Doctor takes nonsurgical route to rejuvenate patients
Dr Anjana Bhana is an aesthetic doctor, and her company is called Jade Lotus Aesthetics
Tell me about the work you do.
I am a dentist by profession, but I have a special interest in nonsurgical aesthetic medicine. This includes using fillers, peels, anti-wrinkle injections and other treatments to give patients a rejuvenation boost.
What is the difference between a plastic surgeon and an aesthetic doctor?
There is no speciality that leads to you becoming an aesthetic doctor. We are not allowed to call ourselves that — rather, we are GPs or dentists with a special interest in aesthetics. We generally concentrate on the nonsurgical aspects of facial enhancements, whereas plastic surgeons are specialists who focus on surgical reconstruction and aesthetics (many also do nonsurgical work).
How did you end up doing what you do today?
I’ve been wanting to do this sort of work since I was 15. I used to follow a doctor called Jamuna Pai and read all her magazine articles as well as her column in the Indian edition of Femina.
After 20 years, I got to meet her when we were both speaking at an international conference called IMCAS (International Master Course on Ageing Science) in Mumbai.
I started doing lots of hands-on courses as well as the formal advanced aesthetic diploma. I ended up where I am because I was super-determined to do it.
What did you want to be when growing up?
I wanted to be so many things — a doctor, an astronomer, a palaeontologist, a fashion designer. All these things still interest me. I knew whatever I wanted to do, I wanted to be one of the best at it.
What do you love most about the work you do?
I often feel the burden of trust that patients put in me, and the best is when I can fulfil that trust and they are happy with the results and that I have made them feel good about themselves.
What part of your job would readers find most surprising?
That it’s not really that glamorous but a lot of hard work, and that we are always concerned about our patients.
You get invited to speak at international conferences. What makes you good at the work you do?
That I have a real passion and respect for my work. That I stay humble and am always willing to learn and improve, and that I love teaching others.
Have you ever said no to a patient who wanted to go overboard with surgery?
Yes, we do have to say no sometimes, but I find that the patients respect and appreciate that.
What is the weirdest request you’ve had from a patient?
Nothing is too weird. People trust us with their desires and wishes, so I do not judge them. Sometimes the request is “I want to look like this but I don’t want to do fillers ” — and the result wanted is impossible to achieve without fillers.
What is the best career advice you have received, and who gave it to you?
Believe in yourself, be yourself, always read contracts, trust your gut, keep it simple and manageable, pick yourself up and persevere. I have received this advice from my siblings, my husband and friends along the way.