Early in the morning, when I open the news paper with my first cup of coffee, I am sure to find one cricketer or another trying to sell me something. From soft drinks to real estate, everything that can be sold is being marketed. Latest in this series is the endorsements for hair transplant surgery and medical procedures.
In this era of consumerism, hair mills with deep pockets are enticing people with celebrity endorsements and full page advertisements. During a day's work, some patient in my clinic would surely ask me for the inside scoop on Sehwag's or Harsha Bhogle's hair transplant. All I can tell them is that they are not my patients. And of course, every one has an opinion on that. What is it about cricketers and hair transplants that has had the whole country buzzing?
First of all is the exposure that the hair transplant procedure has got. Plastic surgery procedures in India are like sex. You may have it as much as you want, just don't talk about it. And God save you if you happen to say anything nice about it. When people are twisting their tongues over politically correct "au naturel" statements, this kind of celebrity endorsement for hair transplant comes as a surprise. It is like taking the procedure out of closet and saying; Yes! I got it done and it feels good. Such acceptance by a public figure speaks volumes about the inherent advantage of hair transplant procedure. It also helps to allay the fears and misconceptions of those who may be skeptic of the procedure and the results.
However, there is also a commercial aspect to such endorsements. With all the marketing and advertisement the hair transplant procedure is reduced to a commodity. Now, there is more emphasis on adverts and marketing rather than patient selection and good techniques. And patients, on their part, are now more worried about price per graft. In this fierce competition, somehow, the priority is getting a good deal rather than getting a good surgeon and good results. With scientific approach thrown in background and business approach reigning, the ultimate sufferer in this hair war is the naive patient and perhaps an honest surgeon.
In this era of consumerism, hair mills with deep pockets are enticing people with celebrity endorsements and full page advertisements. During a day's work, some patient in my clinic would surely ask me for the inside scoop on Sehwag's or Harsha Bhogle's hair transplant. All I can tell them is that they are not my patients. And of course, every one has an opinion on that. What is it about cricketers and hair transplants that has had the whole country buzzing?First of all is the exposure that the hair transplant procedure has got. Plastic surgery procedures in India are like sex. You may have it as much as you want, just don't talk about it. And God save you if you happen to say anything nice about it. When people are twisting their tongues over politically correct "au naturel" statements, this kind of celebrity endorsement for hair transplant comes as a surprise. It is like taking the procedure out of closet and saying; Yes! I got it done and it feels good. Such acceptance by a public figure speaks volumes about the inherent advantage of hair transplant procedure. It also helps to allay the fears and misconceptions of those who may be skeptic of the procedure and the results.However, there is also a commercial aspect to such endorsements. With all the marketing and advertisement the hair transplant procedure is reduced to a commodity. Now, there is more emphasis on adverts and marketing rather than patient selection and good techniques. And patients, on their part, are now more worried about price per graft. In this fierce competition, somehow, the priority is getting a good deal rather than getting a good surgeon and good results. With scientific approach thrown in background and business approach reigning, the ultimate sufferer in this hair war is the naive patient and perhaps an honest surgeon.
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