Bronwyn Williams

The South African cosmetic surgery market has an expected CAGR of 10.5% from 2025 to 2030 – far above our economic growth projections of 1.8% per annum by the end of the decade. Meanwhile, there’s an increase in anti-ageing and preventative plastic surgery, both minor and major, and, at the same time, an increasing prevalence of ageism, particularly sexist ageism, in the workplace and the economy.

In the US, according to a survey by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 20% of teenagers plan on undergoing surgery to reduce the appearance of ageing in the future. While that is just a stated preference, 75% of US surgeons report an increase in clients under the age of 30 booking anti-ageing procedures. There, and here, demand is growing. This is good news for the South African medical tourism industry, the country being a prime surgery safari travel destination for the citizens of harder currencies.