Sculptra vs Radiesse in Gangnam, Seoul: Cost per Vial & What Foreigners Should Know | Orta Clinic
Compare Sculptra and Radiesse at Orta Clinic: ingredients, when results appear, cost per vial, treatment planning, downtime, and follow-up after returning home.
If you're comparing Sculptra and Radiesse for facial volume loss, you're really comparing two different collagen stimulators: poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) and calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA). Both are injectables that stimulate your own collagen rather than simply filling space, both are FDA-approved in the United States, and both are widely performed in Korea. This guide compares them as offered at Orta Clinic, a dermatology clinic on Gangnam-daero in Seocho-gu, Seoul (a short walk from both Gangnam Station and Sinnonhyeon Station), including published prices per vial in KRW, how treatment is actually planned, and the risks worth knowing before you book.
Information current as of September 2026. Prices change with promotions, and treatment plans and final quotes are confirmed at an in-person consultation.
Sculptra vs Radiesse: Quick Comparison
Sculptra | Radiesse | |
|---|---|---|
Main ingredient | Poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA), a biodegradable collagen stimulator | Calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA) microspheres in a gel carrier |
How results appear | Gradually, over roughly 2–3 months as new collagen forms; results build with each session | Some immediate, natural-looking volume from the gel carrier, then further firming as collagen forms over the following weeks |
Treated areas | Overall volume improvement across the cheek area. Because the effect comes from collagen stimulation, fine wrinkles, elasticity, and skin texture also improve alongside the volume. Not used on the under-eye area or forehead | Areas with many fine wrinkles and low elasticity, such as the nasolabial folds, marionette lines, and around the mouth; volume-deficient areas such as the side cheeks and nasolabial area; and thin-skinned, finely wrinkled areas such as the backs of the hands and neck lines. Not used on the under-eye area, forehead, or temples |
Typical course | 1 vial per session, at intervals of 4 to 6 weeks | 1 vial per session; 2 vials can also be treated in one session depending on the areas |
Downtime | Swelling always occurs for a few days. Bruising may or may not occur. Massage aftercare is instructed | Bruising may or may not occur. Swelling is possible but not severe, and there is no redness |
A practical way to choose between them, based on how the clinic actually plans treatment:
Sculptra suits you when volume loss is on the significant side and the hollowing runs across the cheek area as a whole, rather than in one spot.
Radiesse suits you when the nasolabial folds, marionette lines, and the area around the mouth are heavily creased and crepey, or when you want a natural, immediate volume improvement in areas like the side cheeks and nasolabial folds but don't want a filler.
Which one actually suits your face depends on where the volume was lost and how your skin behaves, so the comparison is settled in a consultation, not in an article.
Established Treatments, Not Experiments
Both ingredients have long track records. Sculptra's poly-L-lactic acid is US FDA-approved, with the approval documentation publicly available (FDA, PMA P030050), and Radiesse's calcium hydroxylapatite is likewise an FDA-approved dermal filler. Neither is a one-time miracle: collagen stimulation is gradual by design, and results vary between individuals, which is why expected outcomes are described honestly rather than guaranteed.
Cost per Vial at Orta Clinic (KRW, VAT excluded)
Orta Clinic publishes its full procedure price list openly on its online booking page. Prices below are as of September 2026; discounted prices rotate as promotions change.
Treatment | Regular price | Discounted price |
|---|---|---|
Sculptra 1 vial (10cc) | KRW 1,274,000 | KRW 650,000 |
Sculptra 3-vial package (10cc per vial, paid upfront) | KRW 3,333,000 | KRW 1,700,000 |
Body Sculptra 1 vial | KRW 1,666,000 | KRW 850,000 |
Radiesse 1 vial | KRW 1,400,000 | KRW 890,000 |
Radiesse 1 vial, 2 sessions | KRW 2,800,000 | KRW 1,590,000 |
Radiesse 1 vial, 3 sessions | KRW 4,200,000 | KRW 2,190,000 |
Ultherapy + Radiesse combination | KRW 3,705,000 | KRW 1,890,000 |
Radi-Thermage (Radiesse 1 vial + Thermage 600 shots) | KRW 4,880,000 | KRW 2,490,000 |
A few practical points for international patients:
All prices are exclusive of VAT. 10% VAT is added separately at payment.
Payment is made after your visit.
Discounted prices are time-limited and change as promotions rotate, so the price on the date you book may differ from the table above.
The final plan — which product, how many vials — is confirmed at an in-person consultation before any treatment begins.
"How many vials of Sculptra do I actually need?"
Good news for visitors on a schedule: a full-face Sculptra treatment can be done with one vial, in one visit. Many patients start exactly there, with a single vial (KRW 650,000 at the current discounted price), and see how much collagen their skin produces over the following weeks.
The 3-vial package (KRW 1,700,000) is a separate option, paid for all three vials upfront rather than added on later, and it is recommended for a specific situation: when volume loss is significant and you want to build volume back gradually and naturally over a series of sessions at 4-to-6-week intervals, instead of chasing a large change in one visit. Which path fits you is decided at consultation, based on how much volume was lost and your treatment goals.
"Are lumps or granulomas with Radiesse and Sculptra a real risk?"
Yes — uncommon, but real, and you should hear it from the clinic rather than a forum. Small, non-inflamed nodules can occur with both products and often resolve or are managed locally. True granulomas, inflamed lumps that can appear months later, are rarer and are managed medically. Two things meaningfully lower the risk: preparation technique (for Sculptra, proper dilution and hydration of the product) and injector experience with each material's depth and placement. At Orta Clinic all injections are performed by doctors in private treatment rooms, aftercare instructions (including Sculptra massage guidance) are provided in English, and anything unusual after treatment can be reported through the clinic's WhatsApp channel.
"Can I get Sculptra in Seoul and follow up after I fly home?"
This is one of the most common questions from visitors, because Sculptra's results develop over weeks. Practically: the injection itself needs you in Seoul, but follow-up is mostly observational — checking how the volume is building and whether anything needs attention. Orta Clinic supports WhatsApp-based follow-up in English (+82-10-6421-9755), so you can send photos and questions after returning home, and time any repeat session around your next trip. If you're on a fixed itinerary, mention your departure date when booking so the treatment and aftercare instructions are planned around it.
Visiting Orta Clinic
Location: 6th–7th floor, Nam Seoul Building, Gangnam-daero 447, Seocho-gu, Seoul (near Gangnam Station and Sinnonhyeon Station).
Language: English-language booking and consultation support; WhatsApp inquiry channel for international patients.
Hours: Open weekdays and weekends; closed on Wednesdays and major Korean holidays (Lunar New Year, Chuseok).
Booking: Reserve online at ortaclinic.com/en/reservation — the full price list is visible there before you book. Sedation options are available for eligible treatments with advance reservation.
Approach: All procedures are performed by doctors in private single rooms, with consultation focused on accurate information rather than upselling.
FAQ
Q. Which is better for cheek volume loss in your 40s — Sculptra or Radiesse?
It depends on the pattern. If the volume loss is significant and spread across the cheek area as a whole, Sculptra is usually the first option discussed. If the concern centers on heavily creased nasolabial folds, marionette lines, and the mouth area, or you want natural immediate volume in the side cheeks without a filler, Radiesse fits better. The call is made at consultation, looking at your face.
Q. Is Radiesse or Sculptra faster for visible results?
Radiesse is faster: its gel carrier provides some natural-looking volume on the day of treatment, with collagen firming afterward. Sculptra is intentionally gradual, with most of its effect appearing over the following two to three months as collagen forms — but the volume it builds holds up longer. In short: Radiesse for immediate volume, Sculptra for longer-lasting volume.
Q. Do you treat foreign patients who don't speak Korean?
Yes. Booking, consultation, and aftercare instructions are available in English, and the WhatsApp channel handles questions before and after treatment. Reservation names should match your passport spelling.
Q. What's the total cost for a full Sculptra course?
A full-face treatment with one vial is KRW 650,000 at the current discounted price (regular KRW 1,274,000), excluding 10% VAT. If significant volume loss calls for a gradual multi-session plan, the 3-vial package is KRW 1,700,000 (regular KRW 3,333,000), paid upfront for all three vials.
This article is for general information and does not replace a medical consultation. Individual results vary. Source: FDA Sculptra approval documentation (PMA P030050).
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