Cosmetic surgery refers to the process, methods, and theories focusing on the enhancement of a person's physical appearance. In China, there are over 10 million people who have undergone cosmetic surgery, 8.5 million of them are under 30 years old.
In 2015, China became the third largest plastic surgery market globally according to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. An estimated 12,273,643 Chinese outpatients visited plastic and aesthetic surgeons in 2018, a more than 6-fold increase since 2009.
The modern pursuit of beauty is unprecedented in China – about 1.05 million people underwent plastic surgeries in 2020, and a majority of them were females under 30 years old. It is a widespread belief among the younger generation that beauty is associated with upward economic mobility.
South Korea has consistently been ranked as one of the countries with the highest rates of plastic surgeries per capita. Procedures like double eyelid surgery, rhinoplasty, and jawline reshaping are popular in South Korea.
What Are the Most Popular Chinese Plastic Surgery Procedures? Many of the most popular Chinese plastic surgery procedures focus on the face. Among these, blepharoplasty or “double eyelid surgery” is the most requested. Asian eyelid surgery can help reshape the eyes for patients with a single “monolid”.
Among countries in the Asia-Pacific, China has one of the highest numbers of cosmetic surgeries and procedures carried out. However, due to China's immense population, the total number is proportionally far lower compared to countries like the United States and South Korea.
South Korea is home to some of the best plastic surgeons who stay on the cutting edge on keeping up with advancements and technological advancements in their fields. Plastic surgeons in Korea stay on top of medical trends both at home and abroad by attending workshops, conferences, and other industry events.
Turkey remains one of the cheapest places globally to get plastic surgery, simultaneously preserving a high quality of medical service and outcomes. 2,000 plastic surgery, cosmetic and dental procedures are performed daily in Turkey, as ISAPS reports.
Nearly 25% of women aged 19–29 have undergone plastic surgery, while men have only undergone surgery 2% of the times. This number increases to 31% of women and 4% of men among 30–39-year-olds. South Korea is frequently called the "plastic surgery capital of the world".
South Korea is the country with the highest percentage of plastic surgeries in the world, and this is followed by Greece and Italy. The United States falls below the fifth rank of plastic surgery by country according to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons.
Chinese Beauty Standards | FAQs
The ideal Chinese beauty standards for women are having fair or pale skin, being thin, having large eyes with double-fold eyelids and a “goose egg” shaped face.
Breast implants are more popular than ever. They remain one of the most sought-after cosmetic surgeries in many countries from the United States and Brazil to the UK and China.
More and more Chinese young people believe that a better appearance can boost their salaries and opt for medical aesthetics procedures. Breast augmentation was the most popular breast plastic surgeries in China, according to a market report released in 2019.
The reason why Asians seek cosmetic procedures is that they find more of a westernized appeal that is what they see in the American culture. In Asia, women with strong jawlines, bumps on the nose, masculine looking foreheads are often considered too “harsh” because of their appearance.
According to the South China Morning Post, millions of young people in China undergo double eyelid surgery “to help them get a job (and) be happy”.
Asia has a robust and unabashed relationship with plastic surgery. It's so socially prevalent, it can be openly credited with someone's aesthetic improvement in the same manner as, say, finishing puberty.
Plastic surgery has long been a quiet, yet widely accepted, practice in Japan. Many patients chose to keep their procedures private out of respect for the country's traditional values and fear of negative social attitudes towards modifying the body.
In South Korea, there is immense societal pressure to conform to the community and societal expectations placed on the individual. This is evident in the theorization of what influences both Korean men and women to want to strive to achieve a strict beauty standard.
BTS' resident rapper RM (born Kim Nam-joon, formerly known as Rap Monster) is the sole member of BTS who has ever gone public with undergoing plastic surgery.
Brazil is the country with the most surgical cosmetic procedures totalling up to 1,492,383.
The demand for breast implantation and enlargement has increased owing to people's desire to look beautiful and their willingness to spend money to do so, particularly those who belong to elite groups. The U.S., Brazil, and Mexico have the highest rates of breast implant surgeries.
Best Countries for Tummy Tuck Surgery Abroad are India, Turkey and Thailand. The price of Tummy Tuck package starts from USD 3500 that includes the procedure itself, as well as transportation, lodging, and language support.
Brazil: Rio de Janeiro is known as the plastic surgery capital of the world and is known for its innovative, leading-edge plastic surgery procedures as well as its accredited hospitals.
Thailand for Plastic surgery
The excellent quality and specialized expertise of the surgeons, first-rate hospital treatments, and reasonable prices all add up to a satisfying all-around package. Unsurprisingly, individuals from all over the world flock to Thailand to correct a physical flaw.
With over 300,000 surgeries performed each year, breast augmentation is the most popular cosmetic procedure performed in the United States.