Beauty can be a cruel thing! We only have to skim the pages of any glossy and we?re assaulted by an array of fabulous faces and figures all staring out at us. Sure the lotions and potions out there are plenty but can they do the job? There?s no doubt that going under the knife is the quickest route to looking good. But while many women abroad wouldn?t bat an eyelid at hotfooting it to the nearest plastic surgeon in pursuit of perfection, most Indians still shun the scalpel.

Says Dr Jamuna Pai, one of the country?s best-known beauty gurus and the name behind the hugely successful Blush Skin Clinic in Mumbai, ?I?ve noticed a marked upswing in the use of non-surgical cosmetic procedures. By and large, most of the clients who come to me for advice opt for the non-surgical option, even though I might recommend otherwise.?

Although not as wallet-draining as cosmetic surgery, these beauty treatments tax the pocket overtime, requiring as they do regular maintenance and tweaking. Nevertheless, loads of Indians are pulling out their plastic and spending big bucks to fend off time and look their best. We?ve done the rounds of the country?s best-known beauty hubs and zoomed in on the top five non-surgical cosmetic cures out there. They?re fast, afford minimum discomfort and best of all, they actually work! Here go five fixes to fab-dom! And guess what guys? You might want to consider some of these procedures yourselves.

MICRO-DERMABRASION

Horses sweat, men perspire, but ladies glow. If your skin, however is as dull as wax and lacks luminescence, it?s time you tried a bit of spit and polish ? well not the spit but definitely the polish!

Micro-dermabrasion is the ?techie? term for skin polishing and most high-society ladies sporting gleamingly-good skin will testify to its efficacy. The popularity of this one is leap-frogging into the big leagues all right. Vandana Luthra?s beauty bay, VLCC claims one-fourth of its clients opt for Micro-dermabrasion. Dr Arun K. Prasad, of Nova, a well-known cosmetic clinic on Calcutta?s Sarat Bose Road points out that this is their hottest-selling service with at least 20 per cent of their clients being takers.

• Breaking it down: Micro-dermabrasion basically involves shovelling away dead skin cells with the help of a micro-dermabrader. The machine flows micro crystals across the skin, which exerts an abrasive action, thereby removing the dead cells. Besides working on the surface layer, micro-dermabrasion delves deeper into the dermis and kickstarts the formation of extra collagen and elastin, which help in skin-firming. This is a painless affair with no bleeding and no bandaging.

• Candidates: Calling all those with pigmentation problems like acne and injury scars, chicken pox marks, bad tans and no-glow skin.

• Time line: The 15-minute procedure has to be repeated once every two to four weeks.

• Report card: Results are visible about two weeks after the first session. Sittings could continue up to six months depending upon the intensity of the problem.

• Precautions: Sun-screens, shades, brollies and moisturisers are a must as the skin tends to become a bit sensitive.

• Side effects: None. No visible peeling, no redness and no irritation.

• Cost: Depending on the area and intensity of the problem...

Blush charges Rs 600 to Rs 800 for the whole face and neck.

At Kaya, a session costs at least Rs 1,000.

VLCC charges about Rs 1,500 per session.

At Nova, expect to fork out a minimum of Rs 750 for the face area.

PERMANENT HAIR REDUCTION

How we women love to torment ourselves! In the quest to be fuzz-free, most of us endure excruciating sessions of waxing and threading at the neighbourhood salon. That could soon become a thing of the painful past if we just consider the benefits of Permanent Hair Reduction. Also called Laser Epilation, this is one of the most in-demand non-surgical procedures across cosmetic clinics in India today. Says Dr Aparna Santhanam of top-notch skin clinic, Kaya, ?About 40 per cent to 60 per cent of our clients opt for Permanent Hair Reduction.?

• Breaking it down: Permanent Hair Reduction involves a laser beam zapping the melanin in the growing hair follicle. The pesky follicle becomes lighter and finer and thus prevented from producing new hair.

• Candidates: All the hairy Haris and Harpreets out there looking to get rid of unsightly foliage. But don?t leave it till too late! Grey-haired hopefuls lose out on this option as greying hair does not contain melanin.

• Time line: A minimum of 4-5 sittings are required

• Report card: Depending on the individual hair cycle, results can be noticed after 2-3 sessions.

• Precautions: A good sunscreen is top priority as the skin becomes a bit sensitive.

• Side effects: None. Laser Epilation scores on the safety scale being a completely hassle-free procedure if conducted under the supervision of a dermatologist.

• Cost: Depending on the target area...

At Kaya, prices start at Rs 1,500 onwards.

At Blush, costs range between Rs 1,000 and Rs 10,000.

At Nova, ?dehair? yourself for anything from Rs 350 (for an area the size of your little finger) to Rs 5,000.

BOTOX AND FILLERS

If 40-year-old Demi Moore looked downright divine in Charlie?s Angels: Full Throttle, many said it was very likely due to the wonders of Botox. This marvel drug is ideal if your face is fast becoming a wrinkle colony and irksome crow?s feet and unsightly neck bands are turning up. Many argue, though, that one ends up looking a bit too perfect ? smooth, shiny, and with about as much character as a balloon.

Botox boosters say it all depends on how good your doctor is actually. The technicians at Kaya insist that Botox helps soften the expression. Dr Jamuna Pai, too, is a firm believer in the benefits of Botox, and treats a formidable number of patients right from the country?s biggest industrial families to top names in Bollywood.

The potion from the West is indeed casting its magic on India. Says a Botox company spokesperson, ?In the last one year, we have seen a 50 per cent rise in usage. Today, we have more than 20 doctors in all the major cities treating patients with Botox.?

Also a big hit with the swish set are dermal fillers like Restylane. Says Dr Pai, ?There was a time when Botox enjoyed an edge over fillers in terms of the number of takers. Not any more, though, as both are equally popular today and are the most sought-after services at Blush.?

• Breaking it down: Botox (Botulinium toxin type A) helps smudge away crinkles and creases by freezing facial muscles. Botox attaches itself to the nerve endings, preventing the release of the neurotransmitter responsible for triggering muscle contractions. Wrinkles are thus banished and the face looks much softer and youthful. Dermal fillers are soft-tissue fillers used to plump up furrows, creases and nasolabial folds.

• Candidates: Anyone looking for a quick fix for furrows and frown lines. People with generalised muscle disease and pregnant women stay away.

• Time line: Both are ?quickie? procedures clocking in at less than five minutes

• Result roster: If the target area is around the eyes, the results will show in 3-4 days while for frown lines, it takes 5-6 days. In the case of fillers, the results are instant. The effects of Botox lasts for 4-6 months while fillers last about 6-9 months

• Precautions: After a Botox injection, one shouldn?t indulge in any hyper activity like swimming or aerobics, or even lie down flat for about 2-3 hours.

• Side effects: Complications are rare. But make sure you have someone experienced carrying out the procedure or after a Botox injection, for instance, you could end up with a drooping eyelid or bruising. Some people report headaches.

• Cost: At Kaya, shooting up the eye area would cost at least Rs 3,000 (at Rs 400 per Botox unit). Fillers here cost about Rs 15,500 per syringe.

Blush charges Rs 200 per Botox unit and touch-ups are done free. Fillers vary in cost between Rs 2,000 and Rs 15,000.

At Nova, a unit of Botox comes for Rs 250 while for fillers, it?s Rs 10,000 per syringe.

VLCC charges Rs 350 per unit of Botox.

CHEMICAL PEELS

If you?ve run through every possible face pack out there ? and struck out cold ? it?s high time you stripped away the layers of unawareness and tried a chemical peel. The most popular is the Glycolic Peel, which is made up of AHAs (alphahydroxy acids) that are found naturally in sugarcane and fruit. These are natural moisturising agents and are capable of carrying out a pretty serious clean-up operation. The end result ? a younger, firmer, tauter you! Who wouldn?t want to go for it?

• Breaking it down: A peel essentially involves the application of certain types of chemicals like glycolic acid to the skin for a few minutes after which it is neutralised it by applying cold water or sodium bicarbonate. A chemical peel is quite similar to Micro-dermabrasion, in the sense that it loosens the adhesion between the dead skin cells, and removes them.

• Candidates: Anyone in a pigmentation pickle

• Time line: 15 minutes

• Report card: Results show about two weeks after the first session. Sittings could continue up to six months depending upon the intensity of the problem.

nPrecautions: Steer clear of threading and waxing of the area in question for a few days before and after the procedure. Also, sun-protection is key.

• Side effects: None

• Cost: Depending on the size of the area being peeled...

At Kaya, you?ll have to dish out about Rs 1,000.

At Blush, prices range between Rs 500 and Rs 2,000.

VLCC will bill you Rs 1,500 per session.

At Nova, chemical peels cost Rs 1,000.

TUCKS

A nip and a tuck without a scalpel? You?ve got to be kidding, right? Wrong! Today it is possible to lose the inches in blubber-prone areas using a non-surgical tuck. Bodycare, a seven-year-old beauty clinic chain says that its tuck programmes come in second only to its weight-loss packages. Says Anjum Khan Chowdhury, clinic manager, Bodycare, Calcutta, ?Our tuck therapy programmes are very popular as no medication is involved whatsoever. At least 75 per cent of Bodycare clients opt for it. It?s a hit not just with obese people but also with those looking for figure correction.?

• Breaking it down: This is a combination of manual massage techniques and machines using a blend of special aromatic oils. These oils contain certain properties, which enter the skin and break up the fat cells. The dissolved fat then exits the body through lymphatic drainage (read sweat or urine).

• Candidates: Those packing extra lard on the stomach, hips, thighs, arms or butt.

• Time line: Each sitting lasts an hour and sittings can range between once and twice a week.

• Result roster: A minimum of 10 sittings is required to lose 3 inches to 5 inches.

• Precautions: Certain guidelines need to be followed when it comes to dietary habits and the right activity levels.

• Side effects: None

• Cost: Bodycare charges clients Rs 1,000 per sitting.

Blush is slightly cheaper at Rs 800 per session.

VLCC charges Rs 1,200 per session.