China's First Medical Aesthetics White Paper Released: Gen Z and Millennials Drive Surge in Cosmetic Procedures

In terms of the number of aesthetic seekers, China is currently the third-largest country in the world for cosmetic surgery, with over 10 million people consuming medical aesthetics services annually. Yet, for this vast population, no one has ever outlined a complete profile.

What are the primary concerns of aesthetic medicine seekers? What are their objectives for undergoing cosmetic procedures? Factors such as age, city of residence, purchasing power, and aesthetic preferences? The plastic surgery industry remains highly enigmatic to the general public: Who becomes a plastic surgeon? And what are the greatest concerns for plastic surgery hospitals?

All the above questions can be answered in China’s first white paper on the medical aesthetics industry. Gengmei APP, China’s largest platform for medical aesthetics and consumer healthcare, jointly with authoritative media such as Tencent and 36Kr, released the “2015 Medical Aesthetics White Paper: The Rise of the ‘Gengmei Generation’.” This report precisely defines the younger generation of beauty seekers as the “Gengmei Generation”: individuals born in the 1980s and 1990s, with strong purchasing power, independent pursuits and perspectives on beauty, the courage to strive for personal perfection, and a willingness to share their cosmetic surgery experiences with peers in virtual communities.

What changes occurred among plastic surgeons and hospitals in 2015? In this white paper, Gengmei also leverages big data to forecast major trends in China’s medical aesthetics market for 2016.

Liu Di, CEO of Gengmei, told reporters that the white paper was developed based on big data and research drawn from the active behaviors, plastic surgery diaries, consumption data, and user surveys of Gengmei’s 10 million users, as well as insights from over 10,000 collaborating physicians and more than 5,000 partner institutions. “It is not merely a traditional sample-based survey report; rather, it represents findings derived from an integrated analysis of big data, practitioner surveys, and precise user behavior.”

The Rise of a More Beautiful Generation: China’s Top 10 Cities for Cosmetic Surgery Revealed

China’s medical aesthetics industry is currently experiencing rapid growth, with a market size exceeding RMB 500 billion and an annual growth rate of nearly 20%. The number of medical aesthetics practitioners and the annual volume of cosmetic procedures performed in China both rank third globally, making it a major player in the global plastic surgery market. However, in terms of per capita plastic surgery rates, China lags significantly behind the United States, which holds the top position, and falls well short of South Korea and the Taiwan region.

The 2015 White Paper on Medical Aesthetics points out that the majority of plastic surgery users in China are still female (83%), with more than half being white-collar workers. Those born in the 1990s prefer major surgeries, those born in the 1980s favor minimally invasive procedures, and those born in the 1970s focus on anti-aging treatments. Over 90% of individuals undergoing plastic surgery have a university degree or higher.

Seventy-five percent of aesthetic seekers spend an average of 5,000 yuan annually on cosmetic procedures. Although one-third of individuals who undergo such procedures are reluctant to disclose this fact to others, those born in the 1990s are significantly more willing than those born in the 1980s to share their experiences within online cosmetic surgery communities.

Top 10 Cities with the Highest Demand for Plastic Surgery, Ranked: Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu, Wuhan, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chongqing, Changsha, Zhengzhou, and Hangzhou (based on the distribution of physicians in general hospitals and the regions with the highest number of procedure orders). The first-tier cities—Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen—remain the regions with the strongest demand for plastic surgery, but some provincial capitals known for producing beauties are expected to catch up in the future.

China’s Most Beautiful Plastic Surgery Templates Revealed: Angelababy’s Face and Lu Han’s Lips Make the List

In recent years, the demonstrative influence of celebrities on young aesthetic seekers cannot be underestimated. Although Angelababy underwent a public plastic surgery verification, more than half of the respondents believed her beauty was so striking that it raised suspicions of her being an “artificially enhanced beauty.” Moreover, in a poll involving tens of thousands of women and physicians to select the most desirable plastic surgery templates, the lips of popular young idol Lu Han were unexpectedly included. This suggests that the delicate facial features of “flower boy” heartthrobs are also aspirational for women.

Although men are not the primary consumers of medical aesthetics, the average spending per cosmetic procedure for men is 30% higher than that for women. As men’s expectations for their physical appearance continue to rise, it is projected that more men will undergo cosmetic procedures in 2016. The five most popular treatments among male patients are lower blepharoplasty (eye bag removal), hair transplantation, acne treatment, teeth whitening, and rhinoplasty.

6 out of Every 10 Plastic Surgery Procedures Will Be Minimally Invasive, as Doctors Focus on Building Their Own Brands

Minimally invasive aesthetic procedures, including botulinum toxin injections for wrinkle reduction and facial slimming, dermal filler injections, autologous fat grafting, and laser therapies, are non-surgical, non-permanent, and offer a high safety profile. By meeting modern aesthetic demands at a lower cost, these procedures are progressively entering a period of robust growth.

In 2015, the growth rate of non-surgical cosmetic procedures in China exceeded 40%. Gengmei predicted that in 2016, such procedures would account for approximately 60% of the total number of cosmetic surgery cases nationwide. On the Gengmei app platform, the average monthly sales growth rate for non-surgical cosmetic treatments reached 50% this year, representing 80% of the total order volume.

In 2015, plastic surgeons and hospitals also ushered in the “first year of mobile internet.” Faced with the enormous advertising and search engine marketing expenses of large chain aesthetic clinics, individual doctors’ voices were previously too weak to attract patients. Meanwhile, hospitals continuously poured money into advertising to acquire new customers; after excessive marketing, they could only recoup costs by exploiting patients, thereby hindering the healthy development of the entire industry.

As an emerging medical aesthetics platform, the Gengmei app directly connects patients and providers through its community, e-commerce, online consultation, and review mechanisms. This not only helps medical aesthetics institutions reduce costs but also assists physicians in building their personal brands, thereby optimizing collaboration across all segments of the industry.

Based on 2015 data, the overall activity level of physicians on the Gengmei app (comprehensively measured by online duration, number of questions answered, and completed orders) increased by 24.7%, with a 36% increase among young physicians under the age of 40. Notably, over 74% of these young physicians reported having attempted to build their personal brands. It is projected that in 2016, more than 2,000 physician-named medical institutions will emerge in first-tier cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen.

Compared with 2014, healthcare institutions listed on Gengmei have reduced their average marketing expenditures by 25% this year. The platform’s open review mechanism has prompted hospitals to place greater emphasis on service quality and drug safety oversight, shifting their business model from “recouping costs through one-time patient transactions” to “retaining patients through superior service.”

2016 Hot Topics in Medical Aesthetics: Diversified Cross-Industry Collaboration

The Gengmei app predicts that the medical aesthetics industry will see a surge in cross-sector collaborations next year. Beyond mobile internet, previously siloed segments—including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, hardware, skincare products, nursing services, hospital CRM systems, and financial services such as installment insurance—will become increasingly interconnected. A medical aesthetics ecosystem centered around medical aesthetics apps is gradually taking shape, with the potential for significantly reduced collaboration costs across all segments.

It is understood that the Gengmei app positions itself at the intersection of mobile health, women’s health, the beauty industry, and social networking. In 2016, it will continue to pursue a series of cross-industry collaborations with partners across various sectors.