Table of contentsDefinitionHistoryTypes of touristsEmerging trends/motivationsAs early as 1987, many authors have associated the terminology “cosmetic surgery tourism” with medical, health and wellness tourism. Since then, it has been known as "aesthetic tourism", "plastic surgery tourism", "surgical tourism" and "overseas surgery" by Marck et al (2010), Melendez & Kaveh (2011) and Campbell (2019). However, authors such as Griffiths & Mullock (2017), Pereia et., al (2018) and Bell et al., (2011) describe this only as "an emerging trend" or a "fast-growing phenomenon" without clearly defining the terminology. This lacks a precise identification of what cosmetic surgery tourism is. Despite this, Ackerman (2010) attempts to analyze the term as “a form of medicalized leisure, located in elite private spaces and yet inextricably linked to a beleaguered national medical agenda.” This therefore persuades this individual project to create simpler terminology to clearly identify the meaning of this emerging niche. Drawing primarily on a small number of existing studies primarily focused on medical tourism, such as Griffiths & Mullock's (2018) attempt, which states that "the movement of patients from one location to another to undertake cosmetic procedures, constitutes an important and growing area of ​​medical tourism.” Additionally, with current growth, this individual project has produced its own definition of cosmetic surgery tourism. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get the original essayDefinition UNWTO (1995) defined tourism as “the activities of people traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business, wellness and other purposes.” It is important to emphasize this point to emphasize the tourist nature of this phenomenon, since it is also a tourist experience although the medical purposes are not mentioned. Despite this, Connell (2006) defined medical tourism under the wellness category as the most appropriate link to this industry. He defined medical tourism as people often traveling to foreign countries to obtain medical, dental and surgical care while at the same time being vacationers in the more conventional sense. Subsequently, develops vacation packages created by destinations interested in medical tourism. Relying only on the tourism and medical tourism aspect adds value to the invented definition of cosmetic surgery tourism, which is the main element of this type of tourism. However, we will not fully/specifically define this niche. Therefore, to further this definition, this form of surgery focuses on plastic and cosmetic surgery procedures. The definition of plastic surgery was identified in a 2017 report by Griffiths and Mullock as simply being undertaken to alter a person's physical appearance. Additionally, cosmetic surgery is linked to reduced psychological anxiety related to the physical body and greater happiness which subsequently improves self-image and appearance. Additionally, as “completely optional” work aimed at improving appearance. Therefore, the combination of each element will obviously create the terminology of cosmetic surgery tourism today. The fact that the surgery is performed while on vacation and that the vacation is narrativized as part of the ongoing tourist experience has been argued to produce a different frameworkwhen tourism is combined with cosmetic surgery tourism. Cosmetic surgery tourism is the hybrid child of/conceptually connects tourism and cosmetic surgery, as tourists travel outside of their developed residential areas overseas, sometimes to developing countries to undergo cosmetic surgery. This is often linked to luxurious vacations where patients can begin tourist activities after operations. This is why the concept of cosmetic surgery holidays is formed where traditional tourism is carried out. Activities such as lying on the beach, drinking alcohol, relaxing by the pool and sightseeing after an operation. The packages offer surgeries with recovery in a beautiful location/resort and traditional tourist activities. Cosmetic surgery requires spaces where transformation can take place. Therefore, their spaces are luxury vacation or treatment centers. Jones (2011) studied this theory and linked it to makeover culture. The niche is still ongoing and does not result in any “complete” self due to piecemeal improvements and additions that will forever alter the body. Nearly 20 years ago, Davis said recipients of this niche talked about this surgery as a way to become "whole" or normal. Subsequently, the most intimate form of tourism develops, as the tourist's body is the focus and "touched" by the experience forever. Therefore, it is believed that cosmetic surgery is distinguished in its own way from only relating to surgical practices due to the nature and result of the reasons. Cosmetic surgery reinforces and increases the physiological concern with body image and culturally prescribed beauty standards. This occurs at the intersection of extremely complex and significant social trends related to gender, person, media, celebrity, finance, psyche, ethics, culture, body as well as 'to communication and medical technologies. Largely done to achieve the “ideal” body as part of the makeover culture described above. This contributes to the youth culture sought after primarily by the baby boomer generation and by people from specific backgrounds who respect cultural norms. Cosmetic surgery is one of the few medical procedures linked to fashion as well as health and has become a status symbol in some cultures. Authors such as Jones (2011) have written that there is a clear link between cosmetic surgery tourism and overseas shopping trips where the element of impulse buying is encouraged in both cases. Today, they are more likely to view cosmetic surgery as a product or a purchase, and to relate it as part of a beauty or fashion regimen rather than as a path to the true self. Vacations carry a weight of expectation: that they will be over. -of the ordinary, and in some way either restorative or transformative (or both). Connell (2006) noted that tourism is part of relaxation, increases well-being, pleasure and health. Furthermore, he said the point of vacation is to delve into something out of the ordinary and return home refreshed. That said, we can see how elements can link cosmetic surgery tourism to a literalization of the idea. Souvenirs collected from these tourists include a new nose or a smaller size, as opposed to trinkets or a tan. This proves to others that you are on vacation. John Connell (2006) reflects: “It is a truism that tourism is supposed to be synonymous withrelaxation, pleasure and improvement of well-being, even health. Tourists are not necessarily hedonists, but they expect a beneficial outcome. This is a first starting point: going on vacation is supposed to be restorative. Going on vacation means going away, doing something different and coming back refreshed. In this sense, we can see cosmetic surgery tourism as the literalization of this idea, developing it from the more familiar tanning or weight loss (or gain) that marks on the body the fact of having been on vacation. Eryn Casanova (2007) argues that we want people to notice that we are on vacation, which is why cosmetic surgery tourism relies on other body markers of tourism such as tanning. But, she adds, the idea of ​​vacation as a restorative space-time could also be used by tourists to invoke this idea in more subtle ways, allowing people to undergo "secret" surgery. Cosmetic surgery itself is presented as a “gift” or “reward”, something well deserved and which will also repay the investment by giving birth to a “new you”. However, for people who want to travel without anyone knowing and come back after the trip, the makeover is over, you can venture out on a “secret” surgical vacation. Nevertheless, at least for some consumers, the association of vacations with restoration and well-being can be usefully combined with the transformation wrought by surgery, suggesting that a fruitful way of theorizing the tourist character of surgery tourism aesthetic could be to follow the ways in which these ideas are mobilized by both producers and consumers, in tourist promotional materials and in the stories of tourists themselves. Porter et al. (2010) noted that “tourist consumption involves… some form of self-refashioning,” whether in terms of body remodeling or in terms of identity work and self-narration, including the tourist self. In addition to embodied traces, such as tanning, other material traces are used by tourists to remember and signify their experiences, vacation memories, photographs and videos, or even sending a postcard to the House. As a result, the surgical experience may be remembered or “mementized.” History Travel has always had a deliberate connection to human activity dating back thousands of years. However, the idea of ​​traveling for leisure, education or health purposes developed during the 18th century "Age of Enlightenment" with the development of the "Grand Tour" in Europe. Building on this research, health goals have long been associated with travel and tourism, from the development of health resorts in Roman times to the seaside or mountain sanatoriums popular with the Victorians. This ties directly into the theory that some of the earliest forms of tourism were aimed directly at improving health and well-being. This was evident in the many spas in Europe which generated the effective emergence of local tourism, during the 18th century, where "taking the waters" became common. Additionally, health tourism "laid the foundations for the development of much of the modern tourism industry in Europe." At that time, this trend was once reserved for the wealthy, sufficiently vulnerable, desperate and/or narcissistic who indulged in cosmetic surgeries. Recipients of cosmetic surgery were once considered patients because they wanted to undergo procedures that were often secret and shameful.Today, cosmetic surgery tourism is known as a booming industry as more consumers seek it out than ever before. This rapidly growing market is accounted for on the basis of significant variation in motivations across different types of tourists. Doctors from low-income countries provided these services and products, which attracted tourists from developed countries to this emerging trend. Societal attitudes towards this niche have gradually shifted from the public to the private sector, eliminating the need for prior consultation from clinical controllers or formal referral from family doctors. But this ultimately impacts the management of surgical tourism by creating a gap in the care network. This phenomenon has gradually become affordable and is part of mainstream grooming and beauty, linked to aesthetic and cultural imperatives. This was due to cosmetic surgery as "normalized perfection", which led to disadvantaged people using this service. Currently, this has become a consumable item to the extent that the recipients are no longer "patients" but are considered "clients" whose surgeries take place in a new global conglomeration of media, technological and aesthetic conditions. Types of Tourists Connell (2006) questioned the “tourism-related aspect of cosmetic surgery tourism.” This is why he persuades this individual project to try to bring clarity to this subject. Combining well-being, in this case cosmetic surgery, with vacations and restoration theorizes a vision of the tourist character of cosmetic surgery tourism. Just as telling stories is part of “tourism”, so is the cosmetic surgery recounted by tourists. Obviously, it will be necessary to identify and then develop the types of tourists in this niche using terminologies that clearly define them. Kanittinsuttitong (2015) formed the concept of medical tourism into two main theories: tourism and medical services. The author defined one group, medical tourists, as tourists who mainly emphasize medical treatment and other factors related to medical services while focusing less on the tourism aspect. In contrast, the second group's tourism is focused on tourists who focus mainly on tourism factors and less on medical or health care services. Provided that cosmetic surgery tourism can be recognized with similar forms/groups due to evidence showing a relationship with medical tourism. Cosmetic surgery-oriented tourists and tourism-oriented tourists have been further identified by researchers in previous research. Therefore, this individual project defines both based on the perceptions of many authors. Tourists focused on cosmetic surgery may seek the services of the world's best cosmetic surgeons or seek out more extreme, even risky, procedures that they might not be able to obtain at home. Therefore, the association of vacation with surgery may not be their primary motivation. While tourism-oriented tourists seek cosmetic surgery treatment based on tourism factors such as vacation, destination, amenities and services. Seeks packages that offer surgery and recovery at a beautiful resort or specialty retreat, while also offering more familiar tourism experiences for patients and accompanying family members or other travelers, such as tours..