By Chandeepa Wettasinghe
Durdans Hospital, the core business unit of Ceylon Hospitals PLC, launched its Rs. 70 million Durdans Cosmetic Care Centre yesterday to cater to medical tourists and the growing trends in Sri Lanka.

“Cosmetics are a need, and we are ready to provide these services to the public in a better way with confidentiality, privacy and safety,” Durdans Hospital Medical Services Director Dr. Wimal Jayantha said.

Consultant Maxillofacial Surgeon Dr. T. Sabesan said that even though cosmetic procedures are relatively new in Sri Lanka, trends are starting to emerge.
“Everyone wants to look nicer and younger... you’re able to achieve your dream body at a fraction of the cost abroad,” he said.

A recent study by a leading healthcare equipment provider showed that Sri Lankans spend the most per capita on personal grooming and beauty in South Asia.

Dr. Jayantha said that while a facelift procedure would cost around Rs. 1.2 million in the UK, it could be done for Rs. 400,000 in Sri Lanka. This does not include the various other costs including accommodation, travel expenses etc. Sri Lankans would have to spend on.

Durdans Cosmetic Care Centre Client Care Overseer Dr. Shanika Arseculeratne said that cosmetics are a US$170-200 billion global industry and recent growth has been seen from emerging Asian economies.

“A study by Harvard University shows that 72 percent of attractive people going for interviews get jobs, and they get paid 15 percent more. So even though we want to believe that looks don’t matter, that is not the case,” she said.

Consultant Plastic Surgeon Dr. Yasas Abeywickrama said that cosmetic treatments for extremely debilitated individuals are about building confidence to meet life’s challenges.

“It’s all about building confidence. Some of these people are psychologically affected because of how they look. These surgeries will give them a new start to life,” he said.

However, he said that some patients are unnecessarily insecure about their appearance, in which case they are sent for psychological treatment.

 The specialists emphasized that the procedures are neither 100 percent risk free, nor a complete solution for some problems patients face. They added that pre and post-cosmetic treatments may also include psychological counselling.

Even though cosmetic procedures have been conducted in Sri Lankan hospitals for a long time, specialized cosmetic centres have been popping up in all leading private sector hospitals this year to cater to the medical tourism market.

Dr. Jayantha said that only around the top 10 percent of Sri Lanka’s wealth pyramid could afford such procedures, making foreigners the priority market.
“We’re trying to target medical tourists from places like the Maldives and other regional market,” he said.

Due to its lucrative nature, Durdans Hospital Marketing Communications Manager Rae Devadason said that the return on investment for the cosmetics centre would be around 3 years.

“We’re importing brand new equipment and bringing in specialists. The equipment is around Rs. 40 million, and to maintain all the standards, the investment goes up to Rs. 70 million. We’ll recover it in 3-4 years,” he said.