If it’s been awhile since you visited this country, I can attest to the fact that India is going crazy about cosmetic enhancements. Okay, let me change that slightly. Urban middle class India (and up) is going quite crazy about cosmetic enhancements.

There are advertisements galore to seduce the audience. They promise to make you thinner instantly, look younger, hairier (on your head), hairless (on your body), wrinkle-less, more buxom, less buxom, more aquiline (think nose), more full (cheeks, lips) or just plain more beautiful! And no doubt, with today’s advances in cosmetic technology and services, they can fulfill those promises.

Here is an excerpt from a full page ad in a recent Sunday’s Mumbai Mirror newspaper:

DIWALI SPECIAL!

50% off Laser Hair Removal

Other items featured in this ad include: Tummy Tuck and Non-surgical Lipolysis (“First Time in India!“) to lose centimeters instantly- “Got a marriage to attend? Get Slim and Get Noticed” and “Treatment by latest German technology and under supervision of qualified MBBS, MD Doctors”.

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It appears that now, with every year that passes, it is becoming more acceptable, accessible, affordable and popular for men and women of all ages and most classes to opt for a variety of cosmetic enhancements, many being of the non-surgical kind.

According to one international organization, India is now ranked fourth in the world with over 5% of all global aesthetic procedures (surgical and non-surgical) done here.  Just 7 or 8 years ago, they were nowhere on the chart!

And like anything else, the sheer people numbers will ensure that this number will only grow. And grow. Thereby putting India in the top 1 or 2 of the charts, sooner rather than later.

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As outlined by one Indian plastic surgeon, he sees the following interesting trends in the country:

• Continuing rise of Botox

• Fillers for people of all ages – including youth who want to “sculpt” certain features

• Anti-aging surgeries – India is getting older, and the older are wealthier and more self-image aware

• Nonsurgical antiaging procedures – thus pushing surgeries further down the age-road

• Body contouring surgeries

• Bariatric surgeries for the extremely obese

• Breast implant surgeries

• Mommy makeovers to fix body changes due to pregnancy, etc.

• Wedding makeovers for physical enhancements prior to the big day (or days, as the case may be).

• Men makeovers

• Medical skin care

Lady, you don't need to work so hard!

And all of this is available and accessible not just for the Bollywood, up-market, high profile or wealthy Indian crowd. From what I am reading, the uptake is building great momentum in the middle-class, and the bourgeois society. I can think of several good reasons why.

First, there is a real emphasis on good looks, glamour and beauty in mass media today.

Second, the middle-class is strengthening its numbers rapidly.

Third, they have the disposable income to spend on such extravagances.

Fourth, its affordable and becoming a fairly competitive market, so price pressures are no doubt only going to grow.  

Put these all together, and you have the perfect storm.

Here is one sample of the cost of such procedures in India. This one happens to be in Chandigarh.

The medical tourism industry in India is healthy, no pun intended. Add cosmetic surgery to the mix, and it just got that much healthier.

Another Mumbai-based cosmetic surgery center that appears to pull in global clients is this one. What do you think of their trademarked tag line? Very …ummm… creative – appealing to the hearts and minds of Indians, I’m sure. 😉

“Growing old is inevitable –

Looking young is negotiable”.

This message has obviously reached the people of India. With a vengeance!

And I dare say that, before long, the term “natural beauty” will take on a meaning all its own(or will simply be removed from the Indian vocabulary altogether :)).  

Whew, there have been so many transformations that have occurred on these Indian shores over the past decade – best if you can just put this down to being another one of those…

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