More young people in China going under the knife in quest for “beauty ideal’

Many seek to address longstanding insecurities about their looks, boost self-confidence

- 

“I was scared the entire time,” said the Shandong province native, who chose to use her English name for privacy.

“But I put all my trust in the doctor and believed that no matter what I had to endure, it would be worth it when exiting the operation looking better than my old self.”

Now, three years later, Irene is studying in Australia. She can still recall the sleepless nights leading up to the surgical procedure, her fear of the scalpel, and a month of recovery at home, waiting for the swelling and bruising around her eyes to subside.

Despite the ordeal, Irene has no regrets about her decision to go under the knife that summer. “The procedure has fundamentally changed my mindset. I’ve only grown more confident since then,” she said.

YOUNGER PATIENTS

China’s medical aesthetics market - which includes cosmetic surgery and less-invasive beauty treatments ~ grew to nearly 300 billion yuan (S$54 billion) in 2024, up from 65 billion yuan in 2015, according to market research data. It is expected to maintain an annual growth rate of around 10 per cent over the next four years.

While the core consumer group remains people aged 26 to 40, a growing number of teenagers and adults in their early 20s are also driving the market’s expansion. Many are seeking to address longstanding insecurities about their appearance and boost their self-confidence.

“The number of young patients who have just graduated from high school, or are in college, began rising about a decade ago, leading toa surge in consultations during summer vacations,” said Dr Guo Xin, a surgeon at the Plastic Surgery Hospital of the China Academy of Medical Sciences.