Kollam: The Punalur taluk hospital, which has set a benchmark among public sector hospitals in the State with its range of services competing with premium private hospitals, has taken a new leap in cosmetology. It is all set to provide as many as 40 advanced cosmetology procedures including skin platelet rich plasma administration, follicle transplantation, squint correction, and dental jewellery.
The cosmetology department offers treatment for ‘Vitiligo’ with advanced ‘Cryotherapy’ using liquid nitrogen. The private sector charges nearly Rs 50,000 for this. Skin scars including keloids and removing tattooes can also be done using this method. Punch grafting is another advanced treatment for vitiligo in which the skin is taken from other parts to graft on the affected skin.
“The public is now more aware of various treatments available for their cosmetic problems. People even of higher age groups approach for hairfall treatment and reversal of age-related issues of the skin,” Dr. Anju S. Nair, dermatologist with the hospital told DC.
The platelet rich plasma (prp) administration technique at the hospital is an advanced treatment for hair loss in which the blood particles of the person are separated and administered subcutaneously, stimulating hair growth. The procedure would cost nearly Rs 15,000 in the private sector.
Follicle transplant for the treatment of hair loss is another expensive treatment offered by this Government hospital. The treatment in which hair follicles are transplanted to the affected area would cost nearly Rs 4 lakhs in private centres. “This treatment takes a lot of time, even upto 8 hours of precise procedure. Private sector institutions charge heavily as the equipment is also expensive. Here, we have decided to fix a nominal rate for the therapy, just the expnse for the procedure which is almost free,” Dr. Anju said.
The hospital is also equipped with ‘electro cautery’ to treat warts and moles on the skin. A ‘diode laser’ treatment is available for women who are concerned about their facial hair. ‘Chemical peeling’ procedure removes black marks while ‘micro dermabrasion’ improves the appearance of the skin by removing pimple scars and uneven texture.
“We have installed advanced machines to support the cosmetology department. The money has been found from the hospital income itself, not by getting funds from outside. We could achieve this through our dedicated work for the maximum utilisation of our resources,” Dr. R. Shahirsha, the superintendent of the hospital told DC.
