Children, no more children

A lost childhood is the worst that one would want in one’s life. The crisis that India is beginning to face. Interestingly, there was a similar article in India Today Magazine with the title “No Kidding”. I am referring to the new fag that has set in. Cosmetic Surgery for Children. What rules in an Indian household today is what the children say. When I talk about children I am referring to those that fall anywhere between 6 to 16. Cosmetic change –laser surgery, breast implants, health spas, manicure, pedicure, facials, bleaching, hair coloring, nose correction. What is astonishing is that these children are being accompanied by parents. Rakhi Sawant, the controversial item number of Bollywood who underwent a breast implant says she was surprised when she found a 15 year old kid in the same hospital to which she went to. And she adds that she felt happy to know that they were other women (quote , unquote) like her who wanted to undergo a change and feel more liberated. A 15 year old is not a woman and undergoing a breast implant at the age of 15 is not liberation. Doctors have guaranteed that Breast implants are completely safe for adults. It is not medically safe to have one done in children. The silicon may interfere with the underdeveloped breast tissue and cause permanent damage. The question under consideration here is why surgeons take up such operations. It is these people who can place a firm standing on the argument, it is the surgeons who would be taken seriously if they advise the parents about the seriousness of this issue and not an editor of a newspaper or a blogger like me. When some children were interviewed for the reason that made them undergo the change, many quoted they wanted to be like certain celebrities and others said their boyfriends/girlfriends were not too happy about them

Bombay which is a hub for the new fashion has a umpteen salons and spas and parlors that are specially made for children. Fashion houses have started to dive into the beauty industry since it is one that is thriving in India. There are 2 sections of parents- those who are helpless and are forced to take children to cosmetic surgery hospitals, spas etc and others who think it is worth the money. There is a Gym for children in Mumbai where a lot of 6-7 year olds visit. Weekends are spent on making oneself look better while people of my generation used to play and enjoy the freedom that the week gives to us. Looks didn’t matter to us. As long as we looked clean and tidy, it was good enough. We were children. We didn’t need to look “good”. I also read about a girl who is in her 9th standard from Pune and spends a minimum of 3000-4000Rs at the parlor. When interviewed on why she spends such exorbitant amounts, she justifies herself by telling that she frequents the pubs, meets a lot of friends and hence it is a necessity that comes along with all this. There was another case , where a mother and child pair came to a hospital along with the photo of a celebrity and the mother demanded that her daughter be made a look-alike of the person in the photo. One section of doctors in India are fighting to remove this evil while another are pocketing the huge sums of money that they receive to perform the personality change surgeries on young children.

Kaya Skin Clinic offers laser permanent hair removal surgery and one of their advertisement picture has a young girl being operated at by a professional. These clinics are the branded ones in the country , hence come with a big price tag and drive a huge hole in parents’ pockets.

Why are these children wanting to become adults very early and at an age when they should be rejoicing their childhood. And many of us here, at this point in life would do anything to get back to good ol’ days. Are these the necessary evils of an easily westernizing world?

What is even more surprising are the rates that an operation would cost to a parent:

I have picked a few :

Breast Impant: 1.25 lakh Rs

Nose Correction: 50,000-75,000 Rs

Laser Hair Removal surgery: 25000 Rs