MAU of leading plastic surgery apps in China 2024

As of September 2024, the most popular app for medical beauty in China was SoYoung with almost  3.9 million monthly active users. Gengmei, Yuemei, and Meili Shenqi were also among the most-used medical aesthetics apps in the country. 

Why are cosmetic apps so popular?

Cosmetic surgery apps first became popular in China after several medical scandals involving the country’s largest search engine Baidu in 2016. The incorrect search results returned by Baidu seriously hampered the reputation and ingenuity of the search engine. Consequently, independent apps were developed to provide reliable information on clinics and surgeons. Users can not only scan their faces and receive advice on medical aesthetic services, but also arrange appointments and bill payment via the apps. Users of these apps were quite often influences by appearance and beauty ideals seen on social media.

Recent market trends

Among all medical aesthetics apps available on the Chinese market, SoYoung has stood out in terms of popularity. The app allows for the user to share their experiences and seek advice on the same platform. These features have made it an exciting avenue resulting in a higher user retention rate than its close competitors. The reliability of results and user satisfaction has led to a larger network of users, mostly among the younger demographic in the country. Consequently, SoYoung was one of the most downloaded cosmetic surgery apps.