Dubai - MENA Herald: Growing awareness, along with rapid advances in surgical as well as non-surgical cosmetology, is helping to demystify cosmetic treatments and encouraging leading healthcare facilities worldwide to integrate cosmetic care as a prominent component of their service portfolio, say experts at Apollo Hospitals, Asia’s foremost healthcare provider. The hospital, which receives a large number of overseas patients, is also witnessing a surge in the number of GCC patients seeking cosmetic treatments across its facilities in India.
“Whether opting for familiar cosmetic surgical procedures like a nose job or a tummy tuck, cosmetology has fast evolved into a safer, easier and more affordable and less complex means of achieving overall well-being, enhanced physical appearance and improved quality of life. At times like these when people are particularly concerned about the impact of hectic routines and lack of time to devote to their appearance, cosmetic treatments play a major role in restoring individuals’ confidence and helping them achieve a healthy balance,” commented Dr.Kuldeep Singh, Senior Consultant, Cosmetic Surgery at Apollo Hospitals.
Apollo Hospitals opened their first dedicated cosmetic clinic in New Delhi in 2013 and since then the specialised centre has performed various cosmetic procedures on several patients including people from abroad. The hospital performs a wide range of cosmetic procedures including surgical liposuction (abdominoplasty) to remove excess body fat, rhinoplasty (nose job) and breast augmentation. Botox fillers to reduce wrinkles, laser hair removal, acne and scar removal, skin tightening, and the ultrasound-based anti-ageing technique, Ultherapy are among the most sought-after non-surgical procedures nowadays.
The multiple advantages in terms of cost, quality, and improved patient outcomes offered by specialised centres such as Apollo are also a significant driver of medical tourism to India, said Dr. Singh.
A KPMG study in 2014 placed India among the top three medical tourism destinations in Asia, mainly due to the low cost of treatment, quality healthcare infrastructure and availability of highly skilled doctors. Thailand and Singapore are the other two in the top rung and together the three countries accounted for about 60 per cent of the total Asian revenue from medical tourism in 2012. Moreover, medical tourism to India is poised to grow at 15 per cent every year to reach about US$158.2 billion by 2017.
“Though cosmetic surgery and reconstructive surgery are often referred to as plastic surgery in general, the former is simple and less critical compared to reconstructive surgery, which is about repairing abnormalities. Cosmetic surgery is done to enhance the features, shape or overall appearance of the individual in order to boost confidence. At the same time, cosmetic surgery uses the same surgical principles and expertise as in plastic surgery,” explained Dr. Singh.
Most of these non-surgical procedures are day care procedures and one can go home the same day depending on the treatment undergone. Some of them need repeat sittings, sometimes for 2-6 weeks or 5-6 months, and the results last for up to 5-6 years in some treatments. “A notable feature is the rising number of men seeking rejuvenation and anti-ageing treatments. It’s not just about slowing the ageing process; many of them want to be attractive and presentable. The resulting feel-good factor reflects as greater confidence and improved productivity,” concluded Dr. Singh.
Apollo Hospitals have successfully treated over 60,000 foreign patients from across the world, including the UAE, Oman and Qatar, during the last five years and the numbers are looking up every year.