Rush for cosmetic surgery to look good for Diwali

MUMBAI: Blame it on the timeless obsession to look good, but the craving to look better has never been so obvious. With the start of the festive and wedding seasons upon us, Mumbaikars have begun queuing up at cosmetic clinics for expensive facelifts, quick-fix botox makeovers and commonplace chemical peels. The economic slowdown has obviously not dampened the craze.
The city's cosmetic surgeons, in fact, are reporting an up to 30% increase in the number of people seeking beauty
treatments this festive season.
Dr Viral Desai, a Santa Cruz-based cosmetic surgeon, has been getting 13 to 14 patients every day asking for
invigorated looks. The usual number of enquiries is three to four patients a day. "The economic slowdown might be a factor in the West. Two of my foreign patients who had bookings this month have delayed their surgeries. But the slowdown has not affected Mumbai so far," he says.
This has also been the experience at the Bandra clinic of Dr Mohan Thomas, who also consults at Breach Candy Hospital and is president of the Indian Society of Cosmetic Surgeons. "On an average, we would conduct about three procedures a day, but in the last month I have been doing 25 to 30 procedures a week," he says.
Clearly, Indians are no longer coy about going under the knife to look good. Dhananjay Verma (name changed), a cabin crew-member with Indian airlines, readily admits that he coughed up Rs 35,000 for a liposuction of his chin two weeks ago. "Beauty is priceless. In this competitive era, you need to look more presentable and younger than your age," he says.
But didn't the economic slowdown, the layoffs and salary cuts dampen his spirits? "The slowdown is a phase that will pass away soon, but looks are of utmost importance," he adds.
Anil Gupta (name changed), a real estate agent, spent around Rs 10,000 for his botox treatment last month. "You are
earning for yourself. If you don't spend your hard-earned money on yourself, then what is it for?" he asks.
Dermatologist Dr Satish Bhatia also says that the festive season has more people looking for cosmetic surgery. "Earlier, there used to be two to three patients a week, but with Diwali and the marriage season round the corner, we get six patients a week," says Bhatia.
He feels that the emergence of quick treatments have contributed to the beauty rush. "More than 60% of my patients ask for glamorous and attractive looks within the shortest possible time," he says. "Processes like thread lift are done under local anaesthesia and the patient is out in half an hour. Patients can join work the next day."
The season is also bringing in many NRIs who find the India price tag irresistible. "There's a 25 to 30% increase in NRI clientele. Over here, procedures like botox and fillers are available at 30% to 40% of the cost than in the West," says Desai.
And then there is the marriage season, which is just round the corner. "Both would-be brides and grooms want to look good. Single people are also getting into the nip-and-tuck mode as family gatherings are the best place for them to showcase themselves," says Thomas.