Cosmetic makeovers

With aesthetic surgery becoming minimally invasive and more affordable, the number of people opting to go under the knife to look better is increasing.

September 10, 2011 05:10 pm | Updated November 13, 2021 10:04 am IST

Looking younger: Before and after a facelift. Photo: Special Arrangement

Looking younger: Before and after a facelift. Photo: Special Arrangement

A 93-year-old Jewish woman walks into a posh South Delhi clinic to enhance her lips! She tells the doctor that she has to attend a gala family get-together and wants to look her best. Another middle-aged woman – mother of three – wants to settle in life again for which she comes to MedSpa Clinic for abdominoplasty to give shape and youthfulness to her sagging tummy. And lo! She leaves the clinic within a week – looking trim and young – never mind if she had to shell out a substantial amount. After all, everyone has a right to look good.

Increased awareness

“There is an increased awareness and acceptability about cosmetic surgery in India now. Disposable income has added to its popularity,” says Dr. Ajaya Kashyap of Medspa who specialises in cutting-edge aesthetic procedures like facelift, breast reduction, lift and augmentation, abdominoplasty, rhinoplasty (nose job), liposuction (removal of excess fat) and other such non-invasive and minimally invasive procedures.

“Reconstructive and corrective surgeries like skin grafting for burn victims and breast reconstruction post-mastectomy in breast cancer survivors have been performed for many years now. However, for the past few years, a lot of people are opting for cosmetic surgery to enhance their looks,” says Dr. Tejinder Bhatti, a cosmetic surgeon at Aesthetic Clinic in Chandigarh. Cosmetic surgery is a rapidly growing trend that can be attributed mainly to the increased confidence in these surgeries and greater disposable incomes. Greater cross cultural awareness has also helped change society's perception about aesthetic surgery, he explains.

Cosmetic surgery can be divided into two categories: non-surgical procedures (like skin care, laser treatment, fillers and Botox) and surgical procedures (like liposuction, breast augmentation, hair transplant and rhinoplasty). Botox is a non-intrusive procedure to reduce wrinkles and age lines on the forehead while liposuction is a surgical method to remove fat from the body. Unlike conventional liposuction where fat was directly suctioned out from the body, new technologies like ultrasound assisted liposuction – in which fat is extracted after it has been melted using ultrasonic energy – are now available. This technology allows the surgeon to operate on difficult areas like chin and neck. Blepharoplasty is the surgical modification of the eyelids where excess skin and fat is removed and repositioned.

“Like every surgical procedure, aesthetic surgeries have some side effects such as risk of minor infections. However, this is surgery with very little room for error, so surgeons must take extra precaution to minimise post-surgical complications,” Dr. Bhatti says.

In the past few years, cosmetic procedures have become quite affordable. Most procedures cost between Rs. 50,000 and Rs. 1,00,000. Breast augmentation, liposuction, Botox, hair transplants, tummy tucks and rhinoplasty are some of the popular cosmetic procedures.

Dr. Kashyap further explains that fewer Indian women came for breast augmentation or uplift. More women opt for breast reduction. “Breast augmentation is a Western concept but it will eventually come to India too,” he says adding that Indians were more realistic and just wanted to look the best at their age unlike the West where people often overdid things.

Pointing out that the younger generation is more aware of procedures and has fewer inhibitions; Dr. Kashyap says that, in nuclear families women are able to decide for themselves instead of worrying about what others might say. “Many girls come for such procedures with a hope of improving their marriage prospects, including those from traditional backgrounds.”

Bright future

The future of cosmetic surgery in India looks extremely bright. India is a popular destination for foreigners and non-resident Indians, as the cost of surgeries in India are one-fifth the cost in countries like the U.S. and the U.K. “We cater to patients from Europe, the U.S. and Africa who come here for reliable and cost-effective cosmetic procedures,” Dr. Bhatti says.

Even at Dr. Kashyap's MedSpa, close to 30 per cent of the patients are from outside India who find the facilities good and less expensive here. “Unfortunately, India has very few trained doctors and support staff in this field. There is no institutionalised training facility for cosmetic surgery in the country. The training imparted is for burns than cosmetic surgery; that is one reason we lose out to Thailand and Singapore. We have clinics but very little checks and balances,” Dr. Kashyap says.

In fact, India's importance as a growing aesthetic surgery destination has been recognised globally and a lot of new technology and products are being introduced. Almost all major hospitals these days have a specialised cosmetic surgery wing. For popular surgeries like breast augmentation, the American FDA approved implants are available, which have been proven safe and are highly recommended.

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