Doc, I want lips like Angelina Jolie

Cosmetic surgery is an art, a lot like being a sculptor if one may describe it so. In this field, skillsmanship lies in calculating proportions correctly and all the disasters you read about in magazines and watch on TV happen when the calculation goes wrong. And yes, there is a case of people getting a little too much of it; as a cosmetic surgeon, I always follow the dictum of less is more. Also, instead of going along with my client and what they ‘think’ they want, I always tell them what I think would be essential. There have been times when I have advised them not to go for a particular treatment because they don’t need it.

That brings us to an essential question of what you should look for in a cosmetic surgeon before you go under their scalpel. Beyond their qualifications, my answer to that is, go for a surgeon who is genuine and honest. A genuine surgeon is someone who wouldn’t sell you a product or treatment. He or she, instead would recommend a procedure they think you ‘need’ instead of what you think you ‘want’. A very subtle difference that! You can rely on a cosmetic surgeon if he/ she is knowledgeable and explains the various treatments thoroughly.

Today, thanks to wider exposure, cosmetic treatments are not the purview of the rich and famous, anymore. Today, I get clients from all ages and backgrounds. I have ladies in their late 60s come in. Talking about in-demand treatments, based as I am in Mumbai, I’ll tell you what is popular with the Mumbaikars. First off, the one treatment that is currently getting quite popular is getting fillers for lips. Thanks to Angelina Jolie, the demand for fuller lips is high and consequentially, there’s a lot of awareness among people about this treatment. There are a lot of youngsters who come in wanting pouty lips and recently I had a 47-year-old lady who approached me for it! But despite lots of demand, I agree to do it only if I think they need it. Under eye fillers are another popular treatment.

In this procedure, a filler is injected in the hollow area around the eye socket to reduce shadows, puffiness, and a sunken eye appearance. Botox is getting popular but it is no longer about only removing wrinkles. People go for it to get arched eye brows. Among men, the trend for getting a square jawline is trending. People today know that you can chisel it surgically so they come to us for it. Another treatment that is popular among men is removing cheek hair. I have had people between the age of 25 and 30 who come to me, parents in tow, to get rid of dark circles. Laser hair removal is also catching up.

The influx of people might make it seem like people are increasingly obsessed about looking good. Most times when I am meeting my clients, I end up becoming a counsellor. I tell my clients, especially the youngsters that everything’s really not about beauty, that if you are talented and do your job well, it wouldn’t matter how you look. I really believe that looking good works as far as first impressions go. From there on, it really is about your capability. I also think that if you are happy and content in life, it shows on your skin. Being beautiful is not about having plump lips! It’s as simple as that.