Lips to nose, cosmetic packages boom for Valentine's Day

Lip augmentation, nose job, eyebrow lift...As women try to put their best 'face' forward for Valentine's Day, partners are busy gifting them cosmetic session packages.

"A huge range of non-surgical beautification treatments like lip augmentation, eyebrow-lift, cheek augmentation, liposuction and nose job are being offered and girls go for them to look glamorous and sensual," says Mumbai-based cosmetologist Jamuna Pai, adding that botox and juvéderm are also on the list.

Thanks to changing lifestyles, there has been a dramatic change in the demand for cosmetic treatments during the Valentine's season. "As compared to the rest of the year, the week before Valentine's Day records an increase of 60 percent of candidates for treatments like botox and juvéderm," plastic surgeon K.M. Kapoor told IANS.

"To get that perfect look, women are queuing up at clinics for different cosmetic treatments available in the market to enhance their body parts," he added. As far as results are concerned, Kapoor said juvéderm treatment has an instantaneous effect.

"However, in botox treatment, the result will be visible within two to five days. So people opt for such treatments a week before Valentine's Day," he added. Pai felt the same and said: "From nose or chin correction to a fuller lip with the help of botox to face lifting - everybody wants to attain that perfect look.

"With Valentine's Day round the corner, we are receiving a large number of women clients. They want to get results at the earliest, so they are opting for healthier and non-surgical treatments like botox and juvéderm instead of going under the knife."

Interestingly, women have no hang-ups. "There is no harm in enhancing features by simple techniques like lip enhancements and if you get compliments for your looks, then why not. Going for a botox job once wouldn't be a wrong choice as you are just trying to look good for your loved one. Moreover, results last for a few months and after that you are back to normal," said 20-year-old Priyanka Rana.

Among all the treatments, full and plump lips are in vogue, said Pai, adding that "women feel that well-defined, perfect and curvaceous lips attract a lot of attention, especially men's. During Valentine's season many women come to us for lip treatment."

It also suits the lifestyle of working women and their partners are making appointments for them. "In today's world when women are so busy that they don't have time to devote on themselves, the advent of dermal fillers has definitely made women live up their dream of looking charming. Women are eager to get it done for their partners," S.S. Trasi, dermatologist at Dr. L.H. Hiranandani Hospital in Mumbai, told IANS.

Such treatment's cost ranges from Rs.15,000 to Rs.60,000. "One can see the effect just after two and three days of treatment; so it's advisable to start the procedure at least a week before the D-day. The effect lasts up to four-six months. Normally, fillers like juvéderm costs Rs.25,000 per syringe. However, treatments like cheek ugmentation cost Rs.50,000 to Rs.60,000. Botox costs Rs.400 per unit and the treatment cost ranges from Rs.15,000 to Rs.25,000," Trasi added.

While such treatments have their benefits, experts say certain things need to be taken care of before going for treatments. "In the case of fillers, people in their early 20s start picking up treatments like lip augmentation, but botox treatments should be used by people in their late 20s," said Kapoor.

"Both botox and juvéderm are very safe drugs and they hardly cause any side effects, if used in accordance with procedures. When side effects do occur, they are usually the result of over-treatment or an injector who is not an expert. The common problem related to over-treatment or wrong procedure is drooping eyebrows and eyelids," he added.