First day, first show: College freshers spruce up with cosmetic treatments

New Delhi/Mumbai: Fresh out of school and ahead of their first day in college, countless teenagers are queuing up at beauty clinics to undergo a range of non-surgical cosmetic procedures like nose correction, acne treatment and laser hair reduction that could help them cast the right first impression on the campus. "For youngsters, the first impression is the most important. A perfect look helps them in boosting their confidence. After school, they feel a sense of freedom which is a driving factor for them to try different things," Swati Srivastava of beauty and wellness chain VLCC, Mumbai, told IANS. The number of youngsters opting for non-surgical procedures has witnessed a tremendous increase of 300 percent, notes Navin Taneja, director, National Skin Centre. "The number of teenagers who go for aesthetic procedure is on the rise. More and more teenagers are subjecting themselves to non-surgical aesthetic procedures in order to belong and look more acceptable to their friends and the people around them," Taneja told IANS. "In our centre, the number of young clients opting for non-surgical aesthetic processes has increased up to 300 percent. Four to five years back, we used to generally get around 15 young clients per month opting for acne and acne scar treatment, removal of moles, pigmentation, blemishes procedures before going to college. But nowadays it has increased up to 60," he added. But why cosmetic treatments? "Cosmetic treatments come with a glamour factor attached to them. People today are aware that such treatments are being done and they make an individual look really good," said Srivastava. Some procedures that the youngsters are readily opting for include chemical peels, laser skin rejuvenation, botox, fillers, body sculpting, nose job, photo facials, laser hair reductions and lip augmentation. "Most youngsters come for facial rejuvenation. However, whole body treatments like body toning and hair reduction procedures are also gaining popularity among the youth," said Indu Tolani, Delhi-based skin expert. For instance, 18-year-old Ankit Khanna has undergone rhinoplasty to get a pert nose, in time before he joins the University of Delhi to pursue his graduation. "I was always very conscious about the shape of my nose, and when you enter college life, you come face to face with many aspects of college life; you see so many good-looking guys around... so you also feel the need to be perfect. So I got the rhinoplasty done, and I am very happy with the results," he said. All such procedures consume around 30 minutes to one hour, depending upon various factors, especially one`s skin type. And the effectiveness? "The effectiveness of the treatment matters on the condition of the skin. The effectiveness of all these treatments last from 18 months to life long," said Manoj Khanna, cosmetic and plastic surgeon, Enhance Aesthetics and Cosmetic Studio, Kolkata. The cost ranges from as low as Rs.1, 000 to Rs.50, 000 for complicated procedures. But something like a hair reduction laser treatment, which can be a boon to college girls splurging on waxing almost every fortnight, the cost can go into lakhs of rupees, depending on the area being treated. But nobody seems to mind the rates. "These treatments are here to stay for long. These treatments do not have any major side-effect; one needs to be cautious about the doctor from whom they get the treatment done. It is also recommended to stay away from sun in the initial days," said Srivastava. IANS