10 Countries That Place a Premium On Cosmetic Surgery

If you have ever asked yourself, “Which countries care the most about their appearance” you are not alone. This is a serious question that demands some investigation. Fortunately for you, we have a team of researchers who understand that you need answers, and so we will provide them.

Whether we’re talking about countries where its citizens are obsessed with looking young, or those who go under the knife in order to wildly exaggerate their attributes, here are the 10 countries where all your vanity dreams can become a reality.

1. South Korea

South Korea has the 5th highest number of plastic surgeons in the world per capita and a thriving multi-billion dollar beauty industry, so it’s not a surprise that they top this list. Some Koreans are all about plastic surgery while others just want to cake themselves in makeup and skincare products that require a dozen steps or more. Are you a foreigner looking to permanently alter your appearance on the cheap? You aren’t alone. Thousands of tourists flock to South Korea to get a whole variety of beauty-related medical procedures so they can look their unnatural best while keeping some extra money in their pockets.

2. USA

The US — and California in particular — is the place to be if you’re obsessed with beauty. As a bonus, it also has among the highest obesity rates in the world, which also means fat-phobia has run rampant. But the good news is if you find yourself eating too many Big Macs and Chalupas, all you need to do is book an appointment with your friendly neighborhood plastic surgeon and let them work their liposuction magic!

3. United Arab Emirates

If you’re fitness conscious, UAE has no shortage of gyms to keep you in shape. There are also plenty of day spas to get those all-important facials. And, of course, the ridiculous and lavish wealth used for building Dubai has turned it from a quiet fishing village to a playground for people who like to throw around their money. And as we all know, where there are rich people, there is sure to be a plastic surgery clinic nearby.

4. Brazil

How crazy are Brazilians about cosmetically-related alterations? Come on, there is literally a surgical procedure called the “Brazilian Butt Lift.” The dream of practically every girl over there is to have the slimmest waist coupled with the largest booty imaginable. In all, more than 2.5 million cosmetic procedures take place in a country where laying on the beaches of Rio all day and dancing in the clubs all night counts as gainful employment.

5. Italy

When you think “Italy,” what is the first thing that comes to mind? If you’re like most of us, it’s Botox! Although “liposuction” would have been an acceptable answer as well. Most Italian women take pretty good care of themselves, which means every minute they’re walking the streets of Milan or Florence is its own beauty pageant. When it comes to the pizzaest pizza, the leaningest leaning towers, and Botoxest Botoxed people, Italians expect nothing but the best!

6. Japan

You won’t see a lot of tummy tucks, liposuction or booty ballooning over in Japan as the body type of the women over there isn’t really conducive to it. But what you will see is an abundance of eyelid surgeries. Makeup and skincare are also all the rage, just like in neighboring South Korea.

7. Colombia

It pretty much sucks to be a teenage girl because from a young age they are constantly being reminded that the only thing that matters in life is maintaining a slender figure. It’s gotten so bad that when a girl turns 15 (known as quinceañeras, or “Latin, Non-Jewish Bat Mitzvah”) they are often given the gift of a new nose or breast implants since this is when they typically enter beauty pageants in Columbia. As a result, the country rates high in terms of eating disorders.

8. Greece

Beauty is something the Greeks have been obsessing about for thousands of years, certainly since Cleopatria’s time. Fast forward to today and very little has changed. As the Greek ladies see it, an economic recession is no excuse for not getting a larger set of breasts.

9. Mexico

Much like their cultural cousins in Colombia, Mexico puts a high premium on getting their girls into beauty pageants the moment they’ve learned how to breathe. In addition, a lot of Americans go south of the border to get cosmetic work done. In 2019 alone there were more than 580,000 plastic surgeries.

10. India

You can thank Bollywood for the citizenry’s obsession with beauty. Fair skin, straight hair and a body that won’t make men go “Ewww so natural and gross” are the rules. It’s also yet another destination for foreigners seeking surgery at comparatively low prices.