Aesthetic surgeries becoming part of wedding makeovers

Bengaluru: Weddings are a time of huge celebration and excitement in India, but it is also one that requires immense amount of preparation. As weddings turn closer to high-profile events, especially with the involvement of wedding planners, it becomes imperative that the stars of these events -- bride and groom -- are nothing less than perfection personified. Obviously, this has led to the rise of aesthetic procedures to help them meet these new standards.

The days of accepting imperfections in the bride and groom and covering them up with makeup are gone. Due to high-definition videography and pre-wedding shoots, fault lines can now be seen clearer than the human eye. So, bride and groom approach doctors for makeovers to look presentable for the D-Day.

Dr Gunashekhar Vuppalapatti, Consultant Aesthetic & Reconstructive Plastic Surgeon at GVG Invivo Hospital, Bengaluru, says that sometimes people approach him holding a wedding card asking to fix the blemishes and sometimes people approach him even before they start looking for a partner.

Talking about the trend, he says that these days people come forward before the pre-wedding shoots. He noted that wedding makeovers used to be only a western concept but now it is catching up in our country as well. He cautions that makeovers take time and that young people should make the appointment at least 6 months in advance, preferably a year earlier. During Covid, people have started approaching for this surgery in preparation for weddings in 2022.

People have the choice of minor to bigger adjustments. These surgeries can range from eyebrow corrections, jawline correction, minor deformities to full-blown body sculpting. One can now get their bodies shaped exactly the way they want. "It's all about how you look on the marriage day and you want to avoid shortfalls," he said.

When a person approaches the clinic, doctors prepare a list of corrections requested from them in a sitting. Later, as per ECG reports and doctor's medical experience, clients are suggested treatment procedures. They are advised about the time involved in this procedure and are advised to make arrangements. They are also shown a 3D rendering of the post-surgery look and past-successful surgery results are displayed. Based on these two factors, clients decide on whether the results match their expectations.

Some of these surgeries last three days to two weeks to almost a year. They can also cost from Rs 5,000- Rs 6,000 to up to Rs 20 lakh as per the number of corrections. A hair transplant surgery can cost up to Rs 2.5 lakh according to extent of baldness.

Though it might seem quite straightforward, doctors have to consider multiple factors before admitting. Firstly, the ECG and other pre-surgery tests are conducted to discover hidden complications. Surgeries are only executed with patients who are fit for the surgery. Overly obese patients are not considered fit and clients with body dysmorphia are also declined treatment.

The ideal client will have a BMI of 21-15 BMI. Surgeries are also only recommended in cases where diet and exercise have proven to be unsuccessful. "We choose our patients and use discretion to refuse treatment as per our medical expertise," added the doctor. "There is no age limit for these surgeries, we did on a 50 plus years patient.".

The doctor noted these wedding makeovers are more popular among men than women. Getting a hair transplant and removal of 'female-like breasts seems to be a popular choice among men. The doctors can also give patients abs sculpted to their bodies using precision techniques. He explained that sometimes people are unable to develop the last two sets of abs no matter how hard they try.

If you belong to the appropriate weight category, doctors can simply remove the excess fat and body sculpt as per your needs. They also have 4-D sculpting where the excess fat is injected back into the body to make it bulkier. This treatment is only advised for those who have been fitter during their younger days but are failing to achieve the required body shape in their older stages.

"There are no side effects," assured Dr Gunashekhar. The effect of these surgeries lasts almost life-long with no long-term effects. But in some cases, the surgery might not lead to long-term effects as well. "There are a few exceptions to these surgeries," explained the doctor. In some cases, where clients gain excessive weight post-body sculpting surgery, the areas where fat has not been removed turns bulky." These changes are not seen as a failure of the surgery as patients are expected to maintain a certain weight in these scenarios.

"Some people come to us with a small window time before their wedding. At this stage, we are only able to give short-term solutions that give unsatisfactory results" said Dr Gunashekhar. He advises patients to approach them ideally a year in advance to avoid any kind of last-minute shortfalls.

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