Does a good appearance give one an edge over others in human interactions? Kristina Yu (郁芳芳), 46, an insurance sales agent, believes so. “It’s important to pay attention to your appearance, as how you look affects people’s impression of you,” she says. “In particular, for us salespeople who have to deal with customers face to face, looking good gives us a better chance of gaining business.”
Apart from exercising regularly to maintain her fitness level, Yu says she started seeking various treatments at a local beauty center five years ago to improve the look of her face. Initially, she had freckles removed through laser therapy and was satisfied with the result. She then tried a Thermacool procedure that boasted the ability to tighten sagging skin and has since visited the center once every three months for intense pulsed light (IPL) or other skincare treatments to reduce fine lines or smooth the skin.
“I’m always busy with work and household chores and too lazy to apply skincare products or makeup. These quick-fix cosmetic services, which help me maintain a good complexion and don’t involve much risk, suit my needs,” Yu says. “On principle, I only seek nonsurgical procedures as I’ve no intention of altering my facial features. I just want to look fresh and younger.”
The rising demand for anti-aging treatments and other beauty services by women like Yu as well as image-conscious men has made aesthetic medicine a booming industry in Taiwan. Beauty centers equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and offering a stylish, intimate environment have sprung up across the island.
Simon Wu (吳瑞星), president of the Taiwan Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (TSAPS), says several studies show that good-looking people usually gain a number of benefits from their appearance throughout life, from advantages in the workplace and with mate selection to improved social interactions and status. As technology for treatments has matured, cosmetic surgery has become more socially acceptable, with many considering it a worthwhile investment to increase their self-confidence.
According to Wu’s estimate, currently there are about 1,200 beauty clinics and centers in Taiwan, while among the nation’s 40,000 doctors, 6,000 to 8,000 are engaged in aesthetic practices.
A doctor at La Forme Aesthetic Medicine, right, examines her client’s skin. (Photo Courtesy of La Forme Aesthetic Medicine)
Out in the Open
“It’s human nature to love beautiful things. That quality, together with people’s changing perceptions [of cosmetic procedures], has boosted the popularity of cosmetic surgery,” Wu says. “People used to seek procedures secretly, but now many of them talk about it in public and some even post their photos before and after the surgery on the Internet. Aesthetic medicine has become an undeniable trend the world over regardless of whether one considers it good or bad.”
Likewise, Charles Liu (劉致和), director of the Plastic Surgery Department of Cathay General Hospital in Taipei, has noticed the public’s greater acceptance of cosmetic surgery over the past few years, saying that more and more people are open about their choice to use such services to improve their physical appearance.
That trend, Liu says, has led his hospital to offer more aesthetic treatments, which have become a new source of revenue for the medical institution. Cathay was the first private hospital in Taiwan to set up an aesthetic medicine center, which it did in 1996. The center is staffed by a 10-member team of medical doctors specializing in plastic surgery and dermatology and is supported by the hospital’s Department of Anesthesia. It offers a variety of surgical procedures including eyelid surgery, breast augmentation and facial contouring; micro-aesthetic treatments like Botox and Perlane injections (to decrease wrinkles); and hair transplants.
Celine Wang (王玉如), general manager of La Forme Aesthetic Medicine, says nowadays nonsurgical procedures are the most sought-after services. The majority of customers are also aware of the importance of an ongoing skincare regime to help maintain the results of any cosmetic surgery. La Forme is Taiwan’s largest medical group specializing in aesthetic procedures, with 27 outlets across the nation. Wang oversees the group with her husband and the company’s chairman Benson Wang (王秉森).
“In the past, it was common for female clients to come in and present a photo of a famous actress or singer and say they’d like to undergo plastic surgery to have facial features just like hers,” Celine Wang says. “But in recent years, most of them opt for noninvasive procedures to highlight their own natural beauty and just look their best.”
Charles Liu performs an intense pulsed light treatment on a patient. (Photo by Huang Chung-hsin)
Since Celine Wang began in the beauty business in 2000, she says she has seen a growing customer base that includes individuals of both sexes and various ages, adding that their needs and preferences vary greatly. Young adults in their 20s, for instance, often seek treatment for acne, while those between 30 and 45 years old usually ask for laser or injection therapies to rejuvenate their skin. Many clients above 45 years of age are open to any kind of anti-aging treatment to eliminate wrinkles and age spots; while older customers in their 60s and above most often want to remove bags under their eyes or undergo a facelift. Given such varying demands, the general manager says her company offers a comprehensive range of services from surgeries to skincare procedures that involve the use of injectables or lasers.
With its numerous hospitals and clinics, professional medical personnel and competitive costs, Taiwan is ready to develop cosmetic tourism, TSAPS president Wu believes. “In addition to receiving a solid education at medical school, Taiwanese doctors are largely enthusiastic about receiving ongoing training to consolidate their know-how,” he adds.
Founded in 1994, TSAPS aims to promote cosmetic surgery as a medical specialty in Taiwan. To apply for membership in the group, doctors must have gained more than 10 years of clinical experience and received at least six years of specialized training in plastic surgery. The society organizes meetings, lectures and conferences for its members.
One testament to Taiwan’s high professional standards in the field of plastic surgery Wu cites is that the Taiwan Society of Plastic Surgery (TSPS) was the first organization of its kind in Asia to sign a memorandum of understanding with the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) that allows many of its members to join the US group. The US-based association requires that all members operate in accredited surgical facilities and pass external reviews of equipment and staffing, among other measures designed to ensure patient safety. On inking the agreement with the US specialty organization in November 2011, the Taiwanese group also signed an agreement with ASPS to facilitate training exchanges.
Attractive Prices
With regard to price advantages, Wu says on average cosmetic surgery in Taiwan is about 50 percent cheaper than in South Korea and three to five times cheaper than in Hong Kong and mainland China. Hence Taiwan stands a good chance of attracting customers from countries in the region including Cambodia, mainland China, Malaysia, Myanmar and Vietnam. Wu says Taiwan’s largest market for aesthetic services at the moment is mainland China, where consumer spending on such services is expected to surge to an estimated US$32 billion per year by 2015.
“Demand for cosmetic procedures in mainland China has exceeded its supply in terms of the number of doctors available. That prompts many of its residents to seek services overseas,” Wu says. “I believe that mainland Chinese customers will prefer Taiwan over South Korea due to language, culture and geographical proximity.”
A group of mainland Chinese tourists visit a La Forme branch to receive cosmetic treatments. (Photo Courtesy of La Forme Aesthetic Medicine)
Similarly, Benson Wang cites Taiwan’s high quality medical care as a drawing card for international clients seeking aesthetic procedures. More than 10 Taiwanese medical institutes have won accreditation from the Joint Commission International (JCI), an internationally renowned US-based nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the quality, safety and efficiency of health care.
In view of Taiwan’s medical strength and resources, the Wangs have established partnerships with a number of local hospitals to deliver aesthetic services. Most of La Forme’s branches operate inside medical centers and teaching hospitals, drawing on the hospitals’ specialist physicians and advanced equipment and combining them with the company’s service teams of receptionists and beauty consultants.
“We only cooperate with hospitals accredited by the Department of Health (DOH) or JCI as well as doctors from the departments of dermatology and plastic surgery,” the chairman emphasizes. “Our advantage over general beauty clinics is that we can provide customers with safe and expert physician-directed aesthetic treatments.”
At the same time, Benson Wang laments the large number of medical practitioners who have entered the field of cosmetic surgery, saying the lure of high profits can cause quality and pricing issues. For example, there have been growing worries over doctors specializing in nonsurgical fields such as pediatrics, optometry or gynecology who perform cosmetic procedures, as existing laws allow all licensed physicians to undertake a number of such treatments.
To ensure patient safety and the quality of cosmetic operations, the DOH took action to regulate aesthetic practices by launching a certification program in January this year. Accordingly, the Taiwan Joint Commission on Hospital Accreditation conducts assessments of medical institutes that apply for the voluntary certification in several focus areas including equipment use, infection control, information management, medication, physical environment, range of services and staffing. The commission offers two certificates to approved institutes: a green label for organizations that offer minimally invasive procedures like injectables and photoelectric treatments, and a red label for those that conduct plastic surgery such as breast implants.
The DOH has also formulated standards for doctors who want to obtain certification for aesthetic practices. The program has been jointly devised by the TSPS, Taiwanese Dermatological Association and the Taiwan Society of Anesthesiologists. Only qualified general surgeons are eligible for such training.
A hyperbaric oxygen chamber at the Chang Hung Clinic in Taipei. The equipment is reported to boost the effects of aesthetic and other medical treatments. (Photo by Huang Chung-hsin)
In addition, since the beginning of 2012 the health agency has approved 39 local hospitals to file visa applications directly with the National Immigration Agency on behalf of patients from mainland China who seek cosmetic medical treatments.
Liu of Cathay General Hospital says the combination of the certification system and permission allowing mainland Chinese visitors to enter Taiwan for the purpose of obtaining cosmetic procedures will help put Taiwan’s aesthetic medicine industry on a solid growth track. The director adds that he is confident Taiwan’s plastic surgery techniques meet international standards.
Benson Wang says Taiwan’s aesthetic medicine market still has much room for growth and his group aims to expand to 50 branches. La Forme ventured into mainland China by setting up a plastic surgery hospital in Beijing in 2012 and plans to establish similar facilities in Nanjing and Guangzhou in the near future. By introducing Taiwan’s medical know-how and service concepts, La Forme’s chairman is hopeful the company will secure a foothold in the vast mainland Chinese market.
The Chang Hung Clinic, which commenced operation in 1990 in Taipei, has also achieved some success in expanding its customer base beyond Taiwanese citizens. Yang Chih-hsien (楊志賢), chief executive officer (CEO) of Chang Hung, says 30 percent of his clinic’s clientele come from overseas, in particular mainland China and Southeast Asia.
In order to promote treatments to international clients, Yang says he has participated in medical and travel fairs organized by the government-funded Taiwan External Trade Development Council over the years, as well as cooperated on package tour offers with travel agencies and even China Airlines, Taiwan’s largest carrier. The Chang Hung CEO credits the marketing efforts and close attention to customer needs with enabling his clinic to register an average sales growth of 10 percent a year.
Yang Chih-hsien, chief executive officer of Chang Hung, demonstrates the use of a model head that allows clients to see the effect of a micro-cosmetic procedure before they undertake it. (Photo by Huang Chung-hsin)
No Pain, Most Gain
“Customers want cosmetic procedures that are safe and do not cause much pain and for their results to be lasting and natural-looking,” Yang says. “Accordingly, different types of micro- or minimally invasive therapies that can produce long-term effects have been developed and well received the world over.”
Conventional cosmetic surgery for the face demands quite a long recovery time, Yang says, while the newer dermal fillers are introduced by a simple injection and can last up to 10 years.
The majority of Chang Hung’s customers are between the ages of 40 and 70, and the most commonly sought treatments are the enhancement of cheekbones, lips and nose, removal of fine lines and wrinkles on the face and the replacement of facial volume lost from age, Yang says. To address these needs, his company focuses on injections and photoelectric treatments.
Yang’s two clinics are equipped with advanced devices including some 30 laser machines and two hyperbaric oxygen chambers, an apparatus that is believed to enhance the effects of other treatments. Yang says he also holds six patents for devices related to cosmetic procedures including an injection fixator, which enables highly accurate positioning of a needle, a facial ruler for measuring aesthetic proportions and a model head that allows clients to see the effect of a micro-cosmetic procedure before they undertake it. “We strive to optimize therapeutic outcomes by combining new medical equipment, materials and techniques with our own patented safety devices,” he says.
Aesthetic medicine has become a growth industry regardless of public opinion over its necessity or efficacy. Winnie Yang (楊惠琳), 44, says she is grateful for services to help her enhance her looks. “Looking good at all times makes me feel gorgeous and confident. And when I’m in a good mood, I treat my husband and children well,” quips the housewife, who has received regular IPL and skin whitening treatments since she was 35.
“Thanks to technological advancements, I think these treatments have become quite safe and are worth the money,” Winnie Yang says.
Write to Kelly Her at kher@mofa.gov.tw