The number of cosmetic plastic surgeries has increased by half. Beauty standards that once seemed unattainable without a set of model-specific genetics are now up for sale through a plastic surgeon. With their scalpels, surgeons are essentially able to recreate someone’s appearance. This is an attractive option for those seeking to meet idealized societal expectations. There are some nations in particular that lead the way, where the uptake is incredibly high.
India ranks 20th on the list of nations with the highest plastic surgery rates per capita, measuring 0.26 plastic surgeries per 1,000 people. The nation recorded 370,656 cosmetic surgeries in 2021 alone. About a quarter of those procedures consisted of liposuction.
Ranked 19th on the list of nations with the highest plastic surgery rates per capita is Singapore. The Southeast Asian island nation registered 1.34 plastic surgeries per 1,000 people. The nation experienced a 10% increase in plastic surgeries from 2020 to 2021.
A recent study conducted by Statista notes that a whopping 9% of all Singaporeans have had a minimum of one cosmetic procedure. The study also notes that 50% of Singaporeans are considering undergoing a cosmetic procedure.
Taiwan ranks 18th on the list of nations with the highest plastic surgery rates per capita, measuring 1.34 plastic surgeries per 1,000 people. The nation has an astounding 750 plastic surgeons.
Ranked 17th on the list of nations with the highest plastic surgery rates per capita is Costa Rica. The small Central American nation registered 1.30 plastic surgeries per 1000 people.
Costa Rica is a major site for what’s called ‘medical tourism.’ Those seeking more affordable surgical options, particularly Americans, opt to go under the knife in Costa Rica, as surgeries are usually between 50% and 70% cheaper in Costa Rican hospitals than in US hospitals.
Hungary ranks 16th on the list of nations with the highest plastic surgery rates per capita, measuring 1.40 plastic surgeries per 1,000 people. The European nation is experiencing an uptick in demand for plastic surgery procedures.
Similar to Costa Rica, Hungary is another nation that attracts visitors due to medical tourism, especially for cosmetic surgeries. Surgeries more affordable in Hungary than other European nations.
Ranked 15th on the list of nations with the highest plastic surgery rates per capita is Thailand. The Southeast Asian nation registered 1.49 plastic surgeries per 1,000 people. Similar to Costa Rica and Hungary, it is also a popular medical tourism destination.
The most common procedures in Thailand are nose jobs, eyelid surgeries, liposuction, and breast implants. Nearly a quarter of the nation’s plastic surgeries are performed on foreign patients.
Japan ranks 14th on the list of nations with the highest plastic surgery rates per capita, measuring 2.13 plastic surgeries per 1,000 people. The nation hosts an incredible 2,750 plastic surgeons.
The most popular procedure in Japan is eyelid surgery, which makes up nearly 60% of all cosmetic surgeries in the country, followed by facelift procedures and facial fat transfers.
Ranked 13th on the list of nations with the highest plastic surgery rates per capita is Romania. The southeastern European nation registered 3.07 plastic surgeries per 1,000 people.
Despite its high ranking, the nation only has about 350 registered plastic surgeons. The most popular procedures are breast implants, eyelid surgery, and nose jobs.
The Czech Republic ranks 12th on the list of nations with the highest plastic surgery rates per capita, measuring 3.95 plastic surgeries per 1,000 people. Most of the surgeries performed in the nation are for foreign patients.
Like other nations on the list, the Czech Republic is another attractive option for those considering medical tourism. It is experiencing a 15% annual increase in interest from foreign patients who are looking for affordable and safe plastic surgery.
Ranked 11th on the list of nations with the highest plastic surgery rates per capita is Spain. The Southern European nation registered 4.62 plastic surgeries per 1,000 people. Spain is also a key nation when it comes to medical tourism.
Italy ranks 10th on the list of nations with the highest plastic surgery rates per capita, measuring 4.79 plastic surgeries per 1,000 people. The Southern European nation registered nearly 670,000 procedures in 2021 alone.
Italy performs a number of common plastic surgery procedures, but its most popular procedures are breast implants and eyelid surgeries. Eyelid surgeries remove excess skin from the eyelid area to reshape the eye and give a ‘younger’ appearance.
Ranked ninth on the list of nations with the highest plastic surgery rates per capita is Mexico. The Central American nation registered 5.31 plastic surgeries per 1,000 people.
In 2021 alone, Mexico reported over 1.27 million procedures. Similar to other nations on this list, the country is a popular site for medical tourism, which accounts for 20% of all procedures. The most popular procedures performed are liposuction and breast and buttock implants.
Turkey ranks eighth on the list of nations with the highest plastic surgery rates per capita, measuring 5.4 plastic surgeries per 1,000 people. In 2021 alone, the nation reported over 950,000 procedures.
Turkey ranks third in the world in terms of the highest number of nose jobs per country. Similar to other nations on the list, medical tourism is a key reason for the inflated numbers. Foreign patients, particularly from the United Kingdom and Germany, amount to over 32% of all procedures.
Ranked seventh on the list of nations with the highest plastic surgery rates per capita is Germany. The European nation registered 5.72 plastic surgeries per 1,000 people. In 2021, the nation reported nearly 1.1 million procedures.
The United States ranks sixth on the list of nations with the highest plastic surgery rates per capita, measuring 5.91 plastic surgeries per 1,000 people. The US has the most plastic surgeons in the world, amounting to 17% of all plastic surgeons in the world.
Ranked fifth on the list of nations with the highest plastic surgery rates per capita is Greece. The European nation registered 6.33 plastic surgeries per 1000 people. The most common surgeries in the country are eyelid surgery, breast implants, and liposuction.
Colombia ranks fourth on the list of nations with the highest plastic surgery rates per capita, measuring 7.26 plastic surgeries per 1,000 people. The most common surgical procedure in the nation is liposuction.
Ranked third on the list of nations with the highest plastic surgery rates per capita is Brazil. The nation registered 7.26 plastic surgeries per 1000 people. In 2021, Brazil reported 2.7 million procedures.
According to the data, the Southern American nation performs the most nose jobs and eyelid surgeries in the world. Other common procedures include liposuction and breast implants.
Argentina ranks second on the list of nations with the highest plastic surgery rates per capita, measuring 8.81 plastic surgeries per 1,000 people. Despite the nation’s economic challenges, the demand for plastic surgery increased by 300% between 2019 and 2021 alone.
The nation with the highest plastic surgery rates per capita in the world is South Korea. The country reported 8.90 plastic surgeries per 1,000 people. In fact, South Korea is dubbed “the cosmetic surgery capital of the world.”
