The history of cosmetic surgery reaches back far further than we might imagine. The origins of plastic surgery can be traced back to over 4,000 years ago to a gentleman called Sushutra in Indian. The very first procedures were surgical interventions for the purpose of correcting facial injuries. From this early time there were very few advances in technique. In fact it was not until the outbreak of the First World War until real advances were seen. This was as a direct result of the numerous and extensive injuries received by soldiers. Such was the severity that surgeons were forced to push forward with large scale innovative interventions, the like of which had never been seen before. From this rapid progress evolved modern day plastic surgery, which first took shape in the 1960s.

Today, the majority of the public are fully aware of the wide range of procedures available. Currently the three most popular cosmetic surgeries worldwide are; liposuction, breast implants and eye surgery. Plastic surgery, once seen as only available to the stars and the rich, is becoming ever more affordable. Today, there are 30,871 certified plastic surgeons, who performed over 17 .1 million procedures, globally, in 2009. Staggeringly, 12 million of these surgeries were undertaken in the United States alone. There has been a huge increase in plastic surgery over the last twenty years, and with prices becoming increasingly competitive, and with peoples disposable incoming ever rising, the continued growth of cosmetic surgery, worldwide, looks set to continue. 

One of the increasing trends within the industry over the last ten years, as part of this growth, has been the explosion of patients seeking surgery outside of their own country. Medical tourism is booming and offering tremendous opportunities for consumers and health care providers alike. The main winner in this shift in health care provision is Thailand. Considered by most to be the global leader in medical tourism, Thailand currently can boast over 1.4 million visitors a year, who specifically enter the country for some form of medical intervention. Of these 1.4 million, an ever increasing proportion is undergoing cosmetic surgery. 

One of the main advantages of choosing to have surgery is clearly price. Prices in Thailand can be as much as 80% cheaper compared to what they might pay in their own country. If we look at the most popular surgery worldwide, namely liposuction, a typical price in Thailand would be approximately $1,200. Compared to this, within the developed world, you would typically expect to pay in the region of $3,000 for exactly the same procedure. If we look at blepharoplasty, or eye surgery as it is more commonly known, the saving is even greater. In Thailand you would expect to pay $550, in the West, $2,500. 

Looking at these large saving it's easy to understand the attraction of traveling to Thailand to undergo cosmetic surgery. Further to this, together with the high standard of hospital care, many hospitals having ISO 9001 accreditation, a visitor can also expect to be cared for by highly trained staff, many of whom receive specialized training within the United States and Europe. Finally, with the numerous attractions Thailand has to offer as a tourist destination, it's clear to see why Thailand is one of the most popular choices for medical tourists.