The fall in sterling has given the UK’s cosmetic surgery sector a facelift
While the still-falling value of sterling has worried many sectors of the UK's economy, the cosmetic surgery industry has received a veritable lift from the weaker pound.
Cosmetic surgery clinics are booming off the back of the Brexit vote and subsequent currency hit, as plastic surgery tourism to UK clinics has been made "considerably more attractive" to foreign clients, according to Kent-based clinic Bella Vou.
The current exchange rate means that European customers are paying roughly 15 per cent less than they were before the Brexit vote, while clients from the USA and Australia are benefitting from savings of 17 per cent and 25 per cent respectively.
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The cost of a £6,000 facelift procedure in the UK has dropped 16.5 per cent from nearly $9,000 (£7,400) to under $7,500 for clients paying in dollars, while the cost to European surgery tourists has fallen from 15 per cent from €7,850 to around €6,600.
"Thanks to the low pound, we’ve seen a 32 per cent increase in enquiries over the past few months from male and female clients who live abroad," said Amir Nakhdjevani, cosmetic surgeon at Bella Vou.
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"The cosmetic surgery industry is reaping the benefits of favourable exchange rates, which have made our services more affordable to foreign clients, while domestic customers are less willing or able to travel abroad for surgeries as the costs have risen."
The cosmetic surgery segment joins the budget loo roll and tourism staycation sectors as one of the first industries to boom in the wake of the referendum, as currency falls have put Brits off now more expensive European travel.