Boob Talk – Going The Silicone Way

“Grass is Greener on the other side”, a typical trait of human nature. Woman with big breasts envy the ones with smaller cup sizes and vice-versa. But frankly speaking is it really that hard to live with what one’s been given, I guess not especially when we have so many external factors influencing our own judgment.

So obsessed have we become on maintaining youth, defying age along with the concept of looking “perfect”, it’s no wonder thousands of Indians have promoted the crore plus business of anti-aging procedures and products over the years. In the past few years, cosmetic surgery almost tripled. One can understand plastic surgery preferred by those suffering from illnesses where plastic surgery is the only option; however, now, the number of men and younger women exploring their options in the world of body craft has significantly increased.

Its kind-off pathetic that even in this day-n-age most of us tend to make up our ideas about a person based solely on his or her appearance. Today terms like Breast Implants, Hymenoplasty, Lip Enhancement and Botox Injections have become part of our regular vocabulary and are no-more considered “the thing” for the upper-strata of the society.

In today’s Mid-Day, there is an interesting article on the rise of Breast Augmentation surgeries in Mumbai city with a substantial increase in the number of patients being over the age of 50.

As per the write-up, every year 400 Mumbai women, married, middle-class and middle-aged undergo breast augmentation, with some being as old as 65. Wanting to get their sagging breasts replaced with firmer, perkier and sexier cleavage.

Confirming the growing trend for boob jobs, Dr Mohan Joshi, Professor of Surgery, Sion Hospital said, “We have noticed that an increasing number of women going under the knife are above 50. Earlier, only teens used to come to us.” In fact, the queue for breast implants has increased by 20 per cent in the last one year.

Added Dr Bimal Mody, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, P D Hinduja Hospital, Mahim, “During pregnancy and breast feeding, the size of the breasts increase, but post lactation, it goes back to its earlier size. So, husbands insist on implantation.”

Dr Mody also said that “B” and “C” grade actresses have always been doing breast augmentations. He adds that “A” grade actresses who go for it, swear the surgeons to secrecy. “Models, especially those who want to do bra advertisements have been queuing up at private clinics”.

The ethical quotient involved in such surgeries can be debatable but I guess it mostly depends on how people view the profession as well as how people obtain and undergo these procedures. Plastic surgery can be seen in a positive light with regards to the positive outcomes experienced by many.

But in a country like ours, with the absence of legitimate guidelines, monitoring committee and licensing authority, there is absolutely no way in finding out whether such decisions have been taken with free will and NOT due to forced pressure.

“India is at least 100 years behind in the regulations on this implantation. We just don’t have any control”, admitted Dr Jayraj Thanekar, Executive Health Officer, BMC.