It’s an open secret that if you’re a man, and you’re losing your hair, you can go to Turkey for cheap plugs. Flights from there, often filled with formerly balding dudes whose skulls are scabbed from their hair restoration treatments, are nicknamed “Turkish Hairlines.” But there’s a new hub for Westerners looking to refine their image: Seoul, which is apparently the skincare capital of the world as well as being the capital of South Korea. There, teams of aestheticians deploy lasers, peels, injectables, masks, and endless tinctures, serums, and cleansers, all in the hopes of making their client look a few years younger.
Ben Kawaller, whose name you might recognize from his Free Press series Ben Meets America and the Swing State Debates, is always game to go out and try something new—and high-end. Extremely painful dermatological treatment was no exception. “It was the worst pain I’ve ever had in my life,” Ben told me, on the latest episode of the Second Thought podcast. He was describing his encounter with a dramatic and fishy—yes, it involves salmon sperm—procedure that apparently involved 150 needles, and is illegal in America. “It felt like my skin was being slowly peeled off,” he added.
So, was it worth it? Ben shrugged: “I never feel worth it.” But I gotta say: He looks great.
