Extreme makeover

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, couples are picking their brains over the perfect way to say ‘I love you’. But forget wilting flower bouquets, cringey chocolates and kitschy teddy bears, because most partners have only one gift on their hit list this year. It is no longer just about what you give him/her but also about what you give yourself to please his/her eyes. A makeover, you ask Yes, and no. Men and women in the capital are pushing the implications of the term to extreme levels by experimenting with more than just makeup this year. As several of the city’s best cosmetologists and dermatologists attest, invasive as well as non-invasive cosmetic procedures seem to have become a go-to guarantee for the Valentine’s Day of their dreams.

Some of the most popular treatments include double chin removal and dimple creation, states Dr Ashustosh Misra, senior consultant in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery from SCI International Hospital. Talking about the dimple creation procedure in particular, he says, “Dimpleplasty is basically surgery by which dimples are surgically created. You can tell your doctor exactly where you want your dimples to be placed, and he will carry out the procedure accordingly.”

He goes on to explain, “The natural cause of dimples is a small gap in the cheek muscle. Due to this gap, a small indentation is formed whenever you smile. The procedure works to manually create that gap. It takes about an hour to complete and is fairly cost-effective. People are scheduled to get it done two or three days before Valentine’s Day too.” He shares that the usual suspects like rhinoplasty (nose reshaping) and liposuction are making their presence felt too and adds that women, in particular, are going for facial surgeries a lot this year, especially those that reduce signs of ageing and lift sagging skin.

Dr Ankita Pant, a consultant dermatologist, adds that the vampire facelift is also quite a popular attraction. “The demand for vampire facelift which costs around Rs 25,000 per session, thread lifts (Rs 30,000 and upwards), Meso glow treatments (Rs 5-6,000 per session), etc. are on the rise. Along with that, requests for prominent cheekbones, fuller lips and sharper jaw-lines are seeing a rise too.”

About men being equal participants in such treatments, she says, “Men have definitely become increasingly particular about their looks. The ‘chiseled facial contour’ is on the top of men’s grooming list. Cosmetic hair restoration treatments are also a major area of interest for them this year.”

Injectable fillers like Botox, Restylane and Juviderm XC are also finding quite a few takers, points out Dr Navin Taneja, Director of National Skin Centre. “The new generation of injectable fillers are used to reduce depressions and acne scars. People are going for them since they are useful to enhance the contour and size of the lips in particular. And the results are immediate, which is another reason for their popularity this year,” he avers and adds that they are among the more expensive treatments available at the moment, starting at Rs 15,000, depending on the volume used.

Divya Ohri, managing director and owner at Soham Wellness Clinic, says that CoolSculpting is another thing in high demand to perfect the face and the body. She says, “CoolSculpting® is a pragmatic weight loss plan. Be it a gradual weight loss to fit that slim dress or a quick reduction of some kilos to sport that ideal size of trousers, there are extensive treatment plans which use latest USFDA approved technology to help you get through that round bulge or any hiding flab! Besides this, there are also skin tightening treatments like Exilis Elite™, which is great for contouring. It even compliments pre and post treatment in persistent liposuction techniques. The real-time temperature monitoring feature offers efficient control over tissue heating, delivering maximum power with no discomfort. Apart from firming skin on the face and body, breast lifts and butt lifts are also carried out effectively as a part of it.”

Dr Nivedita Dadu, a dermatologist at Skinology Skin and Hair Clinic, shares that a variety of laser treatments has also captured the fancy of quite a few youngsters in particular, boys and girls alike. She says, “The Laser Photo Facial is an intense pulsed light laser treatment that involves colour pigmentation, wrinkle reduction and skin rejuvenation. It allows patients to transform red blotchy skin into radiant complexion, and is attracting a lot of young boys and girls also because it is quick and non-invasive. Anyone considering this treatment should, however, take care to ensure that their skin is protected for the first few weeks after they get it done.”

Cosmetologist and dermatologist Dr Deepali Bhardwaj also warns, “There surely is an increase in the demand for surgical treatments and corrections. However, consumers of such procedures should know well in advance that cosmetic procedures should be performed 10-15 days before an important engagement as chances of bruising and swelling, etc. can always crop up once the procedure is done.” About the sort of requests that she’s been receiving ahead of V Day, she says, “I recently received an enquiry for ‘vaginal rejuvenation’ to make the female genitalia look more youthful. It is performed using lasers and injections which are FDA approved products and cost around Rs 45-60,000 per session with results lasting for almost a year.” And interestingly, she is offering special discounts too. “Yes, if you get a medical facial done at my clinic, then you get another medical facial for free. Cost for that is Rs 5,000. Botox and fillers are on 20% off for V Day.”