Teenagers Drawn to Plastic Surgery Apps... The Dark Side of Rapid Platform Growth

Teenage Installations Up 57% Year-on-Year
A New Customer Base Emerges for Plastic Surgery Apps
Appearance Concerns Rank Second After Studies
Filler Consultations Now the Second Most Common Request
Beyond Convenience: Social Responsibility Needed
Protecting Minors Must Be a Priority

Plastic surgery and beauty platforms, once considered the exclusive domain of women in their 20s and 30s, are now rapidly attracting teenage users. As the number of app installations continues to rise, the growth rate among teenagers stands out in particular. This has sparked calls for platforms to go beyond simply enhancing accessibility and convenience, and to fulfill their social responsibilities. Some analysts suggest that this could become a key factor determining the future competitiveness of these platforms.

According to market research firm Embrain Deep Data Analysis on September 24, platforms such as Gangnam Unnie, Babitalk, and Goddess Ticket are showing steady growth. As of August, Gangnam Unnie ranked first with 830,000 app installations, followed by Babitalk with 740,000 and Goddess Ticket with 530,000. The increase in teenage users is particularly notable. In the same month, the number of teenage installations on plastic surgery and beauty platforms surged by 57.4% year-on-year, the highest growth rate among all age groups. The spread of information about plastic surgery and procedures through social networking services such as YouTube and Instagram appears to have expanded the age of interest from people in their 20s and 30s to teenagers.

According to the Korea Youth Policy Institute, the rate of plastic surgery experience among teenagers aged 15 to 18 was 3.7% in 2017, 3.0% in 2018, and 3.9% in 2019. When the survey age was adjusted to 18 to 19 years old in 2020, the rate was 5.9%. However, at that time, cosmetic plastic surgeries were classified as non-insured treatments not covered by national health insurance, so they were not included in official administrative statistics. Considering this, industry experts believe that the actual scale is likely even larger.

The main reason teenagers turn to plastic surgery apps is their strong interest in appearance. According to the "2024 Key Statistics in the Field of Children" by the National Center for the Rights of the Child, teenagers cited "appearance (42.8%)" as their main concern after "studies (76.2%)." A coordinator at a dermatology clinic in Gangnam District, Seoul, said, "About 10% of teenage patients aged 18 or older who visit the clinic seek filler consultations, making it the second most common reason after acne treatment." She added, "Many teenagers visit the clinic with their mothers after seeing information on the Gangnam Unnie app, and there were even students seeking thread lifting procedures."

Amid this trend, concerns are growing that the convenience of plastic surgery apps makes it excessively easy for minors to access them. With just a few clicks, teenagers can check hospital information, prices, and reviews, making it easier for them to consider plastic surgery. Experts warn that even relatively simple procedures such as Botox or fillers can be risky for those whose bodies are not fully developed. A Gangnam Unnie representative stated, "We provide guidelines to hospitals to include warnings about procedures for minors when producing medical advertisements." However, it has been pointed out that few hospital advertisements within the app actually comply with this guidance.

The Gangnam Unnie app provides detailed procedure explanations and reviews, but warnings about procedures for minors and related features are not easily found. Gangnam Unnie

Experts advise that the future competitiveness of plastic surgery and beauty platforms depends not just on business growth, but on building trust through social responsibility. Rather than focusing solely on the "popularization of plastic surgery" through discount coupons and events, the future lies in faithfully addressing ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) tasks, such as ensuring the safety and protection of minors. Lee Eunhee, a professor in the Department of Consumer Science at Inha University, said, "Just as with financial product terms and conditions, it is necessary to add features that require users to check important information about plastic surgery and procedures, or to place warnings about procedures for minors in prominent locations so that users must read them before accessing other information."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.