The selfie effect

Nailing the perfect selfie has become a lot more than just about perfecting your hair and make-up. The desire to look good has sparked an increase in cosmetic surgery procedures across the world. Whether it is to upload a picture on Facebook or Instagram, merely resorting to filters isn’t enough for youngsters who want to alter their facial features to look picture perfect. The annual review of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery found a significant rise in the demand for invasive and non-invasive plastic surgery procedures. And millennials are looking at options like injectables — over 80 per cent of treatments in 2017 were cosmetic non-surgical procedures.

LOT OF OPTIONS

Dr Sameer Karkhanis, cosmetic surgeon, Centre for Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery explains cosmetic surgery procedures, surgical or non-surgical, serve as physical Photoshop to fix the features people don’t like when they see themselves through the lens of their camera. “These could be wrinkles, the shape of the nose, or even the body contours in a tight-fitting dress. Botox still remains the numero uno across the world to reduce the  lines on the face. Depending upon the type of injection, a patient must repeat the procedure every six months to a year to keep the results, but shorter recovery periods, cheaper prices and the lack of need for general anaesthesia has helped the business grow year on year. Resurfacing treatments like microdermabrasion, laser resurfacing and chemical peels can ensure flawless, beautiful skin that will look great in photos,” he says.

LESS DOWNTIME

It is not just youngsters who are seeking these treatments but people across age groups. Women are definitely seeking it more than men. “The common age group I see in my clinic is from 30 to 45 years. This is because with age the imperfections are more noticeable,” says, Dr Madhuri Agarwal, founder and medical director,    Yavana Aesthetics Clinic. “There is a demand for a perfect cut jawline, a sharp nose, and full lips. The popular treatments are dermal fillers like Juvederm and Volift for lips, nose and chin reshaping. This gives a perfect selfie shot and can be done in a single sitting of half hour. The other treatments that are preferred include Threadlift and High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) for facial contouring and shaping  in a single sitting. With the advances in technology, most of these treatments are extremely work friendly. The downtime can be one to three days or at times there is no downtime too,” says she.

NOT JUST ABOUT SELFIES

It’s not just the selfie obsession, but an overall increase in aesthetic awareness, which has resulted in increased demand for cosmetic procedures. Little tweaks can actually make a huge difference. With several celebrities admitting to various augmentation treatments, young girls mainly between the ages of 20 and 35 inquire and demand treatments to get another step closer to looking like their idols, says Dr Amit Karkhanis, medical cosmetologist and founder Dr Tvacha Clinic. “This generation is very demanding when it comes to the quest for quick results, and lasers are able to provide zero downtime treatments for a natural airbrushed look. India’s obsession with fair skin continues to grow making skin lightening procedures popular. Existing therapies include lasers, skin lightening creams and glutathione injections. Additionally, the Vampire Facial also known as PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) therapy is growing popular by the day,” he adds.

ALTERNATE TREATMENTS

Procedures to correct selfie imperfections vary. Besides the ever-popular nose job, chin implants, facelifts and eyelid lifts are popular surgical solutions. Dr Viral Desai, cosmetic surgeon, DHI India and CPLSS India says, “An alternative to dermal fillers is fat transfer. Fat can be grafted from other areas of your body, then reinjected into the face to strategically address the volume loss. It can address laugh lines, smile lines, crow’s feet, lips, acne scars, skin depressions, concave cheeks, and any other sunken areas of the face.” Silhouette Soft Lift for facial rejuvenation and jaw line definition is now available in India. Dr Rajat Gupta, cosmetic and plastic surgeon at RG Aesthetics, adds, “This is a US FDA approved treatment modality. It is becoming very popular in the last few months. Now there are various companies offering EMI options for youngsters so that they can easily afford these treatments as well.”