In 25 years, 250-time spurt in men undergoing plastic surgery: AIIMS

New Delhi, July 15

India has seen a 250-time rise in the number of males receiving plastic surgery solutions over the past 25 years, experts from the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) said on Monday, describing the perception that women alone undergo such procedures as a myth.

Speaking on the occasion of World Plastic Surgery Day on Monday, the experts added that women recipients of reconstructive and cosmetic surgeries — the two segments of plastic surgery — continue to outnumber men, even as the proportion of males seeking these solutions is rising.

Professor and head, Department of Plastic, Reconstructive & Burns Surgery at AIIMS, Maneesh Singhal, said it was a myth that plastic surgeries were expensive and unavailable at government hospitals.

“The whole range of surgeries — from hair transplantation to face reconstruction in cases of acid burns — is now available in India and at least in three government hospitals in the capital — AIIMS, RML and Safdarjung,” he said.

Singhal added that the safety quotient of plastic surgeries had vastly improved over the past decade on account of availability of a broad spectrum of high-end antibiotics and equipment.

“People do not need to go to other countries to get plastic surgery solutions. Here at AIIMS, we have the capacity for the entire range of these solutions,” said Singhal, cautioning people against insisting on plastic surgeries when they do not need one.

“Not everyone needs a surgery and there is a trend these days to opt for cosmetic surgeries aping others. That is not correct. It is also important to say here that people should not consider plastic surgery unsafe,” Singhal said.

Asked what kind of surgeries men undergo, Shivangi Saha, assistant professor at the department, said men were increasingly opting for hair transplant, gynecomastia reduction, nose job, face lift, facial fillers and liposuction.

Saha added that it was a myth that hair transplant was a permanent solution to a receding hairline. “There are various physiological reasons for hair loss. Hormonal changes during pregnancy, menopause; stress, sleeplessness, can all trigger hair loss and these factors can be medically treated,” she said.

AIIMS plastic surgery department conducted 82 free surgeries, including reconstructive, corrective and hair transplant, over the past week in the run up to Plastic Surgery Day.