Global Dynamics in Cosmetic Tourism

Cosmetic tourism is becoming increasingly popular in aesthetic surgery. Some countries more frequently host patients from other countries, while others supply patients. However, longitudinal trends in cosmetic tourism are understudied. This study examined specific patterns in cosmetic tourism growth, market share, and procedure volumes.

Data on the number of procedures performed on cosmetic tourists from 2019-2023 was obtained from the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery public reports. Aesthetic procedure volumes and percentage changes in market share were calculated across all years. Countries were classified as "pure host," "pure origin," or "hybrid" countries (i.e., sharing features of both host and origin countries) based on frequency and rank of appearance. Additionally, host countries were grouped into clusters via hierarchical clustering, and differences in procedural volumes were calculated across clusters.

The percentage of aesthetic surgery procedures performed on international patients and the percent change in cosmetic tourism volume increased from 2019-2023 (r = 1.00; P < 0.001). Argentina, Brazil, and the United States of America showed the greatest growth in aesthetic procedure volumes and percent change in market share. Most countries were classified as "hybrid" countries. Finally, host country clusters significantly varied in the relative number of surgical versus non-surgical procedures performed.

Cosmetic tourism continues to gain popularity, with country-specific variations in aesthetic procedure volumes, market share, and surgical versus non-surgical procedure proportions. The majority of countries analyzed were classified as "hybrid," highlighting a complex interplay between patients arriving and leaving to undergo aesthetic surgery.

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