SEOUL (Reuters) – When Ryu Han-na, a 20-year-old college student, had cosmetic nose surgery in mid-December, she had a simple reason: it could be the last chance to do it covertly before that people start removing masks this year as vaccines are distributed.
Ryu, who has attended his online courses throughout 2020, said the ability to recover at home and wear a mask in public without attracting attention were decisive factors.
“I’ve always wanted to get a job on my nose … I thought it would be best to get it now before people start taking off masks when vaccines are available in 2021,” he said as he prepared for the 4, 4 million won ($ 4,013) procedure.
“There will be bruises and swelling from the surgery, but since we will all be wearing masks I think this should help,” he added.
This attitude fuels the demand for such operations in South Korea, which had already experienced a recovery in cosmetic surgery by 2020.
The country has been a world capital of cosmetic surgery even in non-pandemic times. According to Gangnam Unni, the largest online cosmetic surgery platform in the country, the industry is estimated to be worth about $ 10.7 billion in 2020, 9.2% more than the previous year and will be around $ 11.8 billion this year.
Cosmetic surgeons say patients are interested in all parts of the face: those that can be easily hidden under masks, such as the nose and lips, as well as those that do not disguise the covers of the face, which some consider the beauty criteria in the coronavirus era.
“Both surgical and non-surgical consultations on eyes, eyebrows, nasal bridge and forehead (the only visible parts) certainly increased,” said Park Cheol-woo, a surgeon at the WooAhIn Plastic Surgery Clinic, who was in charge of the Ryu’s operation.
Surgeon Shin Sang-ho, who operates the Krismas Plastic Surgery Clinic in the center of Gangnam District, said many people have spent paying emergency government incentives on hospitals and clinics, increasing revenue on the third. and fourth quarter of 2020.
“It simply came to our notice then. I intuited that clients expressed their repressed emotions (from the coronavirus) by obtaining cosmetic procedures, ”Shin said.
Government data showed that of 14.2 trillion won ($ 12.95 billion), 10.6% was used in hospitals and pharmacies, the third largest segment by classification of supermarkets and restaurants, although details of hospital types were not disclosed.
Gangnam Unni data showed that its users increased 63% from a year earlier to about 2.6 million last year. They requested a million counseling sessions, double the amount a year earlier.
The pandemic made it difficult to promote services to foreign customers, so over the past year it has taken a more local and regional approach.
But a third wave of coronavirus at home remains a concern, as the country reports record daily cases.
“We’ve seen a growing number of cancellations at recent consultation appointments as people refrain from going out on the streets more … especially suburban clients postponed most of their surgeries to 2021,” he said. Park.