China and South Korea have agreed to take measures addressing the rising number of botched cosmetic surgeries. (Photo : Reuters)
As the number of medical tourists from China flocking to South Korea for cosmetic surgery rises, the cases of complaints and lawsuits about failed surgeries also increased.
As cited in a People's Daily report, statistics show that the annual growth rate for failed operations and disputes between cosmetic clinics and customers reached 10 to 15 percent.
A 2012 data also revealed that for the past decade, China has witnessed around 20,000 lawsuits about disfigurement annually.
A group of Chinese women also caught the public attention after they rallied in South Korea, protesting their concerns over botched cosmetic surgeries, during this year's National Day holiday celebration.
With the help of local media, the Chinese people were informed about the chaos in China's domestic cosmetic industry. The consumers were presented with the consequences of failed surgeries like botox injection.
Many Chinese people have since then flown to South Korea, a neighboring country, to receive cosmetic treatment. The country is predicted to receive over one million medical tourists annually by 2020.
As a measure, South Korea's Health Ministry has put up an official medical tourism website where illegal brokers can be reported and list of estimated costs of the procedures can be counterchecked.
The Chinese government has also reached an agreement with South Korea establishing an accreditation platform for the plastic surgeons from both countries.
However, amid the precautionary actions, experts still warn the public that cosmetic surgery itself remains risky. They encourage consumers to think and decide thoroughly before undergoing a procedure.
