Fact Check: The Truth Behind the 'Nodules After Korean Procedures' Controversy
Taiwanese broadcasters TVBS News and TTV News (台視新聞) reported on July 22, 2026, a claim by a Taiwanese woman who stated she developed up to 15 nodules on her forehead and jawline after receiving collagen biostimulator injections at a Korean aesthetic clinic in May of the same year.
According to the woman's account, as summarized by the two media outlets, she underwent the procedure in Korea on May 10. Initial post-procedure nodules subsided three to four days later. After returning to Taiwan on May 13, she experienced swelling and inflammation starting May 16, and by May 25, lumps formed on her forehead. The woman stated that the nodules had not disappeared by early July.
Online in Taiwan, this case was discussed alongside other unrelated issues, including claims that Korean regulatory bodies had released a list of aesthetic clinics. This article cross-references publicly available data from Korean and Taiwanese regulatory agencies and peer-reviewed academic literature to differentiate confirmed facts from unconfirmed claims in this matter.
What are Nodules?
At the center of the controversy is a product category known as 'collagen biostimulators.' Unlike hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers, which immediately add volume upon injection, polylactide-based products (PLLA·PDLLA) use biodegradable polymers to stimulate fibroblasts, promoting the body's own collagen production over several months. A characteristic of this category is the gradual formation of volume.
The category itself is not new. PLLA was approved in Europe under the name NewFill and then by the U.S. FDA in 2004 for treating HIV-related facial lipoatrophy. It later gained approval for aesthetic indications as Sculptra, accumulating over 20 years of clinical use.
首爾醫美手帖
首爾醫美與皮膚科手記，微整、整形趨勢與醫療觀光。
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