Key Takeaways:The global medical tourism market is expected to reach $163 billion by 2032, with a significant share tied to elective cosmetic procedures.Istanbul for hair restoration, Seoul for facial refinement, and São Paulo for body contouring illustrate how destinations build reputations and economies around specific treatments.While women between 20s and 40s still dominate, male patients, especially for hair loss, and older consumers seeking rejuvenation, are reshaping the global patient mix.Traveling abroad for cosmetic procedures used to be kept under wraps, or, in this case, kept under bandages. However, a lot has changed over the decades, and cosmetic or aesthetic tourism—a trip that combines a cosmetic procedure with a vacation—is now a mainstream sector of the global beauty and healthcare industry. As aesthetic procedures proliferate the industry whether surgical or otherwise, a handful of cities have become specialized hubs; some for rhinoplasty and facial contouring, others for hair restoration, and several for body contouring and breast procedures.The International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS) reported approximately 35 million aesthetic procedures worldwide in 2023 (surgical and nonsurgical), with growth continuing into 2024. Market analysts estimated the broader medical-tourism market, including elective care and other medical travel, to be around $30.5 billion in 2024 and projected to grow rapidly over the next decade. A substantial portion of that relates to elective cosmetic care and dental/aesthetic dentistry.