What is Cosmetic Surgery?

In the past cosmetic surgery was considered a taboo, and those who opted for it tried to keep it a secret. But today this form of surgery has become more acceptable in the Indian society, with many trying it out to obtain better results with body features that they are not happy with. Cosmetic surgery is also known as "Aesthetic Surgery" and is different from plastic or reconstructive surgery. While plastic surgery is undertaken for medical reasons, cosmetic surgery is performed purely for the enhancement of beauty and looks. Cosmetic surgeries that are usually performed are: hair transplant, liposuction, tummy tuck also known as abdominoplasty, breast enlargement & reduction, nose and ear surgery, facelift and eyelift, dermabrasion, wrinkle reduction and lip enhancement.

Statistics

In 2013, The Sunday Guardian, a Sunday newspaper published an article which read that in a research by the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (ISAPS), India was among the top 10 countries when it came to cosmetic surgery. In 2011, 15 million people throughout the world resorted to cosmetic surgery to enhance their looks and features. Out of this number a surprising total of 466,231 were Indians.

India ranked 8th from a list of twenty-five countries for which the research was conducted. Indians underwent various cosmetic operations, out of which breast enhancement saw the highest count. Around 25,000 women underwent breast enhancement surgery and 13,561 underwent breast reduction surgery. Another 9000 had their breasts uplifted and an astonishing 8,000 men went through a surgical reduction of breasts. 41,628 Indians resorted to lipoplasty to give a little shape to their body and lose the excess fat. Others opted for Botox, nose jobs, chin upliftment and buttocks enhancement.

Cosmetic Surgery Clinics in India

With the increase in the demand of this medical profession, various cosmetic surgery clinics have come up in India. One such clinic is run by Dr Manoj Khanna a renowned plastic and cosmetic surgeon that practices from Kolkata. He was awarded the 'Swami Vivekanand National Award for Healthcare' in 2011. He has patients coming to him for treatment from all over the world. Another cosmetic surgical facility is situated in Dehradun. It is called the Ashirwad Hospital, and was established in 1995. The facility is situated outside the town and with medical help also provides you with an opportunity to reconnect with nature. The facility is well known for its facelifts, liposuctions, breast augmentation and tummy tucks. More clinics and facilities are coming up in all the cosmopolitan cities of India, seeing to the high demand for cosmetic medical treatment. Although all the clinics ensure privacy, people's outlook and opinions have changed and cosmetic surgery today has shirked the taboo that it was once associated with. Those who have undergone certain cosmetic treatments are more verbal about it. This also includes famous personalities.