Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Now, shell out Rs 5000 for instant youth

Botox may have been around for a decade but Indians have started seeking it only recently. We tell you more about this and other popular cosmetic procedures

The days of complaining about a bumpy nose or flabby jaw are long past. Just get it fixed, is the new mantra for young and old Indians flooding the clinics of cosmetologists. "Cosmetic procedures like botox, nose jobs and liposuctions have seen a whopping rise of nearly 150 percent in the last five years," says Dr Simal Soin, medical director and cosmetologist, Three Graces. From eyelid surgeries to chin and lip implants, there is little that a surgeon cannot alter. "Now women go one step ahead for getting that perfect face with sharp noses and perfect lips," says Dr Karuna Malhotra, cosmetologist, Cosmetic, Skin and Homeo Clinic. 

Cosmetic procedures attract a variety of customers, cutting across age groups and stereotypes. "While earlier men used to constitute only ten per cent of the whole client base, now it's more than 40 per cent. Every week, at least 3-4 men get a face lift," says Dr Vivek Kumar, consultant, plastic surgery, Sir Gangaram hospital. Contrary to the idea that middle aged women opt for cosmetic surgery, very young and senior citizens also come in for a range of facial alterations. "Age doesn't matter now. I did a botox treatment for an 86 year old woman," says Dr Soin. A botox injection costs anywhere up to Rs 5000 per injection and a chin treatment using botox would perhaps cost anywhere between Rs 50, 000 to Rs  lakhs. "The effect of botox injections lasts for about 4-5 HAILING THE months and you need repeat injections to maintain the effect," says Dr Soin.

TYPICAL TREATMENTS

#1. FAT GRAFTING

IT'S IN vogue for people in their thirties and forties to get fat injections in their faces that restore facial volume and also re-contour, shape and beautify patients using their own fat. "Fat grafting is more effective than fillers and has a more permanent effect. In this procedure, you can take fat from any part of the body and inject it into any part of the face which is sagging, it could be those droopy eyes or those out of shape cheeks," says Dr Kumar. While fillers have to be repeated often within weeks, fat grafting is a good idea as it offers a permanent solution and there are no side effects too. This procedure costs between Rs 50, 000 to Rs 60, 000.


#2. LIQUID FACELIFTS

Cosmetologists vouch by this procedure, which uses volumnisers to fill in sunken cheeks or eye sockets. "It is one of the safest and quickest procedures to set your face right, all at a go," says Dr Soin. Overall, using fillers can cost an upto Rs 1 lakh if one has to get more than one part of the face corrected. Otherwise, the cost of a lip augmentation could be just about  Rs 25, 000. The treatment lasts hardly for twenty minutes and is commonly sought to improve the appearance of the eyes. Women in their mid-forties at the peri menopausal stage opt for this as their skin loses its elasticity, making the eyes look tired. Removing eye bags costs anywhere around `45, 000 and brow lifts cost around Rs 70, 000.

#3. CHEEK IMPLANTS

Cheek implants can raise your cheeks or make them shapelier. For a cost of  Rs 25, 000, women can have Preity Zinta like dimples too. Acquiring that "cute smile" takes about an hour and involves scooping out a portion of the cheeks. While some want the sunken look, others want them plumped up .

#4. LASER TREATMENTS

While a surgical face-lift may be the right choice for someone with extensive wrinkling and sagging, laser treatments are a bet- ter option for those with relatively healthy skin. "Laser is generally used for people who require minor rejuvenation while plastic surgery is recommended for those with lots of wrinkles and sagging skin," says Dr Rashmi Taneja- cosmetic surgeon- Artemis Health Institute.

Laser treatments promise many benefits."Plastic surgery requires cuts, drills, trauma and is time consuming. Laser treatment, on the other hand, is non-invasive and can be done over a lunch break. The results actually improve over 3-5 months," explains Dr Ajay Rana, aesthetic dermatologist. Complications after laser treatment are extremely rare, unlike those following a face lift which may get botched up and result in nerve damage etc. The disadvantage of laser rejuvenation, however, is that the impact lasts for a shorter period. "While the effect of a plastic surgery lasts for 5-10 years, the benefits of laser treatment last for about 3-4 years only. The cost of both the treatments is similar, so many still opt for plastic surgery," says Dr Rashmi Taneja. There are two kinds of laser treatments that work as face-lifts. The Infra- red laser passes deep down in the dermis and results are almost immediate as collagen contraction takes places. Two sessions are often adequate for a dramatic improvement. The other method used is Radio frequency laser but the number of sessions it requires are a lot more. The latest in the field of cosmetic laser treatment is the Fractional CO2 laser procedure. Here the pores are tightened up and blemishes removed completely. It just takes about a week to ten days for the impact to appear.

nalini.ravichandran@mailtoday.in

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