Quest For Body Beautiful

Hundred a day. That's "approximately" the number of people walking into a plastic surgery clinic in Doha every single day to get something or the other "improved about their face or body", claim the city's top cosmetic surgeons.
"70% of the people getting cosmetic surgery done are Qatari women," says Dr. Mahmoud F. Attalla, a consultant plastic surgeon at the Plastic Surgicentre, where, just sitting around for half an hour would reveal how many people - both women and men - are making use of the advanced medical technology to enhance their physical appearances.
"There are Qatari men too. About 15 to 20%," says Dr. Attalla. "The rest are foreigners."
It would be foolish to believe that there has been a sudden rise in Qataris wanting to get plastic surgery done. It's not like they suddenly woke up a few months ago and realised they wanted to look prettier.
"There is definitely a significant rise, but the rise has been very gradual. Nothing dramatic," says Dr. Attalla, who's practicing since 1972.
"Thanks to the media, television, Internet etc. there is a lot of awareness among people about the procedures," he says. "Earlier, plastic surgery used to be considered a major operation, but now with the ever-increasing advanced technology, it's a lot more easier, more accessible and cheaper (as compared to earlier times).
"Besides, the standard of living in this country is such that people can afford it (plastic surgery). The ones getting the surgery done are obviously Qataris, who are very well off in life, and moneyed foreigners. So, the cash is not an issue at all."
According to surgeons, the vast majority people seeking the surgical advantage "come for breast implants, because they're either sagging after pregnancy, or to increase or decrease the size."
Nose jobs, eye lifts, liposuction (to reduce fat) and botox (injections that paralyze certain veins to reduce the effects of time for a younger look) are also very commonly expected.
"The age of women or men expecting surgery is anywhere between 20 to 70 years old," says Dr. Attalla.
One question, however, that does come to mind, is that Qatari women, who undeniably form the majority of customers of cosmetic surgery, are always behind veils (burka), so why the trend among them?
Replies Dr. Ahmed Makki, one of the famous plastic surgeons of the city: "Qatari women are also part of the world. They aren't isolated. Behind the veil is a woman, who just like any other woman in the world, wants to look pretty. Either for herself, or for her husband."
"It's the age of competition and physical appearance plays a very important role today. Be it for a job, or between 'friends' at a social gathering. Everyone wants to look better. They want to eliminate any sort of disadvantage," he says.
Dr. Attalla though opines the reason differs from culture to culture. "For a majority of Qatari women, it's for their husbands and families that they want to look pretty. While probably for the western woman it's the self-zest that drives her into cosmetic surgery.
"You and me see just one side of the woman in the Gulf. They don't keep the veil on all the time. They don't wear it in front of their husbands, or boyfriends, or at parties. There is another side to them."
A 26-year-old Qatari woman, who recently got a breast implant, says she got it done for herself. "After pregnancy my breasts started drooping. And it is a very important part of a woman's body. I was feeling terrible. I told my husband that I was thinking of implants and he was only happy about it. He encouraged me," she tells Gulf Times on condition of anonymity.
"If there is such a technology, why should I be ashamed to use it. It's meant for us after all," she says.
As compared to western countries, plastic surgery comes at a very low cost in Doha.
At private hospitals, a nose job costs anywhere between QR 5,000 to QR 10,000, depending on how "drastic the change" is, breast implants between QR 10,000 to QR 14,000, Botox is QR 1,000, while permanent hair removal by laser surgery is between QR 1,000 and QR 5,000.
Even though there is the government-run Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), which is far cheaper and in fact "free for Qataris", most people prefer to spend more and go to a private clinic.
"HMC has its own limitations," says a surgeon, not wishing to be named. "It does not do nose jobs and several other things which private clinics do."
"Besides, it's like going to buy a car. You have two Mercedes showrooms. You'll obviously go to the one, which delivers the car faster than the one, which would deliver after a month. You'll go to the one, which gives you more guarantee," he says metaphorically.
"Likewise, in a private hospital, the job done is much better and faster, there is more guarantee, more intimacy, and is more discreet," he says.
In fact, because of the low rates, there are "foreigners, mostly Westerners, coming to Doha just to get cosmetic surgery done."
It is certain that cosmetic surgery in the country, where most people are not going to stop achieving their dreams because of the money factor, is fast becoming a trend.
The certainty is bound have some unethical practitioners or quacks opting to operate giving out false promises.
"Everyone is trying to get into cosmetic surgery. It's attracting other doctors and because of the growing trend they are intruding into the job, which requires a very high level of skill," Dr. Attalla says.
There are various advertisements thrown in newspapers and the Internet which are "misleading and false" just to lure the customer," he assures. "The advertisements should be taken with caution."
"In any surgical procedure there is an element of risk involved. At the private clinics, we make sure to tell the customer of the possible risks before he/she decides to go for the surgery," he says. "But with the crooks, the element of risk is very high. Simply because they are not well trained in the job."
"A new invention in medicine comes once every decade, not everyday. A good practitioner will wait for that decade for the medicine to be confirmed of its quality and result. But a quack wouldn't."

RATE CARD
Breast Implant: QR 10,000 - QR 14,000
Nose Job: QR 5,000 - QR 10,000
Botox (an injection that reduces the aging effect): QR 1,000
Laser Hair Removal: QR 1,000 - QR 10,000 (depending on how many body parts the hair has to removed from)
Liposuction (reduces fat - maximum up to 10 Kgs): QR 1,000

BEAUTY BUYER BEWARE

- Advertisements in newspapers or in any media channel should be taken with caution. They can be misleading and false.
- Unethical promises should not be trusted. Let's face it. If you're 60 years old no matter what anyone says or does, you cannot look 20. If you believe you can, you just might end up looking 85.
- You have the right to be sure about the doctor you are visiting. It is your right to ask him to show you some of his work/surgeries/results. So don't be shy to ask him how many people he's disfigured in his life.
- Call the people, whose photographs he shows you claiming to be his work, and confirm.
- Ask the doctor for his identification proof. Unless you don't mind a postman trying to give you new breasts.
- Consult family/friends before you're deciding on a doctor. And make sure those friends like you.