Cosmetic surgeries increase in Mysuru

Plastic surgery, once primarily used to repair and reconstruct damaged or injured parts of the body, has today evolved into a means of enhancing one’s aesthetic appearance. Against the backdrop of this growing trend, Star of Mysore spoke to Dr. H.V. Satish, Plastic & Cosmetic Surgeon and Chief Consultant at Apollo BGS Hospitals, Mysuru. A pioneer of modern plastic surgery in the city, Dr. Satish has been serving in the field for nearly three decades.—Ed

Cosmetic surgeries affect psychologically too

Star of Mysore (SOM): Plastic surgery was meant to repair damaged parts, but now it has grown into aesthetic surgery.

Dr. H.V. Satish: Plastic surgeons were generally supposed to handle burn treatment or reconstructive work. Because we are well-trained in caring for the skin, the fat below and related structures, the field has expanded. Now we call it Plastic, Reconstructive and  Aesthetic Surgery.

SOM: How do you assess if someone is suitable for plastic surgery?

Dr. Satish: People come with many demands about their looks, but my job as a cosmetic surgeon is to assess three things:

1.         Is it a realistic demand?

2.         How feasible is it for us to make the change?

3.         How safe is it going to be and to what extent are we likely to meet their expectations?

It is unlikely that we will meet 100 percent of the requests. If these three factors match, we counsel them, explain that this is an optional surgery and if they are willing, we go ahead.

SOM: Of late, what is the growing trend in aesthetic surgery?

Dr. Satish: Irrespective of the decade, three or four surgeries will always be at the top — liposuction, tummy tuck, breast augmentation and rhinoplasty.

One more thing I want to mention is breast reduction surgery. Some women have very large breasts because of which they suffer from neck and shoulder pain. Worse, many are not even aware that this can be corrected with surgery, or they feel embarrassed to seek help.

In the West, it is quite common. They do it not out of vanity, but to make life better.

SOM: Any unusual or unrealistic requests?

Dr. Satish: Now there is a sudden demand for what is called the ‘Korean look.’ It consists of high cheekbones, an oval face, a prominent chin and a very well-defined jawline.

When people come with that request, I tell them it is not just about the profile, but about the entire face. In most cases, if we create a Korean profile, they may end up with a confusing appearance to others. Sooner or later, they may even feel depressed because they look neither Indian nor Korean.

Fashion trends keep coming, but it is up to surgeons to use discretion and advise patients properly.

SOM: How do you handle such situations?

Dr. Satish: I tell everybody two things. One, this is a one-way street; you cannot go back once you undergo surgery.

Second, no aesthetic surgery will give 100 percent satisfaction because we are all going to grow older every day. The skin will change again in a few years. That is ageing.

SOM: Do men approach for cosmetic surgeries?

Dr. Satish: Yes, there is an increase in men in the age group of 38 to 40 opting for cosmetic procedures. Many are single and want to look younger so that their chances of finding a younger partner for marriage improve.

Other men usually come for rhinoplasty, lip augmentation and sometimes surgery to improve the jawline.

SOM: With so many procedures, how long does recovery take?

Dr. Satish: In Indian society, cosmetic surgery is still not looked upon very favourably. That is why we maintain confidentiality. We do not talk about our patients and usually avoid keeping them in the hospital long enough for people to notice their absence. Recovery depends on the procedure.

SOM: Are aesthetic surgeries scarless?

Dr. Satish: Anytime the skin is cut, a scar is formed. But we are trained to hide scars in places that are not easily visible.

For example, in the nose, we make a small opening on the columella and the rest of the incision is inside the nose. So, nobody sees it. But that does not mean it is a scarless surgery.

SOM: What age group of people come for these procedures?

Dr. Satish: You will be surprised. There is really no fixed age category. The youngest cosmetic surgery I performed was on a five-month-old baby girl who had split earlobes. In India, families want ear piercing done very early. In this case, it was difficult to decide where to pierce because there were two earlobes, so surgery was required.

At the other end, I had two elderly women for very different reasons. One woman, aged 70, had very large earlobe holes and could not wear heavy earrings. She said, “I have all the time in the world, my children are settled abroad, I have diamond earrings and I don’t want to die without wearing them.” She underwent earlobe reconstruction.

Another lady, aged 78, said, “I have Rs. 1 crore in fixed deposits. My children are abroad and neither have time for me nor want my money. So, I want to spend it on myself.” She went on to have a tummy tuck and breast lift at 78 !

SOM: How do these surgeries affect a person psychologically?

Dr. Satish: Whenever one looks at their face or body, sometimes they may not like the way it looks. The moment these surgeries are done, their entire personality changes.

They feel younger when they look at themselves and become more positive. Cosmetic surgery is not just about the body part. It is also on the mind.

See, some will be sitting at home for three to four years, thinking that their nose is very bad and the moment we make their nose better, their confidence level goes up. 

Also, men with more perturbing chest than normal. We call it Gynecomastia. Because of the issue, they are very subdued, very introvert, they don’t go out. If they feel any occasion will demand removing their shirt, they don’t go there at all. If you do the surgery, suddenly their life becomes normal. So, it is not just body-changing, sometimes it can be life-changing too.

SOM: In the 2024 Survey of International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS), ‘external genital surgery’ was included as a new term. What is that?

Dr. Satish: This is another fad that has come up. Just like changes happen in the face or the rest of the body as we grow older, the genitals also change,   especially in women.

The reason to go for external genital surgery is partly aesthetic. In women, it is mostly what we call genital rejuvenation.

Many women get married around 22-25 years old and have children. By their early 30s, that phase is over. Then they may have time and money and want to look better, but their bodies have gone through pregnancies.

They may want to wear fashionable clothes, but their skin may sag. They may want to wear a strapless dress, but the breasts may be sagging. That is when the demand comes.

SOM: What is hymenoplasty and why is it a common procedure?

Dr. Satish: In certain cultures, if a woman’s hymen is not present, it is assumed she is not a virgin. But the truth is that even vigorous exercise can rupture the hymen and there is no textbook definition of its size or shape.

Because of fear and social pressure, some women undergo hymen reconstruction surgery — hymenoplasty — simply to prove virginity, even if they are. Interestingly, almost 95 percent of our patients for hymen reconstruction are from abroad and from out of State.

SOM: Are all procedures available in Mysuru? Are we lagging in technology?

Dr. Satish: All procedures and technologies are available in Mysuru. The only thing people must understand is that everything seen on the internet may not be feasible for every body type.

SOM: Have you had patients who were unhappy with the result after cosmetic surgery?

Dr. Satish: Some level of dissatisfaction is an expected possibility in cosmetic surgery because the outcome is strongly influenced by the patient’s personal opinion and the perceptions of people around them.

I perform cosmetic surgery only after two counselling sessions of about 20 minutes each. I also make detailed drawings from multiple angles so that patients clearly understand what to expect.

SOM: Your message to those who want to take up plastic surgery as a specialisation and to those considering such surgery?

Dr. Satish: Aesthetic surgery will become more and more common. The demand is already high even in tier-2 cities. When I came to Mysuru in 1990, I was only the second full-time plastic surgeon here. Now, in the Mysuru region, we have around 20.

The biggest concern today is that many untrained people present themselves as plastic surgeons on social media. Even beauty parlours claim to offer Botox and fillers simply because the injections are available. Later, plastic surgeons have to treat the complications.

For the sake of saving some money, people go to completely untrained practitioners and regulations in India are still quite loose.

So, my only advice is this: If you want cosmetic surgery, first, do not feel guilty about it. But once you decide, take two or three medical opinions, do proper research and do not choose a place just because it is cheap.

By B.N. Ramya