To look gorgeous and dashing on their first day of college, youngsters are making a beeline for the city's aestheticians and dermatologists for non-surgical treatments, says Karan Bhardwaj
With an impressive 95 per cent in his XII board exams, Arpit Arora, a 17-year-old boy from Paschim Vihar, was set for ‘cool’ college life, confident about being admitted to a reputed Delhi University college. The only issue bothering him, was his nerdy look, marred by a flat nose. For Arora, a spiky hair-do fit the bill. But his nose challenged the prospect of creating a good first impression at college. Surgery was never an option because he was scared of the knife and blood. So a cheap and quick solution of non-surgical treatment, suggested by a friend, put his mind to rest.
“I got my nose shaped in just half an hour. It was pain-free. I just felt uneasy for a while. Now my nose is exactly the way I want, that is little pointed. I feel a lot more confident. I know that if I constantly fuss about its shape I won’t be able to enjoy college life,” he told us.
like Arora, many youngsters are opting for such cosmetic quickies, which get them desired results with less risk. Be it the perfect nose, luscious lips of Kareena Kapoor or smooth complexion, both guys and girls are doing them. Just out of school and excited to join college, 17-year-old Radhika Ravindran shared, “I don’t see the harm in getting treatment done for enhancing one’s looks. Today everybody flaunts their best features. In college, you often hang with friends and want to look cool and happening. I got my eyebrows lifted with Botox, as I wanted to look sharp and bold.”
“Beautiful looks matter. In University, strangers tend to approach if you are attractive. It helps connect with people,” she added. According to Dr Simal Soin, renowned dermatologist, “Procedures like nose jobs, lip augmentation and liposuction are a fad. Many young girls come for lip enhancement. The dermal filler procedure is simple and quick. Modern day fillers like Juvederm give instantaneous results. These are hyaluronic-acid based, which is a natural component of the skin. They don’t cause side effects. The best part is being natural-looking, one doesn’t seem artificially made up.”
The cost depends on the body part. lip fillers (Juvederm) are usually done between `20,000-30,000 per syringe. One is sufficient normally. But if one’s lips have more deficient volume, they may need two. Cheeks fillers are expensive and cost `40,000-50,000. Eyebrows lift requires 10 units of Botox, amounting to `3,000. Facial shaping is tricky, costing `18,000-21,000.
“There are no side effects if it is by trained hands. The best part is that it can be reversed, if the outcome is not up to your choice. For skin shine, micro dermabrasion is done. One session lasts for 15-20 days. If you do sessions for five to six months regularly, it can last for another year or so. Earlier, surgeries were options for middle-aged people. But now teenagers have become particular about their looks. Young girls don’t want to go for waxing and threading. They prefer laser hair procedures. I got 20 cases in a month,” said dermatologist Indu Ballani.
It is felt that the glamour element and self-consciousness among youth propel them towards such treatments. They don’t want permanent solutions, fearing the harmful side effects.
Skin conditions such as acne, pigmentation and presence of excessive hair on one’s hands and legs bother them a lot.
Especially girls. As they like to wear stylish dresses and skirts to college.