2nd Edition

REBOOTING THE Indian Aesthetic Medicine Industry

The second edition of Aesthetic Medicine India Conference brought forth a fresh burst of ideas on practice management along with live demonstrations of innovative aesthetic treatments. The Exhibition witnessed top notch brands from the aesthetic industry presenting their high tech products for the medical fraternity. Read on to know how Aesthetic Medicine India Conference and Exhibition 2022 made a dazzling comeback.

T he Aesthetic Medicine magazine was launched in India in 2019, bringing in the strong legacy of the UK-based title. In India, we proved to be a trailblazer by providing a platform for aesthetic medicine practitioners to learn, communicate, network and source. The topics featured in the magazine cover a gamut of subjects from scientific subjects to clinic management, finance, sourcing, technology and much more. Apart from being a knowledge base for practitioners, the magazine also became a voice for supply chain within the industry. Today, Aesthetic Medicine India is a go-to guide for practitioners and clinicians, which helps them with latest updates, know-how and innovations.

The year of the magazine’s launch also saw the debut of the Aesthetic Medicine Conference and Exhibition. It was the first-ever B2B event that was held by an independent media house for the benefit of the industry. It bridged the gap between aesthetic practitioners and supply chain stakeholders so effectively that we received an overwhelming response from all of them. This response remained strong even as we transferred our efforts to virtual platforms during the two-year hiatus of the pandemic.

So, come 2022, we got back with the Aesthetic Medicine Conference and Exhibition. We celebrated the coming together of the top minds in aesthetics and latest innovations and their providers at St Regis in Mumbai on 22nd May. The Exhibition hosted 50 exhibitors, which included device and product companies and solution providers, and welcomed 500 visitors and delegates with diverse profiles such as aesthetic plastic surgeons and dermatologists, trichologists, aesthetic clinicians and managers, distributors, et al. The Aesthetic Medicine Conference was a closed door event for plastic surgeons and dermatologists, comprising panel discussions and live demonstrations. Panel discussions were focussed on important issues pertaining to clinic management. Each session provided comprehensive information on the subject matter and was followed by an engaging Q&A session with the delegates.

1st PANEL DISCUSSION

How has aesthetic practice changed post the pandemic?

The Aesthetic Medicine conference opened the proceedings with an introductory address by Shriyal Sethumadhavan, Executive Editor, Aesthetic Medicine India magazine. She reminisced about the launch of the magazine and event in 2019, its digitisation in 2020 and the lead taken by the magazine in keeping the industry informed and united through its virtual events. She thanked the medical fraternity and collaborators for having continued to support the magazine and event, before welcoming on-stage panelists for the first session. The conference focussed on practice management and the first topic of discussion was ‘How has Aesthetic Practice Changed post the Pandemic?’

The session was moderated by Dr Madhuri Agarwal, Founder and CEO, Yavana Aesthetic Clinic, Mumbai. The expert speakers on the panel were Dr Rajesh Nair, Founder, Skin Care Speciality Centre, Thiruvananthapuram; Dr Amit Luthra, Consultant Dermatologist, Ishira Skin Clinic, Delhi; Dr Narmada Matang, Dermatologist, Neo Skin Aesthetics, Mumbai; and Dr Shefali Trasi Nerurkar, MD Skin, Consultant Dermatologist, Dr Trasi’s Clinic and La Piel, Mumbai.

Dr Agarwal made a presentation on how the aesthetic medicine practice has undergone a change due to the pandemic. There is more focus on hygiene and sanitation as the patients, too, are more aware about clinical standards. The panelists narrated their experiences of getting back on track once the lockdown lifted and discussed the challenges each one of them faced - from inspiring confidence in the patient to training the staff about the new protocols.

2nd PANEL DISCUSSION

Aesthetic Tweakments: New Treatment Modalities for Face & Body

The second panel discussion was centred around the topic ‘Aesthetic Tweakments: New Treatment Modalities for Face and Body.’ The session was moderated by Dr Apratim Goel, Medical Director, Cutis Skin Solution, Mumbai. The expert speakers on the panel were Dr Malavika Kohli, Dermatology and Aesthetics Director, Skin Secrets, Mumbai; Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, MD Dermatology, Hair Transplant Surgeon and Founder of Medlinks Clinic, Delhi; Dr Rickson Pereira, Consultant Dermatologist and Head Dr Rickson’s Dermatherapie Clinic, Mumbai; and Dr Soma Sarkar, Dermatologist and Aesthetic Physician, Dr Soma’s Aesthetic Clinic and Academy.

Dr Goel made a presentation that enlisted the issues faced by practitioners while dealing with facial rejuvenation. She engaged the panelists in a discussion on the new modalities available and the combination therapies that can give optimal results. She also presented a couple of case studies. Each panelist weighed in with their opinion, based on their experience, of newer treatment modalities. They also discussed exceptional cases such as working with outstation patients, handling patient expectations and salvaging previous incorrect treatments.

LIVE DEMONSTRATIONS

Aesthetic medicine practice requires the practitioner to be thorough in their medical knowledge of the subject and adept at the use of tools and devices. Keeping abreast of the latest innovations in technology and product development is the key to a successful aesthetic practice.

Considering the need for practitioners to constantly learn from mentors in the field, we had included live demonstrations, too, which were performed by seasoned doctors.

Dr Geetanjali Shetty, Consultant Dermatologist and Cosmetologist, Dr Geetanjali Shetty Skin Clinic, Mumbai, demonstrated devices by InMode to cover topics of ‘Paradigm Shift in Laser Hair Reduction’ and ‘Next Gen Facial Sculpting and Beyond.’ Dr Shetty explained the role devices play in facial sculpting, and mentioned the advantages and limitations of the device. Given the growing popularity of laser hair reduction in India, her live demo with the device was met with a round of questions from the audience.

Dr Geetanjali Nandini, Dermatologist and Cosmetologist, Skin Nirvana Cosmetic Clinic, Mumbai, showed the use of the HIFU device by Skinnovation for the topic ‘Best Practices in Antiageing Treatment.’ During the demonstration, she shared expert insights on the right use of the device for standalone and combination treatments along with patient selection and consultation. She also explained the HIFU technology and its impact on signs of ageing.

LIVE DEMONSTRATIONS

The next demo session was by Dr Rickson Pereira on ‘Hair Removal, Reinvented,’ followed by Dr Pradnya Manwatkar, Consultant Dermatologist, Skin Matra Clinic, Mumbai, on ‘The New Approach in Anti-ageing’. Both the demonstrations were powered by Alma Lasers Pvt Ltd. Dr Pereira highlighted the innovation made in hair removal technology while Dr Manwatkar spoke about the new treatments available to treat fine lines, wrinkles, crow’s feet, nasolabial folds and other concerns related to ageing.

Dr Rakhee Sharma conducted a ‘Lash Lift’ treatment on a volunteer to showcase how aesthetic practitioners can add eyelash extensions to their service offerings as it is a sought-after treatment amongst clients nowadays. While demonstrating the technique, she gave out handy tips, too. This session was powered by Kalentin.

The last demo for the day was perhaps the most exciting one as Dr Avinash Agarwal showed the audience how growth factor concentrate (GFC) is used for hair fall clients. He worked on the receding hairline of a volunteer and demonstrated the use of the machine by Levaram Lifesciences. He showed how GFC is delivered to the hair roots using micro injections in the affected areas.