Plastic and aesthetic surgery in Denmark, or “plastik og kosmetisk kirurgi”, as it is called in the local language, is gaining more and more popularity in the country. It is just one of countless manifestations of the drive for health and fitness. The economic boom experienced by the country, in recent years, has also made the affordability factor less of a consideration. The indulgence in cosmetic beautification has gripped young and old, both men and women, and has touched towns, cities, and the countryside, all alike.

Already some 320,000 Danes have undergone surgery, in other words, 8% of the total adult population of Denmark, and the numbers are expected to rise even more. The latest research indicates a projected increase of 20% to 30% in the coming years in the number of Danes seeking cosmetic surgery. Interestingly, one in five women over the age of 17 are actively considering cosmetic surgery, while one in ten women have already had cosmetic surgery. Eighty percent of all Danes find the notion of cosmetic surgery totally acceptable. Currently, about 30,000 cosmetic surgeries are performed each year throughout the country.

What is even more fascinating is that men make up a significant proportion of all cosmetic surgeries performed in Denmark. One in three Danes who has undergone or is contemplating cosmetic surgery is a man. Five percent of the adult Danish male population, around 100,000, have been under the knife, and between 15% and 25% of patients in cosmetic and plastic surgery clinics are men, many of whom are varieties. metrosexuals.

The types of plastic and aesthetic surgeries in Denmark that generate the most interest from patients are related to breast, eyelid, nose, liposuction, laser hair removal, abdomen and stomach treatments and, last but not least, face lifts.

The rise in interest in cosmetic surgeries is putting pressure on the Danish public health system in several ways: (i) the brightest cosmetic and plastic surgeons are defecting to private practice, thus reducing the talent pool within the public domain ; and (ii) the costs of certain plastic and aesthetic surgeries performed in private hospitals are still being paid for by the public system, such as eyelid surgery, breast reduction and obesity surgery, where patients can easily state that the surgery is necessary. for healthy functioning. of the body, and not due to cosmetic concerns. Under Danish law, all cosmetic surgeries must be privately funded by individuals, however this gray area of ​​interpreting what is cosmetic versus what is essential for the healthy functioning of the body has begun to tax the budget danish public. Given the recent surge in interest in cosmetic surgery, this problem is bound to get worse. In all likelihood, the Danish public health system will have to stand firm and refuse to pay for such gray area surgeries. If this happens, it is clear that the demand for cosmetic surgeries in private hospitals will increase even more and, therefore, waiting times. To illustrate, one of Copenhagen’s most famous private hospitals, Hamlet Privathospital, has tripled its cosmetic surgery revenue in the last six years. However, the waiting period, in certain cases in private hospitals, can be up to two and a half months, from the initial consultation to the actual treatment.

Traditionally, cosmetic surgery has never been fully covered by health insurance, either in Denmark or in most of the world. And therefore, as is well known, it can be an expensive undertaking. The cost of plastic and cosmetic surgery in Denmark is high. To cite some examples of private hospital prices:

(i) Eyelid Surgery: Varies from DKK 7,000 to DKK 13,000 (USD 1,100 to USD 2,100)

(ii) Breast reconstruction: the surgery can cost more than DKK 65,000 (USD 10,800);

(iii) Liposuction of the stomach: DKK 21,500 (USD 3,500);

(iv) Laser hair removal: DKK 12,000 (USD 2,000)

(v) Hair transplant: ranges from DKK 40,000 to DKK 350,000 (USD 6,600 to USD 58,000)

The high cost of plastic and aesthetic surgery and the significant waiting periods have caused a notable growth in medical trips to other countries where the cost of the same treatment is lower and, therefore, more affordable for Danes. Popular treatment destinations include Turkey, Poland, and Hungary. An increasing number of Danes have also started to travel to Asia, where they can reap the benefits of excellent surgical treatment at the most competitive rates, combined with the option of making the trip a pleasure trip and vacation. Now, given the waiting lists for cosmetic surgery even in private hospitals in Denmark, it is only natural that Danes continue to travel abroad for treatment.

India may well be the next destination for medical tourists from Denmark. The cost of medical treatment in India for foreigners is one of the cheapest in the world, if not the most competitive. In Asia, it outweighs the cost advantages of even Thailand and Singapore. The quality of treatment is world class, second to none and on par, if not superior, in cases, to treatment available in the United States and the United Kingdom. In 2002, the number of foreign patients who traveled to India for treatment was 150,000. In 2005, the same figure was closer to 500,000. Traveling to India for medical treatment is gaining momentum: India is a rapidly growing hub for tourism offering the wonders of India’s resplendent cultural richness with the magic of India’s natural beauty. Patients can now also combine trips to India for medical treatment with a unique and satisfying vacation.

For more information on medical tourism in India, please refer to the information below.

Important details:

Poonam Mathur – Denmark Consultant: [email protected]

Medical Tourism to India: http://www.forerunnershealthcare.com

International Patient Experiences: http://www.forerunnershealthcare.com/international.php

Contact number: Mobile: +45 2986 2501; +45 39 67 03 97