Under pressure to look good, more and more people, mainly university students and teenagers, are willing to go under the knife, thus fueling the growth of UAE's cosmetic surgery market, said an expert.

“The growing interest for cosmetic surgery has given us the confidence to see more growth in this medical segment--probably reaching 5 to 10 per cent growth in 2014," remarked Vasilica Roxana Baltateanu, the co-founder and managing director, Vasilica Aesthetics, a plastic surgery consultancy firm.

"The growth of this segment consolidates the Middle East region's move to become a medical tourism destination. The UAE in particular is now focused on developing its healthcare segment and has already started on building specialized healthcare cities and other major hospital projects that will attract more medical tourists," she stated.

The increased demand for plastic surgeries, has attracted the attention of specialists from all over the world--who have now set up extensions of their practices in Dubai, which allows them to meet potential patients and perform cosmetic procedures here as well, said Roxana Baltateanu.

Recent industry reports have shown that more and more individuals in the country today are pressured to look good, which has spiked the demand for cosmetic surgery and other related medical procedures, she revealed.

Of the lot, 15 per cent of patients seeking to undergo plastic surgery in 2013 comprised teenagers and university students, she stated.

Looking to play a guiding role for young people wanting to undergo plastic surgery, Vasilica Aesthetics is strongly advising that potential patients, particularly younger ones, should first seek professional advise from medical experts and consultants before undergoing a cosmetic procedure.  

Stating that the university students were simply emulating today’s celebrities, Roxana Baltateanu said,"However, the younger patients should be made aware of the procedure they wish to undertake and the risks involved with it."

Some of the most common procedures opted by younger patients include liposuction, breast augmentation, ear correction, body lift, rhinoplasty and acid hyaluronic fillers like Juvaderm, Radiesse and Restyline.

According to experts, there are two main reasons for the growing demand for plastic surgery from today’s younger generation.

"The first is peer pressure, where friends and social acquaintances play large influence to the need to look good and second, the advances in medicine that have now made aesthetic procedures possible and affordable. Also, today’s plastic surgery procedures have also become less invasive and safer," stated Roxana Baltateanu.

According to her, most of these young patients, search the internet to check on corrective surgeries that they can avail of, while some even consult with three to five different specialists - ending with tons of information that will sound too confusing for them.

"To help patients, Vasilica Aesthetics offers key services that include rendering experienced advice and informing clients about available treatment options and the referral of medical specialists. The company also helps its clients in facilitating appointments and consultations with leading doctors and plastic surgeons in the UAE, US and Europe," she added.-TradeArabia News Service