In 2000, the World Health Organization ranked Singapore's health care system the best in Asia.

Singapore is a small island city-state inhabited by just over three million people and home to only about thirty-five plastic surgeons.

While extremely popular as a destination for foreign tourists seeking state-of-the-art medical and surgical services, cosmetic plastic surgery is still a relatively new and limited specialty.

Known for top-notch training, modern technology, pristine cleanliness, and a practitioner base speaking excellent English, Singapore's plastic surgeons, while often mentioned in a discussion of Asian surgeons, serve mainly the local population if even that.

Singapore's prices for cosmetic services are high for Asia, second only to Japan, and many of its patients have become cosmetic tourists themselves in recent years, seeking equally advanced care in more affordable South Korea and Taiwan.

Those willing to risk quality for an even lower price frequently visit Thailand.

Capitalizing on South Korea's reputation for value and innovation, surgeons from Seoul now conduct weekend consultations in Singapore and hope to soon open their very own clinics as they have already done in China.

While welcomed in China, Singaporean plastic surgeons seem to sense a serious challenge.