SoYoung Launches China's First "Light Aesthetic Medicine Project Ranking" to Standardize Industry Practices
On September 9, So-Young Inc., China’s leading internet-based medical aesthetics service platform, released the “Beauty Card Light Medical Aesthetics Procedure Ranking.” This is the first ranking of light medical aesthetics procedures in China to be evaluated by more than 100 industry experts from a third-party organization. It aims to help consumers select light medical aesthetics procedures that better suit their needs based on three criteria: safety, efficacy, and comfort. At the same time, it provides a more authoritative showcase platform for the myriad of light medical aesthetics procedures available. More importantly, this ranking enables consumers to quickly distinguish between genuine, reputable offerings and counterfeit or substandard ones in the light medical aesthetics market.
Last October, So-Young officially launched its “Beauty Session Card” product. Upholding the brand philosophy of professional medical aesthetics, it established a model of “uniform nationwide pricing for selected treatments,” delivering “Six Guarantees for Peace of Mind,” including carefully vetted, reliable treatment options and rigorously screened, high-quality institutions. After purchasing a Beauty Session Card for a specific treatment, consumers can enjoy medical aesthetic services of consistent quality and standards at various compliant medical aesthetic institutions within their city. Currently, the Beauty Session Card program covers 36 cities and 180 partner institutions, having served 300,000 customers. Its safe and standardized non-surgical medical aesthetic services have gained widespread consumer favor. After nearly a year of data accumulation and industry exploration, this ranking of non-surgical medical aesthetic treatments has been released on the So-Young Beauty Session Card platform. Reportedly, this is the second industry ranking curated by third-party expert reviews created by So-Young Technology, following its earlier “So-Young Emerald Doctor List.”
Fu Qiutao, a physician judge for the SoYoung “Beauty Card” Light Medical Aesthetics Project Ranking and an executive member of the Laser Cosmetology Branch of the Chinese Association of Plastics and Aesthetics, stated: “SoYoung has introduced a novel ranking to help the medical aesthetics industry return to its medical essence and enable beauty seekers to identify safe and effective light medical aesthetic procedures.” As the first ranking of its kind in the industry, this list carries significant weight.
Currently, the market for minimally invasive aesthetic procedures is vast and holds significant potential, driven by robust consumer demand for cosmetic enhancement. However, illicit practices remain rampant, including unlicensed clinics, unqualified practitioners, and counterfeit injectables. According to the "White Paper on Insights into China's Medical Aesthetics Industry" by iResearch, only 33.3% of injectable products circulating in the market are authentic, while over 90% of medical aesthetic devices used in illegal establishments are counterfeit.
Wang Yaqin, Vice President of So-Young Technology
In response to the rampant black-market activities in the industry, standardization and regulation of non-surgical aesthetic medical services are imperative. According to Wang Yaqin, Vice President of SoYoung Technology, SoYoung spent six months preparing and assembled more than 100 professional physicians to create the “SoYoung Non-Surgical Aesthetic Procedure Rankings.” Through fair, open, and impartial third-party evaluations, the rankings provide consumers with objective references for their decision-making regarding non-surgical aesthetic treatments.
It is reported that all products shortlisted on this list have received approval from China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). The list currently covers four major categories of concern to consumers: mesotherapy, photoelectric skin rejuvenation, device-based anti-aging, and injectable aesthetics. These categories are further refined into 24 specific application scenarios, such as intense pulsed light (IPL) skin rejuvenation and hyaluronic acid injections for neck wrinkle reduction. After being shortlisted, the products underwent anonymous review and cross-evaluation by more than 100 dermatology specialists across China, based on three key dimensions: safety, efficacy, and comfort. The final rankings were generated following calibration through a sophisticated algorithmic model. All listed products are leaders in the field of non-surgical medical aesthetics, enjoying authoritative recognition and professional assurance in terms of both product performance and user reputation. Additionally, the list includes the “Netizens’ Recommended Non-Surgical Medical Aesthetics Procedures Ranking.”
“Meicika Light Medical Aesthetics Project Ranking” is released at the beginning of each month. In the inaugural list, the top three in “Mesotherapy” are Filorga 532 All-in-One Skin Booster, Hearty Panda Needle, and Efacec Rejuvenating & Brightening Kit. The top three in “Photoelectric Skin Rejuvenation” are AOPT Super Photon, Imported IPL (M22 Skin Rejuvenation), and PicoSure. The top three in “Device-Based Anti-Aging” are Fotona 4D Pro, Thermage FLX (4th Generation), and Thermolift Targeted Lifting. The top three in “Injectable Aesthetics” are US-imported Botulinum Toxin for Masseter Reduction, US-imported Botulinum Toxin for Facial Wrinkle Reduction, and UK-imported Botulinum Toxin for Calf Slimming.
For products featured on the list, the “Meicika Light Medical Aesthetics Project Ranking” clearly states the reasons for their inclusion. For instance, the rationale for including Filorga NCTF 532 All-in-One Skin Booster is that its “47 minerals and other nutritional components replenish nutrients in aging skin,” while the reason for listing Imported IPL (M22 Skin Rejuvenation) is its ability to “deliver personalized skin rejuvenation treatments tailored to different skin types using multi-pulse technology.” Furthermore, each listed product comes with a detailed description covering product features, efficacy, applicable procedures, other related products from the same brand, reference pricing, product certifications, pros and cons, post-procedure reactions, and safety precautions.
Dr. Gu Hairong, Director of the Dermatology Department at Chengdu Maria Medical Aesthetics and a judge for the So-Young “Meici Card” Light Medical Aesthetics Project Ranking, stated, “I am delighted to participate in this evaluation. Every doctor adheres to professionalism, recommending products with proven efficacy and high cost-effectiveness, which we believe will serve as a valuable reference for consumers. In this issue’s device category ranking, Thermage CPT (4th generation) surpassed Fotona 4D Pro to take the top spot. As consumers face a wide array of popular anti-aging treatment options, an authoritative ranking can provide more rational decision-making support.”
The launch of the “Meici Card Light Medical Aesthetics Project Ranking” will further compel the medical aesthetics industry chain to standardize its products and services, thereby achieving a “good money drives out bad” effect and purifying the market environment. Constrained by the third-party evaluation mechanism of the ranking, companies in the medical aesthetics industry chain must provide professional products and services in accordance with unified pricing and industry standards. Should medical aesthetic institutions engage in false pricing or deliver substandard service quality, they will not only receive negative reviews from consumers but also risk being removed from the Meici Card platform. Furthermore, listed products that attract customer complaints may be dynamically adjusted and delisted, thereby fading from consumer view.
According to Wang Yaqin, Vice President of So-Young Technology, the “Light Medical Aesthetics Project Ranking for Beauty Pass Cards” connects brands, institutions, and consumers, thereby strengthening the trust-based economic model. For consumers, this ranking addresses the high barriers to decision-making, difficulty in selection, and lack of trust associated with medical aesthetic consumption, providing safe, effective, and comfortable service guarantees for light medical aesthetics. For medical aesthetic institutions, the ranking offers operational support for e-commerce businesses and drives standardization. For upstream supply chain enterprises, the ranking identifies consumer trends in light medical aesthetic projects, enabling manufacturers’ high-quality products to reach target users more rapidly.
In the future, So-Young will continue to gain deep insights into the core needs of medical aesthetics consumers. By dynamically releasing the “Light Medical Aesthetics Project Ranking based on Beauty Passes,” it aims to deliver high-quality and efficient medical aesthetic services to consumers, promote value creation across the entire medical aesthetics industry, and provide sustained support for the healthy and orderly development of the sector.