More Singaporeans are travelling for beauty treatments, citing affordability and accessibility as top reasons for the decision
SINGAPORE – For Mr Leonard Mok, 41, the journey into aesthetic tourism began as a quiet mission to treat his receding hairline.
“It’s a genetic condition, so I wanted to get something done before I went totally bald. I was so nervous as a 23-year-old going alone to get a hair transplant done in Thailand,” he says.
The procedure at a Bangkok clinic recommended by a Thai friend in 2008 cost him around $4,000 and successfully grew him a new mane.
“When you look good, you feel good. I think that’s important. And when you feel good, people also react to you differently,” says Mr Mok, founder of Elite Aesthete, a medical aesthetic concierge company for travellers to Bangkok. He launched the company in October 2025.
That first experience opened the door to an 18-year-long relationship with aesthetic treatments abroad. To date, Mr Mok estimates that he has spent more than $100,000 on a mix of non- or minimally invasive treatments and cosmetic surgery.
Non- or minimally invasive treatments – such as botulinum toxin (also known as Botox) injections and ultrasound therapy – typically involve little to no incisions and minimal recovery time.
Cosmetic surgery, by contrast, is often more invasive and requires going under the knife to alter features such as creating double eyelids or augmenting the chin.
For others, like Ms Ade Loh, aesthetic tourism is less about long-term transformation and more about convenience and value.
She began researching aesthetic treatments in 2022, after starting a full-time job and seeing more beauty-related social media content. After browsing clinics online for months, she decided to go to South Korea for a skin booster priced at around 250,000 Korean won (S$218).
“Once I figured out what kind of treatments I wanted, I realised that different countries had the same treatments at different prices,” says Ms Loh, 27, a project manager in a cryptocurrency company. She has had cosmetic procedures like a brow lift and reconstructive eyelid surgery done in South Korea too.
Today, aesthetic treatments are a consideration when Ms Loh plans her travels. In 2025, she made a total of three trips to countries like Vietnam, Thailand and South Korea and clocked procedures such as microneedling and laser treatments.
She estimates that she has spent at least $10,000 on non- or minimally invasive aesthetic treatments abroad.
Rise Of Beauty-led Travel
Travellers like Mr Mok and Ms Loh reflect a growing cohort of Singaporeans who are increasingly planning holidays around beauty treatments or ensuring aesthetic clinics are non-negotiable stops on their itineraries.
Data suggests this shift is being driven by younger travellers in particular. According to travel metasearch platform Skyscanner’s Travel Trends 2026 report, 37 percent of Gen Z travellers plan to seek out beauty treatments and skincare stores while travelling in 2026, compared with 16 percent of boomer travellers.
In 2026, Gen Zs are aged between 14 and 29, while boomers are aged between 62 and 80.
The same report also found that some of the top motivations for pursuing beauty-related activities abroad were the desire to try something new (46 per cent) and access to local products unavailable at home (45 per cent).
Local aesthetic doctors and professionals in overseas medical aesthetic concierge businesses who spoke with The Straits Times have observed a rise in demand for non- and minimally invasive procedures among Singaporeans.
But they caution that such treatments can still result in complications such as bruising and infection, asymmetry or scarring if not administered properly.
“More people are looking into minimally invasive aesthetic treatments and are seeing them as part of their self-care routine, just like regular dental scaling and polishing,” says Dr Zhu Hongguang, medical director of the local Private Space Aesthetics & Wellness clinic.
He has observed a 20 to 30 per cent increase in new patients from July to December 2025, with many requesting procedures such as laser treatments and skin boosters.
Skin boosters are gel-like substances injected into the top layers of the skin to deliver hydrating or regenerative ingredients. A popular example is Rejuran, which is derived from salmon DNA.
Mr William Ban, chief operating officer of medical aesthetic concierge company Himedi, says the trend has shifted dramatically from plastic surgery to less invasive treatments.
Himedi acts as a liaison agent for travellers heading to South Korea for aesthetic treatments or cosmetic surgery, providing interpretation services and end-to-end support. Its top five customer markets are the United States, Canada, Britain, Australia and Singapore.
A report by the Korea Health Industry Development Institute – an arm of South Korea’s Ministry of Health and Welfare – released in July 2025 found that the number of medical tourists from Singapore went from 2,971 in 2019 to 26,666 in 2024. The majority (79.8 per cent) sought dermatological treatments.
“Singaporeans, when compared with other Asian nationalities, are much more conservative with aesthetic treatments and don’t usually want to go under the knife. Dermatology is the highest in demand right now and we’re seeing more Singaporeans opt for the least painful type of treatments like lasers or microneedling,” says Mr Ban.
Exercise Caution, Say Experts
Yet, the rise in beauty-led travel has also raised red flags among medical professionals in Singapore.
Doctors say doing non- or minimally invasive treatments abroad generally carry lower risks than cosmetic surgery. However, they caution that complications arising from procedures done overseas may not always be best managed by a different doctor back home.
Dr Zhu says: “It is always best to go to the same practitioner who did the procedure to resolve any complications because he or she knows exactly what was done and how it was done. Locally, we are still obliged to resolve or manage any complications, but we may not be aware of the finer details of the treatment, and so may not be able to treat them as effectively.”
They also warn travellers to be wary of clinics offering ultra-low prices or those that are unwilling to provide clear, upfront cost breakdowns when asked.
Such pricing practices, they say, may signal the use of substandard products, insufficient consultation time or limited aftercare support – factors that can increase the risk of complications once patients return to Singapore.
Patients who do aesthetic treatments abroad typically come back to a local clinic for two reasons, says Dr Sarah Too, founder and medical director of local aesthetics clinic Astria Medical Aesthetics.
“The first is when they experience complications or are dissatisfied with their results and require medical management, corrective treatment or refinement. The second is when they have tried a treatment abroad and wish to continue it locally, as frequent overseas travel is not practical,” she adds.
Price And Perceived Expertise
Still, affordability remains one of the strongest drivers behind the rise in beauty-related travel.
The Skyscanner Travel Trends report found that 42 per cent of travellers pursue beauty treatments overseas because they are cheaper than in their home country – a sentiment echoed by travellers who spoke with ST.
Ms Loh estimates that her procedures in South Korea would cost about a third of the price charged by local clinics, or roughly half the price in Thailand.
“A lot of my friends, as they have more spending power, often go overseas to Vietnam, Thailand and South Korea for treatments,” she says, adding that she chose South Korea as she felt it was a reputable destination for aesthetic treatments.
Local aesthetic doctors say prices in Singapore are typically higher due to overhead costs such as steeper commercial rents, import costs for machines and treatment products, and manpower expenses.
Additionally, in Singapore, only registered medical doctors are allowed to administer aesthetic treatments – a requirement stipulated by healthcare authorities including the Ministry of Health, Singapore Medical Council and Health Sciences Authority.
However, regulations governing medical aesthetics vary widely from country to country.
For some travellers, the combination of lower prices and convenience makes overseas treatments an easy add-on to leisure trips.
In May 2025, Ms Natalie Lim, 31, a healthcare professional, spent around $400 in South Korea on her first skin booster and microneedling treatments.
“I chose the destination for its treatment prices, but also to kill two birds with one stone since I was there on holiday,” she says. Some of her main skin concerns were pore size and redness, which were not resolved despite years of trying different skincare products.
Satisfied with the results, Ms Lim returned to South Korea for another holiday in September 2025 and scheduled a Botox appointment alongside a second microneedling session.
“After the first time, I could tell that the clinic staff were skilled, so I decided to try Botox on my second trip,” she says.
This repeat behaviour is precisely what overseas clinics are seeking to cultivate – turning one-off treatments into long-term relationships with foreign clients.
By building a reputation for specialised expertise and competitive pricing, destinations such as South Korea and Thailand have increasingly positioned themselves as leaders in the medical aesthetics space, reinforcing traveller perceptions that they are not just cheaper options, but trusted ones.
Ms Lim says travellers should do extensive research before booking treatments as clinics which are more “mass market” may not offer the same standards of service and expertise as private clinics.
She adds that some clinics may also allow non-medical professionals to conduct consultations, who may not understand patients’ needs as well as doctors.
More Than Just Face Value
Himedi’s Mr Ban says shifting attitudes towards beauty are reshaping how aesthetic treatments are being approached. About five years ago, clients wanted a specific look, such as big eyes and a small nose, he notes, but the procedures to achieve that look can diminish the characteristics of an individual.
“Now, people are enhancing versus just completely altering because they want to retain what makes them unique. They want to find the best version of themselves as opposed to completely reinventing themselves to be someone else.”
Mr Mok shares a similar view, pointing to differences in regional beauty ideals.
“I think the West has slowly adopted more conservative views on aesthetics, following Korean and Thai beauty trends, where there’s the principle of looking natural but not overdone. Like you got something done, but no one can tell what you did,” he says.
This emphasis on individuality and subtle enhancement aligns closely with values often associated with Gen Z – a generation frequently characterised in studies and reports as prioritising authenticity, self-expression and personal agency.
Gen Z marketing professional Mark Ng, 29, had undergone only one facial in his life before deciding to try Botox at a Kuala Lumpur clinic recommended by a Malaysian friend in August 2025.
He says the rise of social media and the proliferation of skincare influencers have made information more accessible and doing aesthetic treatments more socially acceptable.
“Around a decade ago, there was a lot less online content about men taking care of themselves. Now, it’s more apparent and I don’t feel shy to explore such things because everyone’s doing it and no one really cares if you do,” he adds.
“Aesthetic treatments are about personal satisfaction for me and not so much about looking younger,” he says.
The Future Of The Glow-up Economy
Industry experts expect demand for aesthetic treatments to continue growing in the coming years, driven by innovation, heightened awareness and greater social acceptance of beauty procedures.
But as aesthetic tourism evolves, questions have emerged over whether Singapore will be able to maintain a competitive edge.
Dr Kelvin Chua, founder and senior medical director of SL Aesthetic Clinic, thinks so.
“Singapore is unlikely to match overseas pricing, but it remains highly competitive in other areas, namely safety, accountability, continuity of care and predictable outcomes. Our strict regulatory standards translate to a high level of patient safety and professional accountability,” he says.
These strengths remain particularly relevant as more travellers are introduced to aesthetic treatments abroad and choose to continue them locally over the long term.
Dr Too adds that she sees parallel growth for overseas and local aesthetic clinics.
“As people become more informed and comfortable with these procedures, demand is naturally distributed between local clinics and overseas providers,” she says. “Rather than competing forces, overseas and local medical aesthetic clinics function as complementary parts of a growing ecosystem, driven by rising consumer awareness and evolving expectations.”
Mr Ban describes this synergy as part of a phenomenon where travel, health and wellness intersect.
“These days, anyone can fly anywhere so easily. The world is just getting smaller and smaller, and how we think about health and wellness is starting to transcend international borders. I think we’re on the cusp of the next revolution in this industry.”