The Different Attitudes Towards Plastic Surgery Around The World

Plenty of folks tend to get judgmental about people who get plastic surgery. Even though the cosmetic surgery industry is a billion dollar industry in North America, it’s still a topic that divides many. Those who are opposed to the concept of it see it as unnecessary or something that vain or insecure people would do. That’s just the very tip of generalizations. We all know we could go on and on about what some people say about plastic surgery.

It’s not all negative though. A lot people choose to keep the fact they had some work done to themselves, but there are other who are vocal about their own plastic surgery procedures. Take a look at Iggy Azalea. She’s been rather candid about her breast augmentation. In March, she told Vogue she got breast implants and it was something she thought about her entire life. “I love them so much I had to talk about them,” she then told E! Online.

In certain countries, the people are open about plastic surgery and embrace it. In fact, getting plastic surgery is seen as a status symbol or just a completely normal thing to do. These are the countries where the attitude towards cosmetic enhancements is more accepting. 

Brazil

Source: imagesgonerogue.com. Gisele Bundchen is a famous Brazilian fashion model

Brazil is often regarded as the country with insanely beautiful women—and it’s true. It’s also a country with a very liberal attitude towards plastic surgery. Even though Brazil makes up 3% of the world’s population, the country accounted for 13% of plastic surgeries performed in the world in 2013. 

Joao Carlos Sampaio Goés, a well known surgeon, says Brazilian people have a very open mentality compared to Europeans. They have a much greater ease in seeking plastic surgery. “It is a tropical country, where people enjoy exposing their bodies. This helps stimulate people to have surgery,” he said in this Guardian article.

Korea

Source: http://img.news.sina.com. An ad displaying before and after photos of jaw surgery in a metro station in Seoul, Korea.

Korea is the world capital of plastic surgery. It’s been dubbed this title since they have the most cosmetically enhanced people in the world. In fact, 1 in 5 women in Seoul have had at least one cosmetic procedure. When strolling around the city, it’s not uncommon to see ads and billboards of before and after photos of people who’ve had plastic surgery. With some of the best plastic surgeons in the world in Korea, both Koreans and foreigners from around the world are seeking treatments in Korea at high rates.

In this article, Kwon Seung-taik—a plastic surgeon in Korea—shares insight on the Korean mentality on beauty. He says Koreans believe beauty is something that can be attained through hard work, just like anything else. “Koreans see plastic surgery, and becoming prettier, as a challenge,” he says. He believes Koreans don’t see beauty as something to be envied, it’s something they can attain themselves if they truly want. With many Korean households with disposable incomes and districts that are fluttered with endless plastic surgery clinics, there’s simply a lot of choice and opportunity for plastic surgery.

The different perspectives and mentality on beauty and plastic surgery is fascinating. Here in Canada and the U.S, the media is fixated on speculating whether or not a celebrity's done plastic surgery—and they’re often met with backlash. That’s not to say that that doesn’t happen in other countries, but it seems like in Korea and Brazil, getting plastic surgery is simply a part of life.    

What do you think about the open attitude that Korea and Brazil have about plastic surgery?

3 Countries People Visit Just to Get Plastic Surgery

Countries in Europe, Asia and South America attract thousands of visitors from around the world to get cosmetic work done. Why is that? One reason is because people are drawn to the competitive prices of the plastic surgery procedures these countries offer. Instead of paying full price for a facelift (that would cost between $6,000-$12,000 in Canada), a facelift would start from $1,900 in Brazil. That’s a big difference in cost and it’s just one of the factors why we’re seeing so many people travel abroad for surgery. Below are some countries that have seen an increase in foreign tourists mainly for plastic surgery.

Brazil

Did you know that Brazil has the most cosmetic surgeons in the world? While getting plastic surgery here in North America is oftentimes met with stigma, that’s not the case in Brazil. Getting a procedure here and there in Brazil is really no big deal.

The Brazillian government has even made cosmetic surgeries deductible from income tax, according to an ABC News article. Discounts are backdated for surgeries that go far back as 2004. Brazil has also flourished economically in the last ten years—salaries and disposable incomes are higher. A lot of people choose to spend that money to enhance their looks.  As for medical tourists, they’re treated well and aren’t met with any judgment. Cosmetic surgery is culturally accepted and is even regarded as a symbol of status.

Colombia

Colombia started to build facilities strictly for medical tourists after they saw their safety and tourism improve. Right now, about 20,000 tourists visit the country each year for plastic surgery procedures. This number is expected to increase. To sweeten the deal for foreigners, there are packages that include an apartment, chef, housekeeper and a combination of three surgeries for $10,000.

Source: allkpop.com. Psy's huge hit "Gangnam Style" went viral in 2012.

South Korea

South Koreans are the most cosmetically enhanced people in the world. Like Brazil, getting plastic surgery is really common. The Gangnam District in Seoul has 500 clinics closely located to each other—it’s like walking in a plastic surgery wonderland. The country sees thousands of visitors from countries like China or the U.S strictly for surgery. South Korea is well-known for its highly skilled and innovative plastic surgeons and clinics.

Out of all foreign patients, Chinese patients accounted for 26.5% of them. They also spent the most money in the Korean medical industry in 2013 (1.02 trillion won). By the end of this year, it’s expected that 400,000 people will visit South Korea just for medical procedures.

Safety and Risks

Safety is a real risk factor to think about when travelling abroad for cosmetic surgery. “Sometimes unqualified surgeons, or people that aren’t even doctors, try to do procedures without the expertise or the credentials which increases the risk for patients,” says Dr. Lina Triana, president of the Colombian Plastic Surgery Society, who was quoted in Colombia Reports. Just about anyone can create a website to advertise skills and services they might not even be capable of.

Another possibility to consider is the possibility of something going wrong after your surgery. If you return home and an infection or medical concern arises, it’s not like you can easily drop by your doctor’s office. They may be thousands of miles away. If you don’t speak the native language, communicating with the medical staff could be difficult. Keep these points in mind and remember that it’s never a bad idea to research extensively before agreeing to go under the knife, even if it’s at a cheaper price.