Why I opened a solo-doctor clinic despite everyone’s advice against it
“If you work alone, isn’t it hard to get an appointment?” “Aren’t larger clinics better these days?”
These are common responses when I say we are a single-doctor clinic.
People around me discouraged it too. I repeatedly heard that expanding was the right choice. In practice, a one-doctor system is inconvenient. When appointments fill up, I cannot offer the date you want. When I am away, care stops.
Still, I chose this structure for one reason: if the person who consults and the person who treats differ, the same eyes cannot compare the previous session’s skin with today’s.
Why does one person see you from beginning to end?
“Isn’t doing everything yourself inefficient?” some ask. The answer is yes. But I opened this clinic to make room for that inefficiency. There was a time when I saw many patients each day. Consultations became shorter, and consultation, treatment, and care passed through different hands. The system was efficient, but what was lost in the process troubled me: concerns raised in consultation not fully reaching the treatment room, and progress known only through records. I believe that even with the same device, results depend on how long and carefully the clinician has examined that face. Even within lifting, some faces suit Ultherapy and others Thermage. That decision belongs to the person who has directly seen the face from beginning to end, not the device. So I chose time over scale: the consulting doctor treats, and the treating doctor checks progress. A single-doctor system was not simply a choice to tolerate inconvenience; it was a prerequisite for the care I wanted to provide. The person who performed the procedure can best understand both what went well and what could have been better.
Why Cheongdam, and why private rooms?
Some arrive thinking, “Aren’t all Cheongdam clinics expensive and glamorous?” My reason for choosing Cheongdam was far from glamour. We are a 1-minute walk from Exit 4 of Apgujeong Rodeo Station. I wanted somewhere easy to reach, yet quiet inside for care. LUNN’s treatment spaces are private rooms. We planned the route to reduce encounters with other patients while waiting and keep conversations inside the consultation room. Skin concerns are more private than people imagine. When someone worries about being overheard, they may leave without asking the important question. Multilingual assistance for international visitors follows the same principle. To me, care in which a language barrier prevents questions is only half of care. For drivers, parking is free and valet service costs KRW 5,000. These may seem small details, but I chose them because I consider the journey before and after the consultation part of the clinic too.
Five devices, one principle
A small clinic needs a reason to invest in equipment. LUNN has Ultherapy, Thermage FLX, Sofwave, ONDA, and PicoWay. The reason for having four lifting options is simple: with only one device, diagnosis can become shaped by that device. Radiofrequency may be recommended for a face better suited to ultrasound, or the reverse. I believe diagnosis must come first and the device second. Consultation therefore begins with skin condition, not a treatment name. Only after examining thickness, fat volume, and the direction of sagging can I judge the appropriate energy. Sometimes I say, “You do not need treatment right now.” Not recommending unnecessary treatment is also a principle a small clinic can protect. Of course, every procedure has individual variation in effects and may cause temporary redness or swelling. Explaining those possibilities beforehand is part of my job.
Why keep this slower structure?
If you ask, “Can this structure really continue?” I will honestly say it has limits. One doctor can see only a fixed number of people daily, and you may wait when appointments are busy. I know expansion would solve this problem. Still, the reason I keep this structure is simple: it is how I would want to be treated as a patient. Entrusting someone with your face requires enough explanation and enough time. In return, you need not feel rushed inside the consultation room. Not ending the consultation until you have asked every question—that is my part of the exchange for scale.
If you are researching a recommended clinic in Gangnam, I suggest checking this before size: will the doctor who sees me today see me next time? Even if it is not LUNN, a place that can offer that is a good choice.
Related column: Before you book an appointment, read this Related information: About the clinic
