Special Coverage: The Future of Haircare – DERMACLINIX

DERMACLINIX is one of the top hair transplant and skin clinics in Delhi founded by Dr Amrendra Kumar and Dr Kavish Chauhan. The idea for DERMACLINIX was born when Dr Kumar and Dr Chauhan were thinking of starting their very own venture after their post-graduation from AIIMS. With their mutual interests and shared enthusiasm for work, they founded a small clinic, which grew into a network of clinics in various locations over time. Dr Kumar says, “Over the years, with God’s grace and our patients’ trust, we were able to build a huge clinic at one of the most prime locations in Delhi. We currently have clinic at three more cities in India.”

Dermaclinix’s journey to the top hasn’t been an easy one though. Like every new venture, a lot of hard work, dedication, disappointments and victories went in to it to reach the present stage. When the clinic initially started, it was to specialize in hair transplants. In order to gain the necessary skills, expertise, and certifications, the doctors trained under international experts and gained as much hands-on experience as they could to enhance learning.  In the initial days, the Dermaclinix duo used to perform surgeries even at 3am – giving in to the patient’s convenience and demands. But as years went by, their stature grew and other doctors joined Dermaclinix for fellowship programs. Despite the brand’s exponential growth over the years, the one thing that the doctors have never compromised on is the best treatment they provide their patients. Till date the clinic has more than 10,000 hair transplants to its name and of which 10-15% of surgeries are performed on international clients.

THE DERMACLINIX DUO

After completing his MBBS from PMCH Patna, Dr Kumar went on to do an MD in Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology from All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi. Further on, he worked as a Senior Resident at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh in the Department of Dermatology and Venereology in the year 2011. 

He gained a lot of experience in managing difficult dermatology problems as a junior resident at AIIMS, New Delhi, and as a senior resident at PGI, Chandigarh. Apart from that, he also did a lot of work in dermatosurgery (Hair transplantation, Acne scar surgery, Vitiligo Surgery, mole/nevus excision, scar revision, and Ear lobe repair, nail surgery), Lasers (Hair removal, Pigmentation, Birthmark, Tattoo, Vascular lesions, and Skin resurfacing) and Cosmetology (Microdermabrasion, Chemical peeling, Microneedling, Botox, and Fillers).

Today, he is one of the leading experts in hair transplantation specializing in FUE method. He has the rare distinction of doing mega sessions and giga sessions with the FUE method. He also specializes in body hair transplantation. 

Dr. Kavish Chouhan is the Director & Co- Founder of DERMACLINIX, and is considered amongst the best dermatologists and hair transplant surgeons in Delhi, India. He has done his MD in Dermatology from the prestigious All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), DELHI. He had worked in the renowned Post Graduate Institute for Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh.

He has years of experience in hair transplant surgeries. He has successfully performed more than 6000 hair transplant procedures by FUE technique till date. Also, he is specialized in performing successfully megasession & gigasessions of hair transplantation by FUE. He has upgraded his skills by following tips of the world’s top hair transplant surgeons like Dr. Alex Ginzberg (Israel), Dr. Shapiro (USA) etc. He has been involved in teaching many postgraduate students the art of hair transplantation as well.

THE BETTERMENT APPEAL…

In recent times, people have become a lot more conscious about their looks. Everyone is very active on social media, and with video calls becoming the norm both for fun and professional purposes, the focus is solely on how one looks on camera. That being so, hair is one of the most important assets of a human being – great hair brings great confidence. But cosmetic reasons apart, sadly, many people have medical conditions that affect their hair. As a result, a transplant can be a life-changing event for them. DERMACLINIX handles a large number of charitable hair transplantation cases for acid and non-acid burn victims. The joy seen on these victims’ faces when they are finally shown a mirror after the transplantation process is complete is what keeps them going.

 Dr Amrendra Kumar says, “It literally changes their lives, and the happiness you get from having brought about a change in their lives is immeasurable.” 

Most of the patients who visit DERMACLINIX are between the age group of 20 to 40 years. Most of the popular services which are opted by them are PRP (a non-surgical medical procedure), transplant and laser therapy when it comes to hair. When it comes to skin, it is laser hair reduction and anti-aging. Apart from hair transplants of the head, DERMACLINIX also does eyebrow and beard transplants. 

Hair transplant involves taking healthy hair follicles from the patient’s scalp at the back of the head and ‘planting’ them in the recipient or the bald area of the scalp. The back of the head is considered a permanent donor area. Once the procedure is performed, the consultant doctor or expert will give post-transplant care directives based on the line of treatment. The person getting a transplant is advised to protect the transplanted area from trauma and exposure to dust and sunlight for a few weeks.

INTERNET VS REALITY ABOUT HAIRCARE…

With the current boom in social media, a lot of influencers are using it to market and promote a concept.  They promote a lot of Do-It-Yourself stuff for their followers to try at home. But it is very important to be aware that everything they say is not appropriate. Most of the stuff they say is twisted one way or the other. Most influencers are sponsored by the brands they advocate. So, there’s always a bias based on the brand they are promoting. So Dr Kumar advises anyone who follows these influencers to seek the advice of an expert in the relevant field to confirm whether or not that particular D.I.Y. product will be beneficial to them. 

The current market is saturated with products claiming unrealistic benefits for the consumers – organic shampoos, face packs, nutritional supplements, what not! So how can one can make a buying decision without damaging one’s skin and hair by trying them out? No matter what they claim, cleansers, shampoos, and oils cannot bring about any drastic changes to our hair or skin. If what every cream and shampoo maker out there claims is true, then there should be no human being on earth who is bald or has bad skin, right? When that’s not so, how can anyone believe all the advertisements selling amazing creams and shampoos? One should always consult an expert before experimenting. The truth is, most of these products lack clinical trials to check if they are effective and whether they have any side effects. Buy only those products whose effects/side-effects have been proven through scientific and clinical trials. 

THE ROOT OF HAIRCARE…

Since we were on the topic of skin and hair care, we wanted to find out more about taking care of our hair and how we could prevent hair loss. Dr Kumar feels that most people only think about the external appearance of their hair – how their hair must look, not how it should be. And so, they subject their hair to multiple cosmetic procedures during their lifetime – even setting the hair to fall in a certain way is a cosmetic shock for hair. So, procedures like heat and keratin treatments, smoothening, curling, perming, hair spas, and so on are always bad for our hair, even if you use the costliest product available in the market. The second thing we always tend to neglect is hair fall. The moment we feel that we are experiencing unusual hair fall, or are losing the normal texture and lustre of our hair, we should seek expert advice.

All hair loss is not the same – the causative triggers are very different. So, while certain forms of hair loss can be temporary and can be stopped with expert intervention, others cannot be stemmed. As to the factors that lead to hair loss – there are many reasons form genetic predisposition to baldness, nutritional deficiency, hormonal imbalance, stress, excessive cosmetic procedures, trauma, skin allergies and conditions, smoking, extreme dieting, etc. A proper investigation and deep-diving into the person’s lifestyle and medical/family history is essential before any treatment is suggested.

THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE OF DERMACLINIX…

Times have changed and the present market has become very competitive. In order to stay updated and in sync with industry trends and the latest technologies in their field, the team at Dermaclinix keeps learning to update themselves. They attend conferences, read and understand new research and discoveries from around the world, and try to bring in the latest available technologies into their clinics to benefit their customers. Apart from this, they also do a lot of research work at their facility. As their findings are scientifically-backed, with clinical evidence, they are able to get many of their studies published in acclaimed national and international journals.

One of the most unrealistic expectations of people who go in for a cosmetology procedure is that they have unrealistic expectations. They should realise that any procedure can only enhance their natural assets. It cannot completely change how they look and feel. Many young people undergo corrective procedures because they think looking good may get them a promotion, partner, etc. Dr Kumar says, “I always tell them, feeling great from within is the best thing, and looking good is secondary. Yes, looking good may bring a lot of attention your way, but if you think that changing the way you look will bring you, true love, rebuild a crumbling marriage, or bring back a straying partner, you’re wrong. I always – and I say this despite being in this profession – try to show people a mirror to their soul before putting a mirror before their face.”

Over the next 5 to 10 years the teams dream is to take DERMACLINIX to a level where it becomes synonymous for hair transplant. The plan is to expand the chain further, go pan India, and take the brand international. An announcement can be expected soon. 

Dr. Kumar says, “Once our brand is established nationally, we will launch products, too.  We already have clients from across the world be it US, UK, Canada, Poland, Germany and others.” 

With a dedicated team, state-of-the-art technology, established and forever acquiring client base, and successful results, Dermaclinix is on a sure shot track to top of the market.

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