The development of cosmetology represents an important breakthrough in health and beauty sciences in India. Great technological developments have already taken place in this field and many are yet to occur. In parallel, there is a growing interest from the clients, who are looking for personalised cosmetic solutions. Simultaneously, aesthetic medicine is meeting an unprecedented boom in India, with an increasingly growing number of people in demand of aesthetic care.

Demand for aesthetic care is expected to exponentially increase in the near future. India and China have the largest population pool aged between 30 to 65 years, and rising disposable income coupled with the presence of a very wide working population is generating demand for aesthetic procedures in these countries.

A social phenomenon, dedicating a certain budget to beauty is now accepted as a norm. Scientific and medical progress means that a wide range of solutions are available to the public, but only a trained practitioner will deliver safe and effective treatment. Simultaneously, there is a constant need for trained practitioners having required knowledge and practical experience of providing the expertise treatments to patients.

Aesthetic Medicine is one of the fastest growing sub-speciality and one of the disciplines that will continue to thrive with technological innovation. Not only does it promise excellent outlook in terms of advancements in diagnostic, curative modalities and treatments, choosing training in aesthetic medicine is intellectually and humanely rewarding and offer amazing career prospects.

There is enormous scope for students who wants to pursue a career in cosmetology and aesthetic medicine by doing a specialised course from an established and highly specialised institute with proven track record of trained professionals. Choosing the right training course in cosmetology or aesthetic medicine and the best institute is as important, as is choosing the right practitioner for the patient who wishes to avail cosmetic treatment. The specialised courses that are generally offered in this field are:

PG diploma in clinical cosmetology: The development of clinical cosmetology represents an important breakthrough in the development of medical sciences. Great technological developments have already taken place in this field and many are yet to occur. In parallel, there is a growing interest from both the medical community and the patients, who are looking for personalised aesthetic solutions.

PG diploma in medical trichology: Aesthetic medicine is one of the fastest growing sub-speciality and one of the disciplines that will continue to thrive with technological innovation. Not only does it promise excellent outlook in terms of advancements in diagnostic, curative modalities and treatments, choosing training in aesthetic medicine is intellectually and humanely rewarding and offer amazing career prospects. The real benefit of practicing aesthetic medicine is the type of care that practitioners can offer to their patients. These procedures are elective and are performed on patients who are usually healthy but aesthetic care will have a very significant and positive impact on their lives.

Fellowship in aesthetic medicine: It is an exhaustive programme that covers all the major topics in aesthetic medicine, ranging from Botox, fillers to lasers and more. It includes theory, live-demonstrations and hands-on training.

The basic eligibility requirement for all the above-mentioned PG diploma courses is a medical degree from a reputed medical college. One can avail the training and certificates to become either a specialist or a trainer in cosmetology / aesthetic medicine. Those who have a diploma or Master’s in dermatology can also train in medical cosmetology to enhance their practice and become a specialist.

Indeed, aesthetic treatments are always projects to be decided and implemented together by the patient and his caregiver. The results offered by the procedures are amazing, quickly visible and lead to the immense satisfaction of the patient, making the disciplines very rewarding activities for the trained practitioner. It is nonetheless crucial for the professional wishing to be trained in cosmetology or aesthetic medicine to be taught by the best in the field; by a team of doctors highly trained, experienced, who practice and research in cosmetology and aesthetic medicine.

The writer is founder and director, ILAMED