Tunisia is turning to aesthetic tourism, becoming a preferred destination offering competitive prices and high-quality services for both surgical and non-surgical procedures.
The country benefits from the expertise of doctors trained in Europe and the United States, as well as from the continuous improvement of innovative protocols through international accreditations.
In this context, Dr. Imène Ben Amara, President of the Tunisian Union of Aesthetic Doctors (SYTMES), sheds light on the development of aesthetic medicine in Tunisia.
1. What is aesthetic medicine?
Aesthetic and anti-aging medicine is a non-surgical medical specialty that aims to improve patients’ appearance, well-being, and self-confidence through light, safe, and personalized procedures. It encompasses all non-invasive or minimally invasive medical techniques**, performed without hospitalization or surgery.
More specifically, anti-aging medicine is a form of preventive care designed to slow aging and premature oxidation of the body through micronutrition, among other methods.
It involves a biological, nutritional, and hormonal assessment to prevent or correct age-related imbalances.
It is also an alternative approach to maintain physical, mental, and aesthetic well-being for as long as possible, promoting healthy aging and longevity.
2. What is the economic impact of aesthetic medicine?
Aesthetic medicine is a promising sector — not only medically but also economically.
If the State decided to support and promote medical tourism, it could generate significant foreign currency revenues. Tunisia already possesses recognized medical expertise, a sunny year-round climate, quality infrastructure, and a strong reputation in surgery and aesthetic medicine.
To fully unlock this potential, service prices should be made more competitive compared to those abroad. This could be achieved by reducing taxes on medical aesthetic products and equipment, easing customs duties and revising the VAT rate on aesthetic medicine services, aligning it with other medical specialties (7% instead of 19%).
It would also be beneficial to allow Tunisian doctors to establish a direct presence abroad, without relying on costly intermediary agencies focused more on profit than on quality or expertise promotion.
With a coherent national strategy and strong institutional support, Tunisian aesthetic medicine could become a genuine economic driver, while also strengthening Tunisia’s modern and professional image internationally.
3. Is aesthetic tourism in Tunisia evolving like it is in Europe?
Unfortunately, not satisfactorily. Other countries have moved ahead, mainly because the products used in Tunisia are expensive — imported in foreign currency and heavily taxed by customs.
Moreover, aesthetic procedures have been subject to a 19% VAT since January 2024.
I wonder why aesthetic doctors are taxed at 19% while general practitioners and others are taxed at only 7% — a clear inequality among medical professionals.
As a result, procedure prices in Tunisia are becoming too high and non-competitive compared to abroad.
Additionally, visa procedures for Tunisia are often lengthy and complex for certain countries, whereas others facilitate medical or even special-purpose visas, an area where Tunisia could greatly improve.
4. What are the most requested and popular aesthetic procedures in Tunisia?
The most in-demand procedures include botulinum toxin injections for wrinkles, dermal and body fillers, and laser treatments (including hair transplants).
5. Are aesthetic procedures expensive in Tunisia, or affordable for Tunisians?
Aesthetic medicine procedures have become expensive even for foreigners, so one can imagine how costly they are for Tunisians, whose purchasing power keeps declining.
Many Tunisians can no longer afford aesthetic treatments, while foreign patients are finding prices similar to those in their own countries.
However, cosmetic surgery, where consumables are less expensive, remains competitive in Tunisia, attracting foreign patients for procedures such as liposuction, abdominoplasty, and hair transplantation.
There is also a lack of marketing and promotional campaigns to promote Tunisian medical tourism in foreign markets, while other countries are investing heavily in media campaigns.
6. What are the risks of aesthetic procedures for patients?
Every medical procedure carries some risk, and doctors must properly inform their patients. Tunisian doctors and surgeons are highly skilled, meticulous, and rigorous in post-procedure follow-up, so risks in aesthetic medicine, being non-invasive, are minimal (such as redness or bruising).
In the rare cases of complications, aesthetic doctors are qualified and well-trained to manage them through specific medical protocols (e.g., vascular occlusion, granuloma).
Moreover, the products used are biodegradable, carry proper CE certification and antidotes exist for some of them.
7. Has aesthetic medicine become a major necessity for Tunisians and what age groups seek it out?
Today, aesthetic medicine has become a real necessity in society.
People from all social classes, modest, middle, or affluent, and all age groups resort to it. From a 13-year-old teenager treating acne or scars, to a 55-year-old woman wanting to reduce wrinkles and firm her skin, everyone seeks to improve their appearance.
Women are particularly interested in Botox and filler injections, pigmentation treatments, and laser hair removal.
Men, meanwhile, increasingly seek hair care, transplants, laser treatments and fat reduction procedures, especially for the abdominal area.
Self-image now plays a key role; everyone wants to show the best version of themselves. Well-being and aging gracefully have become integral parts of Tunisian culture.
8. Is aesthetic medicine covered by social security?
No.
9. Why has the Tunisian Union of Aesthetic Doctors repeatedly raised the alarm about unregulated aesthetic procedures?
Many non-doctors are illegally performing aesthetic procedures such as fillers, hair transplants, facial mesotherapy injections and body lipolytic injections, without any knowledge of anatomy or patient safety risks.
These illegal practices take place in non-medical premises or unauthorized centers, often promoted through uncontrolled social media pages, with dubious products of questionable origin and suspiciously cheap deals or sponsored promotions.
Patients are drawn to low prices, putting their health at risk, doctors then deal with the consequences in their clinics (e.g., necrosis, vascular occlusion, infections). This is a serious public health concern.
10. What actions is the union taking to combat this dangerous phenomenon?
For several years, there has been a proliferation of beauty and non-medical institutes offering procedures that are strictly medical, such as hyaluronic acid injections, thread lifts, deep peels, medical lasers, and cryolipolysis.
These practices endanger public health (causing serious complications, lack of traceability, infections, blindness, necrosis, etc.) and create unfair competition for certified doctors while misleading the public by trivializing invasive medical acts.
Faced with this situation, the Union of Aesthetic Doctors (SYTMES) has a duty to act, to protect patients, defend the profession and enforce the law** (articles L4161-1 and following of the Public Health Code).
Our main goal is to eradicate illegal medical practices carried out by non-doctors that endanger citizens’ health.
We conduct awareness campaigns through the media, radio, television and social media, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health.
We also work with authorities to ensure effective sector oversight and we organize training and information sessions with the National Medical Council (CNOM).
Additionally, we have established a syndical charter of ethics and safety (the “Certified Aesthetic Doctor” label).
To sum up, the fight against the illegal practice of aesthetic medicine is not just about fair competition, it is a public health and professional ethics issue.
The SYTMES Union positions itself as a key actor in safety, information, and regulation, working with authorities and media to restore public trust and safeguard the integrity of the profession.
