Discover the Social Network Connecting Plastic Surgery Fans in China

SoYoung is considered to be much like Facebook except it is dedicated to plastic surgery. SoYoung provides a platform for clinics and doctors to find customers and for its 30 million users to share their experiences with others. 

On the SoYoung website and app, people openly discuss a topic that is still considered “taboo” in certain parts of Chinese society. However, attitudes are changing and this is particularly true among the so-called “Generation Z” of youths under the age of 23.  

During an interview, Jin Xing, the founder of SoYoung said, “The younger generation, those born after 1995, is no stranger to the concept of cosmetic surgery. They can’t afford it now but, when they have a job or qualify for a credit card that allows for installments, they will be unstoppable.”

Over 53\\% of SoYoung’s users were born in, and after, the 1990s. To this group, whose oldest members turn 28 this year, plastic surgery is just another luxury item they are willing to spend money on much like a branded handbag or the latest iPhone.

When it comes to cosmetic surgery, the top motivation for Chinese women is to please themselves. This is according to a survey conducted last year of 200,000 users by SoYoung. Just two years earlier, the biggest reason was to meet others or gain an advantage at work. This includes having fillers or a more permanent surgery such as a facelift.

China is now the third-largest market for plastic surgery and will lead the world in terms of growth. This is according to a 2017 report by Deloitte. The market is expected to grow 25\\% annually and be worth 300 billion yuan by the year 2020 (according to Citic Securities). 

Jin, whose mother was a cosmetic surgeon, came up with the idea for SoYoung on his first trip to South Korea, where people undergo cosmetic procedures at more than five times the rate of China, according to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons.

In 2014, Jin started SoYoung as a marketplace to connect clinics with patients and as a community for people interested in cosmetic procedures to share their knowledge and experience. Users can post texts, photos and videos of their experience and also connect and interact with other users or doctors for advice or a consultation. When they make up their minds about a procedure, the users can purchase them directly on the platform.

SoYoung now has more than 7000 clinics and hospitals and 25,814 licensed doctors on the platform. Jin estimates this covers more than 95\\% of China’s cosmetic service providers approved by the authorities. While the site is free for consumers, SoYoung charges clinics and doctors a fee for advertising and listing their services as well as a commission for the transactions. It also sells insurance plans to consumers that will cover any botched surgeries.

(This story originally appeared on scmp.com)