operated for medical professionals who use Solta Medical products, with the goals of:

• Standardized product-use training

• Ongoing clinical education programs

• Minimizing variation in medical quality

• Building an integrated CME (Continuous Medical Education) system

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