Clinic director

Dr. Yoon Ho-joo, MD, PhD, reconstructive gynecologic surgeon in Seoul

Dr. Yoon Ho-joo is an obstetrician-gynecologist trained at the Catholic University of Korea who has directed Somssi Women's Clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, since 2000. His practice is devoted to own-tissue vaginoplasty, uterus-preserving prolapse repair, labiaplasty and revision surgery, and his clinical research on sexual function after pelvic surgery has been published in Korean and SCI-indexed journals.

Dr. Yoon Ho-joo consulting with a patient at Somssi Women's Clinic, Seoul
Education and training

Where did Dr. Yoon train?

  • Doctor of Medicine (MD) , College of Medicine, Catholic University of Korea
  • Master of Medicine (MS) , Obstetrics and Gynecology, Catholic University of Korea; thesis (2006) on nutritional treatment of premenstrual syndrome using tissue mineral analysis
  • Doctor of Medicine (PhD) , Obstetrics and Gynecology, Catholic University of Korea; dissertation (2010) on the genetics of endometriosis using copy-number-variation markers
  • Board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist , Republic of Korea
  • Former outpatient (adjunct) professor , Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Catholic University of Korea

Dr. Yoon opened Somssi Women's Clinic in 2000. Somssi Women's Clinic is a surgical gynecology clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, founded in 2000 and led by Dr. Yoon Ho-joo, MD, PhD; read more about the clinic and its team.

Dr. Yoon Ho-joo, obstetrician-gynecologist, Catholic University of Korea graduate
Clinical focus

What does Dr. Yoon operate on?

Practising since 2000, Dr. Yoon concentrates on a narrow group of procedures so that technique, measurement and aftercare are consistent from one patient to the next.

Own-tissue vaginoplasty

Posterior colporrhaphy performed from the posterior fornix outward, with mucosa peeled under 1 mm and closed in two layers. Vaginoplasty · Posterior colporrhaphy

Hysteropexy

Lifting and fixing a descended uterus to its own supporting tissue, with cul-de-sac closure, so that prolapse can be treated without hysterectomy in suitable cases. Uterine prolapse surgery

Pelvic floor restoration

Gathering and re-suturing the pelvic floor muscle layer to thicken the posterior wall and restore contraction, including the figure-8 strengthening at the opening. Pelvic organ prolapse repair

Labiaplasty and labia majora surgery

Reduction of enlarged or asymmetric labia minora by edge trim or wedge excision with fine absorbable sutures, and excision or volume restoration for the labia majora. Labiaplasty · Labia majora reduction

Revision after filler, implant or mesh complications

Removal of foreign material and restoration with the patient's own tissue after unsatisfactory or complicated surgery elsewhere. Vaginal filler removal · Mesh complication revision

Research and publications

What has Dr. Yoon published?

Dr. Yoon's research examines how pelvic floor surgery and desire disorders affect women's sexual function. The two peer-reviewed papers below are the ones most relevant to the surgery performed at the clinic.

Cover of the Korean Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, volume 48 number 6, June 2005

2005, Korean Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology

The effect of colpoperineoplasty on female sexual function

Korean J Obstet Gynecol, vol. 48, no. 6, June 2005. A questionnaire study of women who had colpoperineoplasty at the clinic in 2004 and 2005: 96 women enrolled and 54 completed follow-up. The clinic describes it as the first Korean clinical paper on sexual function after this operation.

Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology cover and article listing for Dr. Yoon's 2018 SCI paper

2018, Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (SCI)

Characteristics of hypoactive sexual desire disorder in Korean women attending a community gynecology clinic

Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, February 2018. A study of 217 Korean women seen at the clinic. DOI: 10.1080/01443615.2017.1389866 .

Graduate theses

  • Master's thesis, August 2006: nutritional treatment of premenstrual syndrome guided by tissue mineral analysis, in a study of 40 women.
  • Doctoral dissertation, February 2010: a genetic study of endometriosis using copy-number-variation markers, comparing 65 cases with 673 controls.

In 2026 the clinic reported that a retrospective series of 150 women treated for pelvic organ prolapse, most of whom chose uterus-preserving surgery, received an outstanding-abstract award at the Korean Society for Sexual Medicine spring conference. That abstract has not yet appeared as a full journal paper, so we present it here as reported by the clinic.

Conference presentations

Where has this work been presented?

Dr. Yoon has presented clinical data on prolapse, pelvic floor surgery and sexual function at international sexual-medicine congresses since 2005.

  • 2005, Buenos Aires: 5th International Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Society (IPFDS) congress; colpoperineoplasty and sexual function.
  • 2006, Lisbon: 8th European congress on women's sexual medicine; genital surgery and sexual desire and activity.
  • 2006, Vienna: 9th congress of the European Society for Sexual Medicine (ESSM); mild genital prolapse and sexual function in 280 women.
  • 2007, Sydney: 18th World Association for Sexual Health (WAS) congress; uterine prolapse and sexual function in 280 women.
  • 2008, San Diego: International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health (ISSWSH); pelvic floor dysfunction and posterior colpoperineorrhaphy in 150 patients.
  • 2013: 19th annual meeting of the Sexual Medicine Society of North America (SMSNA); a series of 135 women.
  • 2017, Nice: ESSM congress.
Dr. Yoon Ho-joo lecturing at a medical conference
Dr. Yoon presenting a poster at an international sexual medicine congress
Conference posters and papers presented by Dr. Yoon Ho-joo
Dr. Yoon lecturing at the Chinese Society of Cosmetic Surgery conference
Dr. Yoon presenting at the Korea-China medical seminar in Hunan
Invited lectures and teaching

Teaching other physicians

Alongside clinical work, Dr. Yoon has been invited to teach vaginal reconstructive technique to colleagues in Korea and China.

  • 2007: continuing-education lecture for the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Korea University College of Medicine.
  • 2009: physician seminar on vaginal surgery technique and aftercare.
  • 2014: invited lecture for the Hunan Provincial Health Commission at a Korea-China medical seminar, covered by Hunan Television.
  • 2015: invited lecture with a live surgical demonstration at the 3rd conference of the Chinese Society of Cosmetic Surgery.
  • 2015: lecture at a Korean Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology meeting.

Earlier public lectures on women's sexual health were given at Seoul hotels between 2003 and 2004, and the clinic presented its posterior colporrhaphy at Medical Korea 2013 and BIO KOREA 2015.

Memberships

Professional societies

Member

  • Korean Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • Korean Society for Sexual Medicine
  • Korean Society of Aesthetic Surgery
  • Korean Society of Urogynecology

Former roles

  • Academic director, Korean Obstetrician-Gynecologist Association
  • Academic director, Korean Society for Female Sexual Medicine
  • Outpatient professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Catholic University of Korea
Books and media

Writing and broadcast appearances

Books

  • Sex Book for Women (2005), a guide to women's sexual health written for a general readership.
  • Eve's Choice (2011), on women's choices about intimate health and surgery.

Columns and television

  • 2005: monthly columns for Monthly Joongang and Yeosung Joongang, including a series on pelvic floor (Kegel) exercise.
  • January 2009: a series of television segments on sexual health and reconstructive surgery.
  • MBC morning program special on uterine prolapse, and a panel appearance on a Korean TV health segment.
  • Hunan Television (China) coverage of Dr. Yoon's presentation at the Korea-China medical seminar.

Patients who want a plain-language introduction to the topics in these books will find a summary on our FAQ page .

Dr. Yoon Ho-joo, sexual medicine researcher and gynecologic surgeon in Seoul
Dr. Yoon's three principles

How Dr. Yoon approaches every operation

Principle 1

Preserve what is yours

The uterus is kept wherever it is safe to do so, and the repair is built from the patient's own vaginal wall, muscle and ligaments. No mesh, bands or implants are placed, because foreign material can erode, migrate or become infected years later.

Principle 2

Minimum scope, maximum care

Mucosa is peeled rather than cut, to under 1 mm, and the anterior wall with the urethra, bladder and nerve-rich tissue is left untouched. Over-resection at the opening is avoided because it can reduce lubrication and sensation.

Principle 3

Measure, then decide

Vaginal length, width, wall thickness and pelvic floor strength are measured before a plan is proposed, and internal photographs before and at about eight weeks after surgery document the result. Results vary between women, and Dr. Yoon will say when surgery is not the right answer.

Consult Dr. Yoon

Start with a conversation, not a procedure

Send your history and questions, and Dr. Yoon will review them before you visit. Patients outside Korea can begin with a written or video consultation.