• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Appointments
  • Diary
  • Directory
  • Blog
  • Advertise
  • Contact

The Harley Street Journal

Bi-monthly newspaper for the cosmetic and plastic surgery sector

  • News
  • Features
  • Events
  • Product Launches
  • Peer Reviews
  • Innovations

market

Rise of Medical Tourism Shows Impact On Cosmetic Surgery Market

December 19, 2013 by Laura Casewell

8193012_xlA recent paper, by ASPS Member Surgeon Dr. Kevin C. Chung and Lauren E. Franzblau of the University of Michigan, discusses “the rise and transformation of the medical tourism industry, foreign and domestic forces that influence cosmetic surgical tourism, and the pros and cons for all involved parties.”

“The rapid globalisation of the industry also marks a fundamental shift in the world’s perception of elective procedures: patients are becoming consumers and these medical services are being viewed as commodities,” say Chung and Franzblau.

More ‘Medical Tourists’ Are Traveling for Cosmetic Surgery

Travelling for medical care is nothing new — but in the past, people were more likely to travel from poor countries to obtain higher-quality care in wealthier countries. Today, prompted by the ease and relatively low costs of travel, more patients from the United States and other western countries are travelling to the developing world to access less-costly medical and surgical procedures. Because cosmetic plastic surgery procedures aren’t covered by insurance, they make up a major part of the burgeoning medical tourism market.

Figures vary, but there’s a consensus that medical tourism is growing rapidly: India alone may have more than one million medical tourists per year. Other countries with growing medical tourism industries include Mexico, Dubai, South Africa, Thailand and Singapore.

Prices for cosmetic surgery in these countries are typically much lower than at home. For example, a breast augmentation procedure that would cost £4,000 in the U.S. can be done for £1,200 in India. Even after the costs of airfare are factored in, having an operation overseas can be much less expensive.

In many countries, governments are working actively to foster their medical tourism industry. Some destinations even market procedures performed in resort-like settings, encouraging patients to combine a vacation with cosmetic surgery. Travelling abroad also lets patients recuperate privately, without anyone at home knowing that they’ve had plastic surgery.

Raising Potential Concerns Over Safety and Quality

The growth of medical tourism may have a significant impact on the cosmetic surgery market in the U.S., but also raises concerns over physical safety and legal protection. Although destination countries promote the quality and safety of their procedures and facilities, there is often little evidence to support these claims.

“Because the practice of medical travel does not appear to be going away in the foreseeable future, plastic surgeons must understand the international market and learn to compete in it,” Chung and Franzblau write.

Since U.S. surgeons may find it hard to compete on price, effective strategies may include emphasising superior quality and safety of care, or developing “niche markets” of procedures that can be profitably performed at home.

The authors emphasise that medical tourism  “is not purely good or bad” – neither for patients nor the countries involved. Patients may be drawn by lower costs, but must consider the potential risks of undergoing surgery in a foreign country, as well as travelling after surgery.

Filed Under: Blog, Events, News Tagged With: cosmetic, cosmetic surgery, market, medial tourism, news

Cosmetic and aesthetic market to reach £775m this year

October 21, 2013 by Laura Casewell

The market for cosmetic surgery and non-surgical procedures is expected to grow in value by 9% this year to reach £775million. The sector, which includes procedures such as lasers and injectables as well as invasive surgery, will continue to expand, but at a slightly slower pace than in recent years, as the market reaches maturity.

Market analyst, Key Note, forecasts that the cosmetic beauty market will grow 8.4% in value to reach £840m by the end of 2013.

 

The number of cosmetic surgical and non-surgical procedures increased by 15.1% in 2011, while in value terms, the market grew by 10.1% to £711m over the same period.

 

12794953_xxlThe number of non-surgical procedures carried out in the UK increased substantially between 2007 and 2011, and accounted for 32.2% of the total market in terms of value in 2011.  Audit figures from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) showed that, in 2011, nose surgery experienced the strongest growth in volume terms, with the number of rhinoplasty procedures increasing by 7.4%.

 

Breast augmentation continued to be the largest sector and accounted for 23.3% of all procedures carried out by its members in 2011, despite the well documented French PIP breast implant scandal.

 

Key Note’s Cosmetic Surgery Market Report also included a consumer survey, which found that half of the respondents (50.1%) were against cosmetic surgery or non-surgical procedures in principle and said that they would never consider it, while an additional 14.1% said that they would consider having cosmetic surgery or procedures but felt that the cost was prohibitive.

Filed Under: Blog, Features, News Tagged With: aesthetic, cosmetic, market, news

Primary Sidebar

Aesthetics Conference 2022

Recent Posts

Deleo launches new UK site

Deleo, a European leading design and manufacturing company for medical-aesthetic … [Read More...] about Deleo launches new UK site

Hymen repair surgery to be banned in UK

The government is planning on banning a cosmetic surgery called hymenoplasty … [Read More...] about Hymen repair surgery to be banned in UK

BCAM Releases Top Five Most Performed Treatments

A study carried out by the British College of Aesthetic Medicine (BCAM) has … [Read More...] about BCAM Releases Top Five Most Performed Treatments

Cosmetic surgery boom due to working from home

Harley Street clinics have seen a surge in people having cosmetic surgery … [Read More...] about Cosmetic surgery boom due to working from home

Aesthetics world remembers Mr Niall Kirkpatrick

The British Association of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons … [Read More...] about Aesthetics world remembers Mr Niall Kirkpatrick

BioID Health launches new website

BioID Health, UK provider of tailored and bespoke bioidentical hormone … [Read More...] about BioID Health launches new website

Deleo brings ‘body layering’ to UK

Forget what you already know about body sculpting and prepare yourselves for the … [Read More...] about Deleo brings ‘body layering’ to UK

Skin health trends for 2022

The year 2021 was pretty on-point when it came to skin trends. We saw … [Read More...] about Skin health trends for 2022

Top Cambridge aesthetic clinic expands with two new hires

A multi award-winning aesthetics clinic based in Cambridge is pleased to … [Read More...] about Top Cambridge aesthetic clinic expands with two new hires

Channel 4 using virtual reality to ‘explore body image and cosmetic surgery’ in new show

Channel 4 has commissioned a new TV show that uses virtual reality to explore … [Read More...] about Channel 4 using virtual reality to ‘explore body image and cosmetic surgery’ in new show

Croma-Pharma expands successful mask range

Croma-Pharma (Croma) announced today the expansion of its successful mask … [Read More...] about Croma-Pharma expands successful mask range

Cynosure announces partnership with The Katie Piper Foundation

Energy-based aesthetic device company Cynosure has announced a new partnership … [Read More...] about Cynosure announces partnership with The Katie Piper Foundation

Under 18s banned from getting Botox for cosmetic reasons in England

People under 18 years of age will no longer be able to get Botox and dermal lip … [Read More...] about Under 18s banned from getting Botox for cosmetic reasons in England

Cosmex Clinic is now CQC registered

Award-winning Cosmex Clinic in Cambridge is now CQC registered. Part of the … [Read More...] about Cosmex Clinic is now CQC registered

UK seeing a rise in laser tattoo removal treatments

As we leave the pandemic behind, there’s no doubt the aesthetics industry is … [Read More...] about UK seeing a rise in laser tattoo removal treatments

BAAPS launches a new initiative advancing the framework for mental health assessment in cosmetic surgery

The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) has launched a new … [Read More...] about BAAPS launches a new initiative advancing the framework for mental health assessment in cosmetic surgery

More Posts from this Category

Copyright © 2022 · The Harley Street Journal