Editor’s Note
**Editor’s Note:** Despite the global surge in GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, demand for body contouring procedures is rising, with arm liposuction leading and hip fat grafting surging 14-fold, according to 365mc’s latest analysis.
As GLP-1 class obesity treatments like Wegovy and Mounjaro become the new standard for weight loss, the obesity treatment paradigm is shifting. However, a growing perception that while weight decreases, the desired body shape is not fully achieved, has led to an unexpected market shift: increased demand for body contouring procedures such as liposuction and fat grafting.
On the 21st, 365mc, a specialized liposuction medical institution, released the results of an analysis of liposuction surgery data from its five hospital-level medical institutions nationwide (Seoul, Incheon, Daejeon, Daegu, Busan) over the past three years. The analysis showed that even after the introduction of GLP-1 class treatments in Korea, liposuction surgeries have steadily increased, with a particularly notable rise in demand for localized body shape correction in frequently exposed areas.
The changes by body part were distinct. Relatively large areas like the abdomen and thighs showed a decline, reflecting the effects of GLP-1 treatments. Thigh liposuction decreased by about 35.2%, from 6,683 cases in 2023 to 4,332 cases last year, recording the largest drop. The abdomen also decreased by about 8.7% over the same period, from 12,437 cases to 11,361 cases.
In contrast, arm liposuction showed the opposite trend. It increased by about 30.9%, from 10,307 cases in 2023 to 13,487 cases last year, surpassing the abdomen to become the most performed liposuction area.
This is analyzed to be because while GLP-1 treatments are effective for overall weight loss, areas like the arms, which are heavily influenced by genetic body type, often do not improve as desired.
As weight loss becomes easier, demand for restoring volume has also surged.
A prime example is hip fat grafting. The so-called ‘hip augmentation’ surgery, which involves transplanting fat harvested from the abdomen or thighs to the hip area, increased approximately 14-fold, from 112 cases in 2023 to 1,586 cases last year.
This is because during the GLP-1 treatment process, fat also decreases in volume-critical areas like the buttocks, hips, chest, and face, leading to a significant increase in patients seeking to naturally supplement these areas.
Recently, demand for autologous fat grafting to the breasts, in addition to the hips, has also been on the rise.
365mc analyzed that the role of liposuction is changing rather than the market shrinking due to the spread of GLP-1 treatments.
While liposuction was once an alternative for simple weight loss, it is now evolving into a sculpting-focused treatment that meticulously refines residual localized fat after drug therapy and completes a balanced body shape.
