21 October,2009 08:35 AM IST | | Debarati Palit
The Botox-parties fad, where women get together for jabs at a discount, is fast gripping Pune, say cosmetic surgeons
Botox and booze. That's the new party formula of Pune's elite 'aunties'. Rich middle-aged women in the city have finally caught up with Indian metros when it comes to Botox parties (see The parties).
Doctors invited to Botox parties say that while the frequency of these events in Pune isn't at par with metros like Mumbai and Delhi, the trend is growing fast here. "It's like any other ordinary party. People drink, eat and have fun. The hosts invite us to give demonstrations, perform the procedures on those who volunteer and then the guests try it on themselves. It barely takes a few hours," said Dr Ashish Davalbhakta, cosmetic surgeon at the Aditya Birla Memorial and Oyster and Pearl Hospitals.
While the most popular options are house parties, resorts in nearby tourist spots like Lonavla, Mahabaleshwar, etc are also quite popular.
A Botox enthusiast, Pooja Mishra (name changed), told MiD DAY that she had not only attended a party like this at Bund Garden, but also hired some volunteers to carry out the 'experiments'. "It was fun and got over in a couple of hours," she said.
Group discount
Doctors catering to such clients say the main reason behind organising these parties is group concession. "Usually the price dips by almost a third for groups," said Dr Davalbhakta. If the group is big enough, discounts can even rise up to 50 per cent.
Dr Tejinder Bhatti, a city-based plastic surgeon, said, "There are also young men and women who have hefty pay packages. They have the spending power and so are willing to experiment."
Added Dr Davalbhakta, "The Botox doses are neither harmful nor surgical. They do not usually have any side effects expect for weakening of muscles. But to be on the safe side, we carry all our medical equipment."
