IN 2024, sales had reached USD 282.70 million, market researcher Data Bridge said in a report. https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/nucleus/malaysia-medical-aesthetics-market.
THE irony though is that, we could have grown much more, then what has been achived if policy makers had taken the aesthetic sector much more seriously.
ONLY last month, did Malaysia get its act together by making it compulsary aesthetic technologies that once operated in a gray area now face rigorous pre-market authorization.
The Medical Device (Designated Medical Devices) Order 2026 (established under Section 26 of the Medical Device Act 2012 (Act 737), catogorise several devices popular in cosmetic and wellness industries are now strictly classified as regulated medical items which requires the ministry apprroval to be brought into the country.
AMONG them are : Medical Laser Systems: Alexandrite, Diode, Erbium YAG, Fractional CO₂, Nd:YAG, Pulse-Dye, and Ruby lasers.High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU): Systems used primarily for non-invasive skin tightening and facial lifting.Liposuction Devices: Equipment used for surgical body contouring and fat removal.
THESE though are mere baby steps, as much more needs to fast tracked, if we are to make that one giant leap into the orbit of the likes of Brasil and Turkey.
BOTH are super powers in aesthetic/medical tourism. Countries such as South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand has sough to weaponise their domestic aesthetic sector into pillars of economic diplomacy.
SOUTH Korea with glowmad brand, supported by state subsidiesed infrastructure and specialised visa regime while Thailand has been betting big with its healing is the new luxury campaign.https://www.tatnews.org/2026/03/thailand-redefines-health-and-wellness-tourism-through-healing-is-the-new-luxury-experiences/
HENCE, its a no brainer that these two nations are head and shoulders ahead of Malaysia in aesthetic health tourism, coming in at 4th and 5th place on the global stage.
MALAYSIA makes the top ten, by sneaking in at number nine .https://www.essos.com/blog/top-10-countries-for-affordable-and-safe-medical-tourism-in-2025-complete-rankings-for-hair-transplants-rhinoplasty-more
.