Think “plastic surgery” and the first image that may come to mind is of an evil Bollywood villain getting his face changed to look like the hero and wreak some havoc. Thanks to depictions in popular cinema, the life-changing procedure that comes as a godsend to many still remains shrouded in mystery.

“Many still have the perception that these surgeries are meant for the rich, which is far from the truth,” asserts Dr Uday Bhatt, head of BYL Nair Hospital’s plastic surgery department. Excluding minor procedures, his hospital sees about 1,500 patients every year who visit the facility in need of reconstructive plastic surgery, performed in cases of trauma, burns, cancer, and birth defects. “We also have patients who visit us for aesthetic plastic surgery, but they form a small percentage,” he said.