I had just started my day and was enjoying a cup of coffee when the phone rang. Thinking it was quite early, I picked up the call and a voice crackled from the other end. It was someone highly polished, arrogant and talking with an artificial accent, who asked confidently if I had a particular brand of ultrasonic liposuction device in my clinic.
I tried to engage the person in a conversation by asking – for what condition? Doing for the first time? There are other options worth considering…, Conversation didn’t last for long, and ended with a loud and clear question- Do you have it? I felt sorry, but had no option other than to say NO.
This particular equipment enquired for is an expensive device – which has got a huge demand due to its popularity on the internet. In reality, liposuction is a contouring procedure which can be performed with instrumentation ranging from a Syringe (specially designed of course) to devices with the LASER or Ultrasound probes.
When a cosmetic procedure device is being designed, it is done taking into account a variety of parametres. Multiple tests are conducted to optimize it for a range of body conditions. The ultrasonic liposuction devices were designed for particular regions of the body (like back) and so also for patients who undergo liposuction multiple times which are difficult to address with a conventional device.
Once the prototype testing of a device is completed, big corporate manufactures roll out these on a large scale investing huge capital. This puts immense pressure on the marketing teams- who tend to push the envelope. More often than not, it could so happen that they may expand the use of the device beyond the ones they were originally designed for.
Internet is one of the most frequently used marketing tools. Millions using it daily for gathering information and many a time one will bump into reviews of such devices of which some maybe real, some misleading but pretty much all are written with fixed end points. Some physicians who have a stake in the whole scenario directly or indirectly will add more pep to the publicity onslaught.
End result – the misinformed tech savvy people – falls prey to it and get ready to part with wads of money to get the desired results. Many end up spending too much money on specialized procedures which may give results on par with the conventional ones. Even after spending good amount of money, sometimes the results may be poor. There are instances when people end up being traumatized from severe side effect of these procedures and devices.
It’s not uncommon to see people looking for one particular brand of device, which they feel is the appropriate tool for their requirement. They find it on the internet and will come in for a consultation after making up their mind. They will have their own ideas about the projected results which is often unrealistic.
Internet is an ocean of information. There is a whole lot of useful genuine information but, there are so many others that are misleading and often far from the truth. Countless number of articles are just hype used for publicity or are purely marketing gimmicks which many a time mask the undesirable side effects of the various devices and procedures.
Different devices work differently with different bodies. I find it a totally unwanted investment for a straight forward body contouring to use Ultrasonic probe, especially if undergoing the procedure for the first time or even a second time.
Recently I met with a person for whom the cosmetic consultation numbers ran into double digits. Originally he suffered from a condition that could have been addressed with a simple conventional procedure. It would have given him moderately good results. He did extensive research on the internet and concluded that using a specific model of a device is most appropriate for that condition. Then searched further and found out a few centers who offered the procedure using the said device.
Finally he chose the centre with the maximum gloss, the clinicians there gladly accepted the request, and the procedure was done. Now he is running from pillar to post to get rid of an untoward side effect. His present condition could potentially be very difficult to reverse.
My take
Internet is a double edged sword.
Always take expert advice, if needed, take multiple ones.
Make informed decisions.
Remember that the craftsman is more important than his tools. It doesn’t matter if he uses diamond cutting instruments, always look for track record.
Never fall for photo shopped images showing excellent results.
Do not haste and set dates for procedures in a hurry. Take your time, do enough research and then take a call.
Talk openly to the doctor during consultations, ask for suggestions. If multiple experts suggest different procedures than what you have sought, be very open to drop the idea.
If the doctor says the given procedure is risky and then says the risk is all yours- he is absolving himself off the blame, better not to take the risk.
Investing your time and money on specific procedures and devices in cosmetic treatments are subject to risks: Do extensive research and consultations before making them
For anyone interested in a cosmetic procedure, the key thing to remember is that machines don’t cure conditions. They are merely instruments for clinicians. Why not leave the choice to the experts?