Cosmetic surgery is becoming acceptable in the UK, and the industry booming

Cosmetic surgery is becoming “acceptable” in the UK. The plethora of personal makeover and cosmetic surgery programmes on UK television has helped to fuel a boom in cosmetic surgery.

Cosmetic surgery is becoming “acceptable” in the UK. The plethora of personal makeover and cosmetic surgery programmes on UK television has helped to fuel a boom in cosmetic surgery. Whereas, five years ago, major UK healthcare providers such as BUPAand BMI Healthcare only dabbled in the cosmetic surgery market, they are now taking the business very seriously and have seen year on year growth of around 25% to 30%.

Sainsbury’s Bank estimates that every day, around £1.8 million is spent on cosmetic surgery. It estimates that this year, in the UK, over £5 million will have been taken out in personal loans for cosmetic surgery, and around a fifth of this will be in loans for men. The average size of loan for cosmetic surgery is around £6,500. Mintel estimates a 240% growth during the period 2001 – 2006, and predicts that by 2009 British adults will be making a trip to the cosmetic surgeon at least a million times a year

This is good news for medical tourism providers. The low cost of cosmetic surgery abroad will expand the market by providing a solution for those who could not otherwise afford treatment.

osmetic surgery currently represents around 50% of the enquiries that we receive at Treatment Abroad.

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Keith Pollard
As Editor in Chief of International Medical Travel Journal (IMTJ) and a Healthcare Consultant for LaingBuisson, Keith Pollard is one of Europe’s leading experts on private healthcare, medical tourism and cross border healthcare, providing consultancy and research services, and attending and contributing to major conferences across the world on the subject. He has been involved in private healthcare, medical travel and cross border healthcare since the 1990s. His career has embraced the management of private hospitals in the UK, research and feasibility studies for healthcare ventures, the marketing and business development aspects of healthcare and medical travel and publishing, research and consultancy on cross border healthcare.