The many phases of beauty

Aesthetic clinics are the new-age architects who promise an as-you-like-it look. Market forces, too, have contributed to this obsession for the perfect face and figure. Komal Vijay Singh reports on the boom

IMPROVE thy looks. Yes, that seems to be the new commandment a large number of us are consciously following or aspiring to. Market forces have contributed to this cosmetic obsession and the urgency to look good at all costs. The entire media machinery is busy promoting youthfulness. It is tough watching TV or reading a magazine without being bombarded with images of picture-perfect faces asking you to take a second look at your less-than perfect looks and decide in favour of some treatment or product. When a large number of middle class, middle-aged or nearing middle age people view mothers and mothers-in-law in their favourite soaps getting younger and more beautiful by the day, some of them start questioning their own looks. Reams were written on the carefully manufactured ordinariness of Jassi of Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin fame (how this ugly duckling goes about doing her work dedicatedly, how she is a role model, how much of a woman of substance she is and how she manages to snag Prince Charming despite her less than ordinary looks, if you please). And then, there was a major media speculation, fanned by the serial makers, about when and how Jassi would get a makeover. This turned into a frenzied fascination with her transition into a swan. When gawky Jassi turned into a sylph-like damsel, there were very few people who groaned aloud: "Jassi jaisi har koi."

More often than not, a makeover, the new buzzword that one reads or hears about God knows how many times in a day, translates into something beyond an occasional visit to the neighbourhood beauty parlour. It is no longer about getting a traditional facial to tighten the skin, having the hair cut after the fashion of one’s movie idol or treating oneself to a pedicure-manicure combo. Not willing to just dream about being beautiful, people are increasingly going under the surgeon’s scalpel, all for enhancing looks and feeling in sync with the youthful world around them.

Looking good has suddenly become terribly important for the average, middle-class guy or gal, too. After all, as Aristotle said centuries before, beauty is a greater recommendation than any letter of introduction. And those who are beautiful get the best of it in this world.

The march of time, inevitably, shows on our faces. But with the business of beauty engaging our attention, it is no wonder that beauty clinics and aesthetic surgery clinics are a hot destination. The legion of dermatologists, cosmetologists and cosmetic surgeons who promise to give you what God failed to provide are the new-age architects.

Restructuring, reshaping, reconstructing, reducing, enlarging, lifting, peeling, laser resurfacing, restoring, revisioning, melting, whitening, lightening. Phew! There is no building under construction. These terms are just part of a new lingo for having a new face, skin, or body.

Nandita Sahni, a stay-at-home mom, had had two caesarian sections says, "No matter how hard I worked at it, I just could not get back into shape. I went in for everything: workouts, diet plans, weight-loss programmes. Wrestling with those stubborn fat deposits had made me unhappy. My childhood friend, who lives in Canada, and had come to India for breast implants, suggested a tummy tuck. I got it done for Rs 25,000 and here I am, happy and ship-shape."

On being asked if she was apprehensive about the surgery, she counter-questioned, "Did I not have two surgeries to have my babies? What’s wrong with having another to get back in shape? I am the one who has to live with my body. I feel great now.

Her sister, an IT professional, says appearances do matter. She believes a pleasing persona can fetch rewards in the shape of a salary hike or a promotion. "Provided, of course, that you are good at your work", she hastens to add.

The 30-something reveals, "My colleagues and I know that we have to appear youthful to hold on to our jobs. Recently, we got an invitation for a Botox party from a cosmetic surgeon. A few of us took a shot of the wrinkle-zapper. Hey presto, in just 15 minutes the wrinkles were ironed out."

She adds, "I like being my age but I did not like what the years had done to my face. With everyone looking good, there is pressure to look young. Just as I colour my hair to cover premature grey strands, I got the wrinkles erased."

The newest rage with look-enhancement buffs is attending a Botox party. Anyone with wrinkles, cash and a few friends can have tastefully-catered, doctor-chaperoned fun with needles at a ‘face rejuvenation’ party. The menu includes food, drinks and Botox.

Dr K.M. Kapoor of Fortis Multi-Specialty Hospital, Mohali, which launched the Department of Cosmetic Surgery in December last year, says, "Botox is a fast, painless and effective way to get rid of wrinkles for four to six months. Furrowed brows become smooth. Squinting eyes relax and the years seem to recede. Botox can also be used for easing sweaty palms and armpits."

Hema Malini recently released a book on Botox in Mumbai, publicly endorsing its use and Aamir Khan’s new, youthful look is, according to media reports, in large measure due to Botox.

The wrinkle-shrinker is not just a secret weapon of the well-heeled. It is quite mainstream now.

Dr Kapoor says he got the idea of holding Botox parties from the Net. He advocates the use of Botox, "There are no snips, no tucking. It obliterates the lines that have made your face look like a map and makes you look years younger." He goes on to add, "Erasing wrinkles was never so easy."

The promise of a more youthful look was appealing for Navdeep Walia of Amritsar when Fortis soft-launched a Botox party at Amritsar four months back. She was surprised to find that she was just one of the many women clamouring for a Botox get-together.

Botox injections are more popular than breast enhancement surgery and it is regarded by some as the ultimate fountain of youth.

Time was when people would hide away until cosmetic surgery work healed and then rarely speak about it. Now, they are proud of their enhancements and are happy to flaunt their look.

Restylane is another wonder remedy in the cosmetic surgeon’s magic bag for turning the clock back by a few years. A natural cosmetic filler, it is another non-invasive procedure that’s a huge hit. Unlike Botox, which blocks nerve transmission, it adds volume and fullness to the skin by literally filling wrinkles and folds. Angelina Jolie’s pout is the result of Restylane.

Dr Lokesh Kumar, Senior Consultant with Apollo Hospital, New Delhi, feels health is not only a physical sense of well being but also emotional and psychological one. Those who seek cosmetic improvements feel a surge in self-esteem and higher levels of confidence. Stress and psychological disorders accelerate aging. Happier people are less stressed out. Kumar disagrees with the concept of hardselling a cosmetic procedure or product since it is against the basic tenets of medical sciences. He finds the trend of Botox and Restylane being administered by even the neighbourhood "beauty clinics" alarming because, he feels, Botox can have serious side-effects even at the hands of an untrained MBBS doctor.

He says the most commonly asked for surgical procedures among women are liposuction and breast augmentation whereas men ask for rhinoplasty (nose restructuring) and breast reduction for a firmer and flatter chest.

He has a private clinic where a patient’s needs are assessed. Respecting the desire for secrecy, the clinic has a private waiting area. Once the problem is sorted out, the surgery is carried out in a hospital for reasons of good infrastructure and support services. The follow-up is then done in the privacy of the clinic.

Cosmetic surgery is a huge market, raking in moolah by the armful. It is touted as the fastest growing industry, at a rate between 100 and 300 per cent. The CEO, Fortis Healthcare, Daljit Singh, says, "Of the 600-700 cosmetic procedures, including surgeries, carried out at Mohali, almost 30 are on patients from abroad. They mostly come in for Botox, tummy tucks, liposuction, rhinoplasty and breast augmentation."

Apollo Hospital does about 30,000 cosmetic surgeries a year on overseas patients. At a fraction of the cost abroad, the treatment available in Indian hospitals is on a par with the best elsewhere.

Meanwhile, Chandigarh, like sundry other towns, has quietly woken up to the nationwide obsession with youth and beauty. A Bollywood actress, who was in Chandigarh recently, wanted a surgeon to obliterate a few marks on her face to enhance her screen presence. A Mrs World finalist had breast augmentation done prior to the contest.

There is a surgeon in Chandigarh who takes payment in instalments from the college crowd who come to him for better looks after a lot of scrimping and saving. Manya Uppal, an 18-year-old, has extracted a promise from her parents that if she clears the MBA entrance test she can have a rhinoplasty.

A low-profile Ludhiana surgeon tells of a patient, a middle-class teacher who got breast implants, who has been worried about whether her 10-year-old daughter would have an ample bosom or not. The woman, who had been at the receiving end of barbs since her own teenaged years, did not want her daughter to go through the trauma. She kept asking him for how long she should wait before bringing in her daughter for surgery.

Dr Vipul Nanda of the PGI, when asked if there is an increase in patients for cosmetic surgery, snaps, "Isn’t it fairly obvious? Obviously, not very rich patients come to us. The rich ones go to private facilities." It is mostly women who frequent the PGI and nose surgery is most common. According to the Plastic Surgery Network, a group of certified surgeons, "One of the biggest issues that people struggle with relate to their bodies. First impressions are often made by a person’s perception of how another person looks. Self-esteem issues are often caused by a person’s negative impression of their bodies."

"However, many facets of a person’s physical appearance are difficult to change. Embarking on diets often does not produce the changes that a person wants. A popular method of affecting a positive change is plastic surgery. Innovations in this field have ensured that plastic surgery techniques are now safer, faster, and more efficient than ever before.

"With movies, TV and magazines shaping people’s idea of beauty, plastic surgery, which was earlier thought to be a pastime of the cash-rich upper classes, has gone mainstream. People don’t mind spending money on self-improvement. They are of the opinion that looking good brings good returns. It boosts self-esteem and mental well-being, increases productivity, and on the whole brings good rewards.

"It is not women alone who are getting their looks improved. Men, too, have become conscious of their looks and don’t hesitate to go in for cosmetic surgery procedures."

Laser treatments for removing body hair permanently, lightening the skin and removing scars are quite sought after, raking in money by the bagful for those giving such treatment.

The most commonly performed surgical procedure is rhinoplasty or nose reshaping for which people are happily shelling out Rs 15,000-Rs 20,000.

Anu Garg, an 18-something college student, says it’s all about making a better first impression.

Shalini Gupta, a housewife, regularly goes for chemical peels for a fresh look. She says looking better makes her feel younger. She feels pampered and happier.

Medha Mattoo (45), a Delhi school lecturer, says, "Who is to decide what is beautiful. Imran Khan’s small eyes are as beautiful as Salman Khan’s big ones." Then she comes up with a clincher: Ask a toad what is beauty. He will answer that it is a female with two great round eyes coming out of her little head, a large flat mouth, a yellow belly and a brown back. Voltaire said this a few centuries back.

(Names have been changed to protect identities)

— Photos by Pradeep Tewari

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