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On June 19th， Yan Qiang (a pseudonym)， a male employee born in the mid-1990s working at a major internet company in Beijing， boarded a flight to Seoul. For this “beauty enhancement journey，” which he undertakes on average once a month， he took half a day off from work. To save time， Yan Qiang had specifically booked an appointment with a Korean doctor in Seoul for that evening. The aesthetic medical procedure that Yan Qiang was willing to travel for claimed to “reduce fine lines and shrink pores.”
Two months prior， Yan Qiang was introduced to a woman born in 2002 by a friend. During their “blind date，” the woman expressed satisfaction with Yan Qiang’s capabilities and career， but voiced her “concern” about the noticeable acne scars on his face. To win the young woman’s heart completely， Yan Qiang meticulously researched “acne scar removal” methods on Xiaohongshu. He became a firm believer in posts from male accounts on the platform that highlighted “becoming more handsome through aesthetic medicine.” He then leveraged various connections to find Korean aesthetic medical institutions and finalized his chosen procedure.
“After each treatment course， there’s a recovery period of about 3 to 5 days. I use Friday and the weekend to recover as quickly as possible， and I return to normal work by Monday，” Yan Qiang told Huxiu. He stated that his pursuit of aesthetic medicine was for love， quoting a popular phrase from Xiaohongshu: “I hope to ignite a ‘physiological attraction’ in the girl I love.”
Yan Qiang is just one among the rapidly growing number of “aesthetic medicine users” among males born in the mid-1990s. This wave of aesthetic medicine adoption， driven by young Chinese men， is now significantly impacting the domestic aesthetic medicine market. A co-founder of a chain aesthetic medical institution shared with Huxiu that in 2024， they specifically hired several “market development specialists” targeting men born in the mid-1990s， and their product brochures have been updated to cater to male users.
The rapid advancement in aesthetic medical technologies and products in China over the past two years has also prompted a shift in consumer power， with many young men who previously sought treatments in South Korea and Japan now directing their spending towards domestic options.
Xiao Wu， born in 1998， first underwent aesthetic medical procedures in South Korea three years ago. At that time， he opted for “Rejuran Salmon Basic Skin Booster injection and Juvelook.” Xiao Wu told Huxiu that he was informed that Rejuran subcutaneous water-light injections were not available in China， which led him to choose South Korea. However， comparable alternatives are now available domestically at more favorable prices.
Huxiu learned that in the past year， based on data from a well-known aesthetic medical institution， male users accounted for 7.3% of patients in May. This figure was 4.9% at the beginning of last year. The number of registered male users on the institution’s app has seen continuous growth over the past four years. While male users have a longer repurchase cycle compared to female users， their top three preferred categories are: firming and lifting (17.8%)， rhinoplasty (13.5%)， and jaw contouring (5.6%).
Jin Xing， founder of the aesthetic medical brand Xin Yang， told Huxiu that there are significant differences in aesthetic and plastic surgery demands between men and women. For less invasive procedures， particularly anti-aging， the demands are quite similar. However， consumer psychology and popular treatments show distinct differences. Men generally prefer that aesthetic alterations are not noticeable， with their core desire being natural and discreet micro-adjustment effects， leading to a higher average transaction value. According to observations at a Xin Yang store in Beijing， the male demographic seeking less invasive aesthetic treatments is concentrated between 20 and 40 years old. The most common procedures are basic introductory skin cleaning treatments， such as “Elite Facial Cleansing” (costing a few hundred yuan)， and anti-wrinkle injections (ranging from a few hundred to two to three thousand yuan). While they typically don’t incur high expenses in a single visit， they show a greater inclination towards anti-aging treatments， followed by surgical procedures like hair transplantation and under-eye bag removal， and rhinoplasty.
The demand for aesthetic medicine among men exhibits a clear age stratification. In contrast， women across all age groups tend to prioritize anti-aging and overall beautification， including procedures like double eyelid surgery， facial bone contouring， and hyaluronic acid injections.
Interestingly， when it comes to aesthetic medicine， women are more willing to spend on their emotional well-being. Men， on the other hand， often aim to leverage image enhancements to gain a competitive edge in the dating market. This highlights a fundamental difference in motivation – women seeking self-gratification versus men pursuing external validation and social advantage.
“Aesthetic Medicine Shame” Among Men
The pursuit of good looks among Chinese men extends beyond the superficial observation that male influencers are more concerned about their pores and skin tone than women. The research into and strategic approach to aesthetics have far surpassed previous understandings.
The “pale， youthful， and slender” aesthetic once heavily influenced many Chinese women. With the rise of female empowerment， this notion is being challenged. Men， however， are encountering a new wave of aesthetic “disciplining.” The past mainstream patriarchal definition of masculinity is being dismantled， with younger generations of men increasingly embracing fair and smooth complexions. Some are even spending fortunes on their facial appearance.
However， the aesthetic medical needs of men show distinct stratification across different age groups. Multiple aesthetic medical institutions have informed Huxiu of their findings that individuals born in the 2000s are more inclined towards skin management， while those born in the 1980s are keen on anti-aging and hair management， each group with its own priorities. Among these， men born in the mid-1990s are currently the focal point of market competition.
“This demographic is at a crucial stage in their lives for seeking partners， and professionally， they have generally evolved from novice employees to key contributors in their workplaces. They possess both demand and the financial means. Furthermore， these men have coincidentally benefited from years of continuous promotional efforts on skincare for men across platforms like Xiaohongshu and Douyin， leading to a significantly higher acceptance of aesthetic medicine and skincare in their mindset，” explained a co-founder of an aesthetic medical brand. Huxiu has learned from multiple aesthetic medical institutions and brands that men born in the mid-1990s have a strong demand for acne treatment and early-stage anti-aging. Amidst intensified competition in both the job market and the dating scene， improving personal appearance is heavily influenced by the concept of “appearance is competitiveness.” Han Zi， a male aesthetic medicine user born in the mid-1990s， told Huxiu that he typically gets a skin booster on Fridays and returns to work normally on Mondays， rarely choosing procedures that require a significant recovery period. He dislikes the process of applying masks or various topical treatments， preferring simple and efficient solutions with shorter care cycles.
It is worth noting that the aesthetic medical needs of men born in the mid-1990s differ noticeably from those of men born in the 1980s. Beyond the disparities driven by age， differences in consumption habits and perceptions are also becoming prominent. The aforementioned institutions and brands revealed to Huxiu that men born in the 1980s， as the backbone of the middle class and professional workforce， possess higher spending power. Their aesthetic medical needs predominantly focus on anti-aging (such as BBL photofacial， collagen water-light injections， or Ultherapy)， under-eye bag removal， and hair loss prevention and transplantation. Their primary concern is maintaining a professional image and eliminating signs of “greasiness.” Lifestyle habits such as smoking， drinking， and late nights can also increase the demand for skin management.
The influence of social media on aesthetic medical consumption among men born in the mid-1990s has dramatically intensified. Their pursuit of beauty is not limited to correcting existing flaws but also includes proactive management of potential future skin issues. They favor less invasive procedures like photofacials and skin boosters to maintain a youthful appearance and address skin problems like acne. They are more inclined to accept non-surgical treatments that yield natural aesthetic results， using hyaluronic acid and regenerative materials in less invasive procedures to achieve their desired facial contour and support. Some young men who have just graduated from high school even opt for fractional laser treatments. Many men born in the 1980s still feel a sense of nervousness when entering an aesthetic medical institution for the first time. In contrast， men born in the mid-90s and 2000s appear much more at ease， with the only caveat being that they are less likely to proactively share their aesthetic medical experiences on social media platforms.
The manager of a chain light cosmetic clinic in Shanghai stated that young men aged 20-30， who pursue good looks， visit the clinic almost every month for maintenance and exhibit higher repurchase rates. “Men tend to undergo fewer invasive procedures and are more concerned about the awkward recovery period due to societal stigma and the associated shame. Their focus differs from women’s. Men undergo fewer filling procedures; they are less concerned with facial fullness and more focused on skin clarity and anti-aging. Most women， however， are more interested in achieving a fuller， more rounded facial appearance from a previously contoured state.”
The Secret to Mid-90s Male Aesthetic Medicine Consumption: Higher Average Transaction Value + Higher Customer Acquisition Cost
A market analysis team leader at an aesthetic medical platform company informed Huxiu that over 40% of Chinese men reported increasing their aesthetic medical spending in the past year， indicating a higher growth in consumption compared to women. Huxiu has learned that the current penetration rate of aesthetic medicine in China is approximately 11%， significantly lower than in mature aesthetic medicine markets. South Korea’s penetration rate is 20.5%， and the United States’ is 17%. However， China’s male aesthetic medical consumption has an annual growth rate exceeding 20%， presenting immense growth potential. It is projected that by 2025， the market size of aesthetic medicine in China will exceed 500 billion yuan， with the male consumer proportion exceeding 30%.
However， unlocking this latent consumer potential requires overcoming bottlenecks. A key challenge is the insufficient trust and acceptance that the market and broader environment hold for aesthetic medical institutions. The recent suggestion by Li Jiaqi that “ordinary girls should not undergo aesthetic medicine” even trended on social media. Even though many less invasive aesthetic procedures have been reduced to prices in the thousands of yuan， a majority of people still perceive aesthetic medicine as “expensive.” Cost pressures are also impacting the market. Huxiu has learned that the aesthetic medical industry has generally faced continuously rising upstream material prices over the past year， which is eroding the profit margins of platforms and institutions. Furthermore， a series of new regulations on marketing and advertising targeting the aesthetic medical industry since 2024 are reshaping the underlying logic of traffic acquisition that fueled the sector’s explosive growth in previous years.
In this landscape， aesthetic medical institutions and brands are eager to find new growth areas or rapidly penetrate untapped markets. This further underscores the importance of male users， particularly those born in the mid-1990s， who have already demonstrated a higher desire for aesthetic medical consumption.
Jin Xing， founder of the aesthetic medical brand Xin Yang， shared his perspective on future male aesthetic medicine development. He indicated that compared to China， Japan， and South Korea， significant market growth for male aesthetic medicine in China， with large-scale initiatives targeting men， is expected within the next three to five years， by which time male aesthetic medicine will represent 20%-30% of the market share.
An interesting detail is that Xin Yang has established the strategic layout standard for its offline light aesthetic medical stores， “Qing Chun Clinic，” to benchmark against high-quality internet companies and major business districts. This signifies a targeted approach to capturing a specific demographic.
Men’s aesthetic medicine represents a significant opportunity， but its development hinges on effective education and cultivation. A seasoned professional in the aesthetic medical industry told Huxiu that current efforts to foster proactivity in men’s aesthetic medical pursuits have yielded limited results; instead， there’s a need to enhance innate awareness of image enhancement. “In the future， as demand for aesthetic medicine among men in China explodes， the market is destined to flourish. Offline clinics will offer a variety of customized male plans， and each institution will develop its own unique strategies. At that point， the essential needs for men’s aesthetic medicine will not only include hair loss prevention and transplantation but may also extend beyond resolving dating challenges.”
However， for the broader male consumer base， especially those born in the mid-1990s， aesthetic medicine is by no means the sole path to “beauty enhancement.” Scientific fitness and maintaining a regular lifestyle can have a greater positive impact on the appearance of young men. Furthermore， occupational psychologists who study the emotional dynamics of the post-95 and post-00 generations suggest that a well-toned physique and refined temperament gained through fitness are more impactful in romantic relationships than facial features. “The aesthetic trends among girls born in the mid-90s and 2000s are increasingly diverse; there is no universally appealing facial type， and individual aesthetics vary greatly. Therefore， men born in the mid-90s should not overemphasize single facial elements when it comes to judging beauty.”
A senior professional in male aesthetic medicine assistance told Huxiu that even with nearly twenty years of experience in the industry and a deep understanding of dermatology and aesthetic principles， he selectively controls the frequency of injectable aesthetic medical procedures. “The iteration of new products in the aesthetic medicine industry is very rapid. Equipment for light aesthetic medical procedures often has scan verification for anti-counterfeiting， making fake products difficult to produce. However， receiving injectable treatments too frequently can make the skin sensitive and potentially lead to body dysmorphia and psychological disparities. One might find it difficult to resist the urge for more injections， honestly， the risks often outweigh the benefits.”
