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. Among the countries in the Asia-Pacific, China has one of the highest number of cosmetic surgeries and procedures carried out. The Chinese' intensifying fixation with physical beauty which has escalated the demand for cosmetic surgery in recent years. Among its drivers, the influence of Korean pop stars and other celebrities has significantly prompted young people to undergo these surgeries.
Background
In 1994, cosmetic surgery was introduced in Beijing and since then, the market has significantly evolved. Annually, Beijing's China-Japan Friendship Hospital catered to a total of 20,000 to 30,000 people in its plastic surgery department and the numbers have consistently risen over the years.
Statistics
Students make up the bulk of cosmetic surgery patients under 30 and estimates show that there are 20 million people in China who have had cosmetic surgery. In 2014 alone, over 7 million people, mostly young women, had cosmetic surgery, when the country’s cosmetic surgery industry was valued at RMB400 billion. For every 100 buyers of medical beauty products, 64% per were from the post ’90s, followed by 19% of millennials. Reports also indicate an estimate of 100,000 cosmetic surgeons, of which only 10% were licensed. This signifies that 90% of facial surgery operations are carried out outside official medical systems.
Market
China’s cosmetic surgery industry soared from RMB 87 billion in 2015 to RMB 176 billion in 2017 and currently continues to rise. It is the world’s 3rd largest cosmetic surgery market in 2018 and recent studies conducted by HSBC foresee an increase in its market size by 2019. Forecasts also reveal a boost in total spending of up to 800 million RMB with the potential to reach 20.6 billion U.S. dollars by 2020.
Drivers
The rise of the middle class in Chinese society is one reality behind China's escalating cosmetic surgery industry. The increase in the purchasing power of over 350 million Chinese raised the level of people's standards of living allowing them to aspire for other luxuries and life standards. Based on statistics culled from the Chinese Association of Plastics and Aesthetics in November 2015, the country's plastic surgery sector has grown rapidly with an annual growth rate of 30%. Likewise, it has changed the definition of plastic surgery. The practice is no longer confined to improving the looks of people with disfigured faces resulting from accidents and injuries; it now like getting the "icing on the cake" for inherently good looking people. Another driver is pressure on social media. Beauty applications play an influential role in these “media demands” as many of these platforms put forward opportunities to alter or “improve” one’s face. These application propose their own standard of beauty to users which all the more ignites the pressure that these people feel when they start comparing their ‘before and after’ photos. The influence of Korean culture is another dynamic prompting the high number of Chinese citizens to avail of cosmetic surgery. This is due to the increasing popularity of the Korean Wave through Korean dramas and television shows which have become a hit in China. Since cosmetic surgery is common in Korea, entertainment personalities with their—unbridled eyes, jaw in V line, prominent cheekbones—have greatly influenced the Chinese people. These same Korean influences are found on the skin care market, where a perfect and white skin is a must for any woman wishing to convey a beautiful image of oneself.
