Uncovering the Connection Between Confidence and Aesthetic Medicine

“Confidence is key,” is a common phrase used when referring to the way a person carries or perceives themselves. But how does one achieve self-confidence? One aspect of having strong self-confidence is feeling beautiful in your skin. There are several ways people can improve their perception of their own beauty; among them is the medical aesthetics market. But how does medical aesthetics correlate to confidence? The Pillars of Confidence study, sponsored by Merz Aesthetics and presented in January, sought to illuminate this connection.

The Pillars of Confidence study analyzed the perspectives of 15,000 adults across 15 countries, revealing global insights on aesthetics and self-affirmation. Highlights from the global report include 72% of people surveyed agreeing with the statement, “I am confidence in who I am,” 69% of people surveyed saying they seek aesthetic treatments to reflect how they feel inside, and 72% of respondents saying that aesthetic treatments impact how they view themselves. The results were unveiled during an event at the prestigious Le Meurice in Paris, France, on January 29.

“This is quantitative data to support a lot of the qualitative messaging that we’ve deployed in this market for many years,” Merz Aesthetics CEO Bob Rhatigan said. “Frankly, I’m super excited to see that it validates our purpose as a company, which is that we exist to fuel confidence by helping people not just look better but feel better and live better as a result.”

During the event, a panel of dermatologists from across the world discussed how the results varied among each region, emphasizing cultural differences and nuances toward aesthetic medicine. Modern Aesthetics spoke with Shannon Humphrey, MD, medical director at Humphrey & Beleznay Cosmetic Dermatology in Canada; Sheila Farhang, MD, founder and CEO of Avant Dermatology & Aesthetics in Arizona; Daria Voropai, MBBS, BDS, cosmetic practitioner in the Netherlands; Claudia Hernandez, MD, founder of the CH DRMS dermatology clinic in Colombia; and Je Young Park, MD, owner of Apkoo-Jung Oracle Dermatology Center in South Korea.

Where do you see the data from the Pillars of Confidence being used in the future? And how do you plan to incorporate this data into the Merz Aesthetics brand?

Bob Rhatigan, Merz Aesthetics CEO: We see the study results being used in several ways. One is getting it published, and this is something that’s going to be advantageous for the whole industry. This is not intended to drive preferential treatment in terms of merchandise product usage. This is really a market scoping study and the strategy is to understand what we can do to better understand the insights that can help bring people into the market, and how we can best as an industry and providers speak to these prospective consumers to draw them in to the market. That’s really our hope overall. We do anticipate the ability to have a lot of subset analysis done in the future. We’ve just touched the global data. There are regional outlooks, demographic outlooks, a lot of subset analysis yet to be completed. Overall, the strategy is to help the overall industry grow.

What were the key findings of the Pillars of Confidence study at a regional level?

Dr. Je Young Park, Asia-Pacific Region: This study also highlighted the efforts needed from healthcare providers in South Korea. Compared to other Asian countries, Korean aesthetic consumers showed significantly lower confidence and were more reluctant to discuss aesthetic procedures with others.

In response to the question, “Do you feel confident when looking in the mirror?” the global average across 15 countries was 54%, while South Korea recorded only 28%. Additionally, when asked, “Do you feel comfortable discussing medical aesthetics with others?” the global average was 56%, with 63% in other Asian countries. However, in South Korea, only 43% responded positively.

We must think beyond consultations focused just on outer appearance enhancement and carefully consider patients’ inner well-being. It is very important to guide them to the most appropriate procedures that are suitable for their current stage of life.

Dr. Sheila Farhang, North American region: I was honestly relieved to see a majority of patients still want natural looking results. They still want to look like themselves. I know with social media we see the overfilled syndrome and the dramatic, but for the majority at a global level, people want natural looking results. Natural looking results was also one of the top three indicators or key factors of why patients chose a specific provider. I would say that this validated what I already know because in my practices people come to me specifically because of my natural looking results. It just made me feel good. So, in consultations I can home in on that and reassure patients that they’re still going to look like themselves. ‘We’re doing natural looking results.’ We really have to say that now because of social media and people being scared to look different.

Did any data from the report suprise you?

Dr. Shannon Humphrey, North American region: I was really surprised that 46% of participants were as likely to learn about aesthetic treatments from social media/influencers as they were from healthcare professionals. I guess I was holding out hope that they still turn to us for the most accurate information. But where I did feel uplifted and confident is that the most likely reason why the respondents would choose a practitioner was related to reputation. So even though they got information from social media and influencers about the treatments, they didn’t use that information to pick their provider. They used reputation. And to me that’s a really important distinction when it comes to social media.

Dr. Daria Voropai, European region: Social media has a big influence. That’s what we think, but people around us have much more influence on the beauty decisions that we make, which is super interesting because as a majority we think that social media has so much influence on the beauty choices that we make, but subconsciously it’s our partner, it’s our friends, and it’s our family.

The other thing that was very interesting from the study is how much influence we as healthcare professionals have in the guidance of patients. Almost 50% of the people said that they trust the healthcare professional to guide them through the beauty treatments. I think that’s quite an important number.

Why do you think one in three participants said they are discouraged from discussing aesthetic treatments due to fear of judgement?

Dr. Claudia Hernandez, South American Region: This finding highlights the persistent stigma surrounding aesthetic procedures. In many cultures, there’s still a perception that these treatments are superficial or driven by vanity, rather than being part of a broader commitment to well-being. As a result, individuals may fear criticism or misunderstanding from others. This underscores the importance of normalizing these conversations and educating both the public and patients on the benefits of aesthetic medicine beyond appearance—particularly its impact on confidence and self-perception.

Seventy percent of South Korean participants said aesthetic treatments impact the ability to attract a new partner or relationship and openness to interact with new people. Why do you think this percentage is lower in the Asia-Pacific region compared to other regions?

Dr. Park: The low percentage from South Korean respondents regarding the impact of aesthetic treatments on the above situations could be attributed to the high beauty standards and societal pressures in South Korea. Despite nearly two-thirds of Asia Pacific respondents being comfortable discussing aesthetic treatments with others, compared to 56% of people globally, appearances aren’t the only thing that creates relationships.

In North America, only 23% of participants said that they compare their appearance to others on social media. Do you think that data would change if the age range of participants was shortened?

Dr. Farhang: Yes, I think that number did get brought down or diluted by the more mature ages because as we know, generation Z, and even millennials, get influenced. My patients in their 20s have this look where they want a certain look because of the influencers. Millennial patients rely a bit more on social media for educational purposes. So that is a little bit of a difference because I think some of my Millennial patients do understand that what you see on social media isn’t always what you in real life, especially with before and afters, or with filters and things like that. It is still a hard thing for Gen Z, and I can’t blame them because it’s everywhere and they grew up with it. It’s important during my consultations to really focus on them as an individual and understand why they want what they’re requesting.

With 55% of participants learning about aesthetic treatments from social media and influencers, what should practitioners be doing to ensure patients are receiving accurate information?

Dr. Hernandez: Given the strong influence of social media, practitioners in Latin America must step into the role of educators. By creating informative, evidence-based content tailored to patient concerns, we can offer clarity in a space often filled with misinformation. In my own practice, I use platforms like Instagram to break down research—like the Pillars of Confidence study—into accessible insights for the public. Partnering with credible content creators can also help ensure accurate messaging reaches broader audiences in an engaging way.

Patients in the European region tend to be more conservative than other regions; what do you think influences patients to be more conservative?

Dr. Voropai: The beauty has been there for centuries. From the moment that we started walking, we had beauty around the world. The acceptance of beauty is so different and the northern Europeans are much more conservative. Be small, be humble, right? Conversely, Americans—and I love America—are like, ‘OK, let’s go for it.’ They’re willing to share what you do for yourself and not be ashamed of the fact that you are going to enhance your appearance. This is the biggest difference. I think in my region, people are afraid or ashamed of the fact that they’re going to a cosmetic procedure because that reflects on their self-acceptance, which is absolutely not true, but it is the public opinion.

Do you plan to incorporate the Pillars of Confidence data into your daily practice? If so, how?

Dr. Hernandez: As a practitioner, my mission is not only to enhance appearance but also to support emotional well-being. This data helps bridge the connection between how we feel and how we see ourselves. I plan to integrate these insights through personalized consultations, tailoring treatments to each patient’s confidence levels and motivations; patient education, sharing data-backed content to inform patients about the emotional benefits of aesthetic medicine; and communication strategy, including this narrative in talks, materials, and social media to foster a more holistic understanding of beauty and confidence. The study reinforces the idea that aesthetic care is not just physical—it’s psychological, too.

Dr. Park: The findings delivered incredible insights into treatment veterans, as well as those just beginning to enter the aesthetics field in my region. As the data shows, confidence levels fluctuate from country to country. I’ve already started to use the data in my practice to better serve my patients on their aesthetics journey and meet their needs based on self-perception levels during consultations. I plan to incorporate more confidence-building into my daily practice, whether that’s initiatives focused on self-esteem or educational content on my social platforms.

Overall, what did you find the most interesting about the study findings and why?

Dr. Hernandez: One of the most interesting findings among the Latin American respondents is that 81% agreed with the statement, “I am confident in who I am.” This reflects a strong sense of identity and self-awareness, which is particularly relevant in a region as diverse and complex as ours. It’s also remarkable that 70% indicated that aesthetic treatments influence how they see themselves. This highlights the clear connection between aesthetics and emotional well-being, a relationship I witness daily in my practice. These findings affirm the psychological halo effect: when we feel better about how we look, it positively impacts many aspects of our lives.

Dr. Humphrey: One of the interesting data points is that virtually all respondents (82%) feel like they’ve taken care of themselves after they’ve had an aesthetic treatment and almost 60% of respondents see aesthetic treatments as part of regular beauty maintenance. These two data points prove to me what I’ve long since believed to be true: that patients see their aesthetic treatments as part of an empowered aging plan. Patients already see it as regular maintenance. They already feel like they’re taking care of themselves. It is important for us as healthcare practitioners to shift our model of care away from a transactional one and toward one that allows our patients to have a positive aging plan, to plan a customized and combination treatment that we can execute over time.