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More younger Chinese are opting for cosmetic surgery to enhance their self-esteem. In 2021, the size of the medical aesthetics market in China amounted to billion yuan, implying a yearly growth of around ** percent. The figure was expected to surpass *** billion yuan by 2025.

The unregulated beauty business

In 2018, over ** million aesthetic procedures were performed across the world – around *** million in the United States and *** million in Brazil. Due to the prevalence of unregistered clinics and surgeons, the number of licensed cosmetic procedures performed in China was low compared to the U.S. and Brazil. However, it was believed that the Chinese market could have surpassed Brazil in 2017 to be the second largest after the United States. The market is huge and lucrative, yet the problem of illegal practices has been alarming. Poor after-sales services, low quality, and contract frauds were the most typical types of consumer complaints in the sector.

The dilemma of pop culture and social media

With a rising disposable income, more Chinese customers can afford and are willing to spend more on beauty treatments and surgeries. In fact, the standards of beauty in China has been heavily influenced by South Korea. Some consumers might even use K-pop celebrity faces as “templates” for their own plastic surgeries. The growing desire to look young and attractive can be associated with rising social media usage and the booming live streaming economy. Some young Chinese believed that having an “internet celebrity” face could make them a successful influencer, and ultimately earn them a good living online.