MERZ AESTHETICS REVEALS GLOBAL DATA ON THE CONNECTION BETWEEN CONFIDENCE, SELF-AFFIRMATION AND AESTHETIC TREATMENTS

Graphic: Merz Aesthetics

New Research Suggests that People Seek Aesthetic Treatments to Align Inner Self with Outward Appearance

RALEIGH, N.C., Jan 31 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) — Merz Aesthetics, the world’s largest dedicated medical aesthetics business, today announced the findings of its inaugural global study, Pillars of Confidence: Global Insights on Aesthetics and Self-AffirmationThe study explored the role confidence plays in daily life and overall well-being, as well as the connection between our internal selves and outward expression.

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As part of its Confidence to Be platform, Merz Aesthetics surveyed 15,000 adults from around the world who have had an aesthetic treatment in the past or are open to having one in the near future. The Pillars of Confidence study revealed that a global majority of study participants have a strong sense of self-confidence, with 72% agreeing with the statement, “I am confident in who I am.”

The findings of the Pillars of Confidence study also link external appearance to internal self-concept. When it comes to aesthetic treatments specifically, 73% of respondents reported saying they feel “empowered” after having an aesthetic treatment, 69% seek aesthetic treatments to reflect how they feel inside and 72% said that aesthetic treatments impact how they view themselves.

Conducted in partnership with Ipsos*, one of the largest market research and polling companies globally, the Pillars of Confidence study engaged 15,000 adults aged 21 to 75** from 15 countries. Participating regions and countries included:

  • Asia-Pacific: China, South Korea, Thailand
  • Europe, the Middle East & Africa: France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates
  • Latin America: Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico
  • North America: United States, Canada

“Since becoming a standalone global business nearly five years ago, Merz Aesthetics has been committed to our purpose of fueling confidence by helping people look better, feel better and live better. We believe in the importance of feeling confident and what makes you feel like the best version of yourself—however you define it,” said Bob Rhatigan, CEO, Merz Aesthetics. “Our Pillars of Confidence research shows what we anecdotally knew to be true—that aesthetic treatments appear to do more than just enhance our appearance; they can help people feel empowered and support their self-confidence journey.”

“The Pillars of Confidence data shows how aesthetic treatments enable patients to take an active role in aligning their self-perception with their outward appearance,” said Dr. Shannon Humphrey, cosmetic dermatologist, medical director at Humphrey & Beleznay Cosmetic Dermatology and clinical associate professor at the University of British Columbia. “As a physician, I see this impact every day. These insights can help us better understand and support our patients as they work toward personal empowerment, which ultimately enhances the care we provide.”

Whether it’s the things we say, the people we surround ourselves with, or our choices around aesthetic treatments, Merz Aesthetics believes that every person’s journey to look, feel and live their best is unique. With a purpose to fuel confidence worldwide, Merz Aesthetics hopes that the data-backed insights of the Pillars of Confidence study will inspire meaningful conversations that enable even more people to celebrate being their authentic selves, both inside and out.

For more information on the Pillars of Confidence study and to download a full report of the findings, please visit www.merzaesthetics.com/confidence.

*Merz Aesthetics. (2025). Pillars of Confidence: Global Insights on Aesthetics and Self-Affirmation. Supported by research partner Ipsos.

**Age range in Asia-Pacific region was 21 to 65.

About Merz Aesthetics

Merz Aesthetics is a medical aesthetics business with a long history of empowering health care professionals, patients and employees to live every day with confidence. We aim to help people around the world look, feel and live like the best versions of themselves — however they define it. Clinically proven, its product portfolio includes injectables, devices and skin care treatments designed to meet each patient’s needs with high standards of safety and efficacy. Being family owned for more than 115 years, Merz Aesthetics is known for building unique connections with customers who feel like family. Merz Aesthetics’ global headquarters is in Raleigh, N.C., USA, with a commercial presence in 90 countries worldwide. It is also a part of Merz Group, which was founded in 1908 and is based in Frankfurt, Germany. Learn more at merzaesthetics.com.

© 2025 Merz North America, Inc. All rights reserved. Merz, Merz Aesthetics and the Merz Aesthetics Confidence To Be Logo are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Merz Pharma GmbH & Co. KGaA in the U.S. and/or certain other countries.

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Contact

Media Contact
Merz Aesthetics
Global Corporate Communications
6501 Six Forks Road, Raleigh NC 27615
919-302-3296
media@merz.com

Source : Merz Aesthetics

SBC MEDICAL GROUP HOLDINGS ANNOUNCES DEFINITIVE AGREEMENT TO ACQUIRE, AESTHETIC HEALTHCARE HOLDINGS PTE. LTD, A MULTI-UNIT OWNER OF AESTHETIC TREATMENT CLINICS IN SINGAPORE

SBC to leverage operational synergies and implement growth strategies to launch into new verticals and geographies (Graphic: Business Wire)

Aesthetic Healthcare establishes bridgehead for expansion into Asia and accelerate SBC’s presence in global markets

SBC to leverage operational synergies and implement growth strategies to launch into new verticals and geographies

TOKYO, Nov 19 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) — SBC Medical Group Holdings Incorporated (Nasdaq: SBC) (“SBC Medical”, or the “Company”, or “SBC”), a global provider of comprehensive consulting and management services to the medical corporations and their clinics, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Aesthetic Healthcare Holdings Pte. Ltd. (“AHH”), a privately-held Singapore-based company that owns and operates several brands that provide aesthetic medical treatments in an all cash transaction scheduled to close on November 13, 2024.

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The acquisition by SBC of AHH marks the first step in Company’s strategy to grow its business through acquisitions, which includes plans to expand its business internationally with a primary focus on the U.S. and Asia markets. The Company believes Singapore represents the ideal hub for the further development of its brand in the region.

Strategic Rationale: A foothold to expand into Asia

Founded by Dr. Ewen Chee, a pioneer in Singapore’s aesthetic medical industry, AHH is well established in the country with a multi-brand strategy that caters to diverse customer needs. With the acquisition of AHH, SBC believes it has taken an important step toward expanding its presence in the Asian market. AHH’s portfolio consists of four brands and 21 outlets, and will be added to the SBC clinic network, strengthening its customer base in the Asian region. SBC has positioned Singapore as the core of its Asian operations and plans to leverage the high brand recognition AHH has established to promote strategic partnerships throughout Asia. The expansion of SBC’s global presence is consistent with its mission to establish leadership in the aesthetic medical industry by providing the value of beauty and health beyond national borders through innovative aesthetic medical treatments.

Strategies to Expand the Aesthetic Medicine Market by Leveraging Singapore’s Advantages
As disposable income increases in line with recent economic growth, demand for aesthetic medical treatments to maintain youth and beauty is growing rapidly. The Asian market in particular has shown remarkable growth, and currently accounts for the second largest share of the global aesthetic medical market, with an average annual growth rate of 11%*, exceeding that of any other region. Among these, Singapore is ideally positioned as a gateway to the Asian market due to its geographical and cultural advantages, and with its well-developed medical infrastructure and regulatory environment. SBC believes it is an ideal base for expanding services throughout Asia.
*Data Source: https://straitsresearch.com/report/aesthetic-medicine-market

Dr. Ewen Chee, Chief Executive Officer of Aesthetic Healthcare Holdings Pte. Ltd., said:
“We are pleased to announce that our clinic group has become a member of SBC, one of the leading aesthetic medical clinic groups in Japan. Since our establishment, we have been committed to providing the best medical treatments to each and every patient in Singapore, and have earned the trust of many customers. We would like to express our deepest gratitude to our employees and patients for their support. We see this acquisition as an opportunity for new growth, and we are confident that SBC’s advanced technology, management know-how, and extensive experience in the Japanese market will contribute greatly to our further development. We expect to accelerate our expansion throughout Asia and provide the best aesthetic medical treatments to as many patients as possible. We also hope to contribute to the expansion of the franchise business in the U.S. by utilizing the franchise business know-how we have cultivated through the operation of SkinGo! Together, with SBC, we aim to be a leader in the Asian aesthetic medicine industry and will make further efforts to meet the expectations of each and every patient.”

Yoshiyuki Aikawa
Founder and Chief Executive Officer of SBC Medical Group Holdings, Inc., said:
“We are very pleased to welcome AHH to our group. AHH has been providing high-quality aesthetic medical services in Singapore for many years and has earned the trust of many customers. With this acquisition, we expect to accelerate our expansion into the Asian market and strengthen our global aesthetic medical treatment delivery system. We are confident that we can create significant synergies by combining expertise in aesthetic medical treatments and management know-how we have cultivated in Japan with AHH’s brand power and customer base. We intend to grow together while respecting the corporate culture that AHH has cultivated thus far. We will also respect the culture and customs of Singapore and try to manage the company in a way that is rooted in the local community, while actively contributing to the local community. By leveraging the strengths of both companies, we aim to become a leading aesthetic medical clinic in Asia.”

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About SBC Medical
SBC Medical, headquartered in Irvine, California and Tokyo, Japan, owns and provides management services and products to cosmetic treatment centers. The Company is primarily focused on providing comprehensive management services to franchisee clinics, including but not limited to advertising and marketing needs across various platforms (such as social media networks), staff management (such as recruitment and training), booking reservations for franchisee clinic customers, assistance with franchisee employee housing rentals and facility rentals, construction and design of franchisee clinics, medical equipment and medical consumables procurement (resale), the provision of cosmetic products to franchisee clinics for resale to clinic customers, licensure of the use of patent-pending and non-patented medical technologies, trademark and brand use, IT software solutions (including but not limited to remote medical consultations), management of the franchisee clinic’s customer rewards program (customer loyalty point program), and payment tools for the franchisee clinics.
For more information, visit https://sbc-holdings.com/

About Aesthetic Healthcare Holdings Pte. Ltd.
AHH is based in Singapore and operates aesthetic medical clinics, family clinics, and quick facial aesthetics outlets. The founder, Dr. Ewen Chee, is known as one of the pioneers in the field of aesthetic medicine in Singapore and is a co-chair of the first Asia Pacific Thread Lift Conference (APEM) and a board-certified physician by the American Academy of Aesthetic Medicine. He is a frequent speaker at international conferences and workshops, and his expertise and knowledge have been featured in numerous scientific publications.

Major brands and number of clinics:

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not historical facts or statements of current conditions, but instead represent only the Company’s beliefs regarding future events and performance, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the Company’s control. These forward-looking statements reflect the Company’s current views with respect to, among other things, the Company’s product launch plans and strategies; growth in revenue and earnings; and business prospects. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as “may,” “should,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “contemplates,” “estimates,” “believes,” “plans,” “projected,” “predicts,” “potential,” “targets” or “hopes” or the negative of these or similar terms. The Company cautions readers not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which are current only as of the date of this release and are subject to various risks, uncertainties, assumptions, or changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict or quantify. The forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations and are not guarantees of future performance. The Company does not undertake or accept any obligation to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in its expectations or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company to predict all of them; such factors include, among other things, changes in global, regional, or local economic, business, competitive, market and regulatory conditions, and those listed under the heading “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), which are accessible on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

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Contact

SBC Medical Group Holdings Incorporated
Hikaru Fukui / Head of Investor Relations
e-mail: ir@sbc-holdings.com

Source : SBC Medical Group Holdings Incorporated