Plastic surgery continuously booms in China, helping the local industry to propel to the third top spot worldwide in a few years' time. (Photo : Reuters)
The country's plastic surgery industry is poised to be the world's third largest after the U.S. and Brazil by 2019 should it continue to grow as expected.
By the end of 2015, the industry will be valued at 400 billion yuan and is predicted to be at 800 billion yuan in five years' time.
According to a report issued by the China Association of Plastics and Aesthetics (CAPA), over seven million Chinese people, majority of which are women, availed of cosmetic services last year. About 60,000 went to South Korea for surgery.
The report also showed that 10 percent more foreigners arrived in the country for plastic surgery.
CAPA member Chen Yuzhe remarked that "cosmetic procedures have grown incredibly in China as an increasing number of women go under the knife to get ahead."
"With deeper pockets and enhanced awareness, there will be more room for the industry to grow here," Chen added.
The local domestic industry has increased by 30 percent each year on average for the past decade. The body parts that were mostly involved were the eyes and the nose.
Worldwide, the most popular procedure is breast enlargement. But in China, most are hesitant to undergo such enhancement.
Du Xiaoyan, the association's vice secretary-general, revealed that in the U.S., 300,000 breast enhancements are annually recorded compared with China's 50,000 to 100,000.
"Chinese women are more reluctant than Westerners to go for breast enhancements," Du remarked.
Meanwhile, the report also said that the number of plastic surgery clinics in China is increasing by 30 percent each year. Now the figure is at 10,000.
