Plastic Surgery Trend in South Korea (Essay Sample)

Plastic Surgery Trend in South Korea
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Plastic Surgery Trend in South Korea
Introduction
Plastic surgery has been a popular business in the West particularly in the United States. However the trend is shifting to Asia. In the past decade, public attitude towards cosmetic or aesthetic surgery in South Korea have increasingly become optimistic. Generally, cosmetic procedures are perceived as a valuable and good investment in an individual’s body, rather than a red flag of egotism as perceived in the West. The 21st century South Korean women have evolved from the domestic and maternal feminism to a beautiful face, and slim body. For many South Korean women, plastic surgery is not only a practice self-care or a symbol of maturity, but also serves as an investment to provide significant benefits in marriage, education and career. Based on the loose observation, it is hypothesized that the sensational plastic surgery trend is attributed to media-portrayed western culture and beauty. The research will employ various data sources and qualitatively analyze the complied data from journal, studies and other statistical sources related to plastic surgery. Herein, the terms Korea and Korean refers to South Korea and South Korean respectively. The recent statistical data documented by the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS), indicates that when population is considered, South Korea tops the list of global markets for cosmetic procedures. In an effort to change their looks, one in five women in Seoul between the ages of 15 and 49 admitted to have undergone a cosmetic procedure. This paper examines consumer patterns and behaviors in the plastic surgery industry in South Korea. In that respect, the paper discusses the trends and impact of the plastic surgery in South Korea. It also gives a personalized projection of the future South Korean plastic surgery industry.
Literature Review
Plastic surgery is a medical specialty that correct, restores or fixes an imperfection of a body tissue through reconstructive or cosmetic surgery (Ray, 2013). The difference between reconstructive surgery and plastic surgery is that the former is performed to improve functionality, whereas the latter is performed to improve the aesthetic appearance on an individual. Some of the popular procedures carried out through plastic surgery include butt implants, eyelid surgery, tummy tucks, nose job (rhinoplasty) and breast augmentations. The top surgeries for Korean women include breast augmentation, eyelid, nose and butt implants. On the other hand, the popular surgeries for men include breast reduction, nose, face and eyelid. While the gains of cosmetic enhancements are widely shared in South Korea, most failed surgeries are rarely reported. This implies that South Koreans should take into account the negative effects of plastic surgery. This section highlights the positive and negative benefits of cosmetic enhancement with focus on South Korea. Plastic surgery is here to stay and will gain popularity ore than ever in the next few years. While patients accept the benefits of cosmetic enhancement, both positive and negative effects of the procedure should be considered. As noted earlier, the widely shared benefits of plastic surgeries are improved appearance and prospectus for good job and spouse. A study performed by the American Psychological Association (APA) indicated that patient of plastic surgery felt better after plastic surgery (Ray, 2013). The study showed successful procedures improved confidence and overall-well being.
Statistical facts about Plastic Surgery in South Korea
Writing from a global point of view, and focusing on a 2013 statistical report by International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS), there were over 23 million cosmetic procedures (surgical and non-surgical) performed globally in 2013 (ISAPS, 2014). In reference to the same report, the United States was edged by Brazil for the first time in history in terms of the total cosmetic surgical procedures performed (ISAPS, 2014). However, the United States was still at the top in terms of the total number of both surgical and non-surgical procedures. Brazil, Mexico, Germany and Spain followed in that order (ISAPS, 2014). Botulinum took the first position in reference to the total cosmetic procedures performed. Overall, women had over 20 million plastic surgery procedures, which translate to 87.5% of the overall cosmetic procedures (ISAPS, 2014). Survey subjects completed a questionnaire that centered on the total number of both surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures performed in 2013. Primary data from 1,567 plastic surgeons were collected for this survey. The report was analyzed and presented by Industry Insights, an independent research firm. Based on the survey, the estimated numbers of surgeons across the globe were 40,277. Out of this number, the united stated had 6,133 plastic surgeons followed by Brazil (5,473) and China (2,800), Japan (2,302), and 2,150 surgeons South Korea (ISAPS, 2014). Out of the total face and head procedures the list was as follows Brazil (10.1%), USA (8.3%), Mexico (4.2%), Germany (3.0%) and Colombia (1.8%).
South Korea receives over 100,000 medical tourists annually. These medical tourists seek high-class aesthetic or cosmetic procedures. In 2010, South Korea was the leading destination in terms of non-invasive skin and hair plastic surgery, as well as in terms of invasive face and hair cosmetic procedures (Seoul TouchUp, 2014). According to the Seoul TouchUp (2014), and as indicated in the Korean plastic surgery statistics, the cosmetic surgery tourism is valued a national asset. The Seoul TouchUp (2014) asserts that it is only in South Korea that plastic surgery tourism is perceived as a practical venture in an extremely competitive medical world. Over the past decade, Korea has continued to experience an exponential growth in the number of medical tourists visiting the country. The 2014 Korean Plastic Surgery Statistics indicate that the number of plastic surgery tourists has grown exponentially. Out of the 7.5 million tourists who visit South Korea annually, over 80,000 of them visit Korea exclusively for medical procedures (Seoul TouchUp, 2014). These procedures range from plastic surgery to cyber-knife surgery. As more people become aware of the high-quality medical facilities and well trained medical practitioners present in South Korea, Seoul TouchUp (2014) anticipated that by 2015, the statistics of medical visitors will surpass 400,000 people annually. In the same projection, it was predicted that the growth rate would reach an annual rate of 30%.
RYOT (2014), noted that as technology improves, plastic surgery in South Korea continued to be safer better and cheaper than other countries in the world. As of consequence the country was the busiest destination of plastic surgery globally. Besides women, men have been reported to increasingly visit South Korea for aesthetic perfection (RYOT, 2014). According to RYOT (2014), the modern Korean women undergo the cosmetic surgery more than men. According to ISAPS (2014), South Korea had approximately 2,054 plastic surgeons, which is equivalent to 5.1% of the total plastic surgeons worldwide. According to a recent article by Reuters (2014), South Koreas plastic surgery industry was worth $5 billion and the world’s largest. Despite having qualified medical practitioners and modern facilities, complaints of failed procedures and unqualified doctors doubled in 2013 from 2012. For example, jaw surgery is often the last avenue to correct facial deformations. However, jaw surgery has increasingly become an elective enhancement procedure by many South Korean women seeking original cosmetic enhancements irrespective of the risks involved. Furthermore, the proliferation of new plastic surgery clinics offering risk cosmetic enhancement such as jaw surgery have become more affordable to many. To that end, the number of surgeries that are likely to fail increases hence exposing more Koreans to medical complications. Despite the medical concerns regarding such trends, many studies and resources point that the practice is set to boom (Asian Plastic Surgery Guide, 2009; CBC, 2014; ISAPS, 2014). According to Reuters (2014) a patient of a botched surgery struggles with a series of medical problems. In the worst case scenario, she is unemployed, got divorced and suffers from severe depression. In the same context, one of the Miss Korea contestants in the 1980s reported to have suffered a series of infection in her breast after undergoing breast augmentation in 2008 with the agenda of finding a new spouse (Reuters, 2014). She regrets undergoing the cosmetic surgery because her breasts ended up being un-proportional.
In 2013, the South Korean Ministry of Education issued a booklet containing information about the side effects of plastic surgery and effects involved. The booklet Plastic Surgery Syndrome target high schools students and cautioned them about the risk involved (Chang & Thompson, 2014). It also cited Michael Jackson and a local woman who was left with a swollen face due to her addiction to cosmetic enhancements. Despites such efforts from the government, most South Koreans remain unmoved by the negative effects or risks related to plastic surgery. The underlying reason behind their persistence is that they perceive the enhancements as ways of bettering themselves in terms of outlook, and marriage or career prospectus (Emily, 2014). The other underlying argument is that there is nothing wrong with the surgery so long as it boost the confidence or self-esteem of the patient.
According to Whitelocks (2012), the most popular cosmetic procedures in South Korea include lipoplsty, double eyelid surgery and nose jobs. Under lipoplasty, high-frequency sound waves are used to eliminate extra fa...