Shefali Jariwala death: India's billion-dollar anti-ageing industry explained in numbers

India Today

2 days ago

On the night of June 27, Shefali Jariwala, best known as the 'Kaanta Laga Girl', collapsed in her Mumbai home and was declared dead just hours later at a hospital. She was only 42. While preliminary reports said a cardiac arrest caused her death, sources close to the investigation suggest a far more troubling reason: a cocktail of anti-ageing injections, allegedly self-administered while she was fasting.advertisementWhile a final autopsy report is yet to be published, her sudden, unexplained death has put a spotlight on India's fast-growing and largely unregulated anti-ageing industry, a booming market that promises youth but often comes with a risk.A billion-dollar obsessionYouth is no longer just a stage of life — it's increasingly becoming a commodity. Globally, the anti-ageing market was worth nearly $50 billion in 2024 and is expected to touch $80 billion by 2032, growing at a steady pace of six per cent annually. A big chunk of that growth is powered by injectables, particularly botulinum toxin, popularly known as Botox, which alone is expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 8.7 per cent.
In 2024, more than 7.9 million Botox procedures were performed worldwide, making it the most popular non-invasive cosmetic treatment on the planet. Close behind were hyaluronic acid fillers and laser hair removal, part of a growing range of treatments designed to smooth, tighten, and lift skin.advertisementFrom plasma-rich facials to peptide therapy and ultrasound-based skin tightening, the options for 'pausing' age are expanding rapidly.India's rapid rise in the cosmetic raceIndia is no longer on the fringes of this global beauty economy. According to the latest ISAPS Global Survey, India ranked among the top 10 countries globally for aesthetic/cosmetic procedures, trailing only global leaders like the US, Brazil, and Japan.Speaking to India Today, Dr Somesh Gupta, professor of dermatology and venereology at AIIMS, New Delhi, said that India's anti-ageing industry remains largely unregulated, and even where rules exist, they are rarely enforced on the ground.'Many individuals are offering these procedures purely as a source of easy income, often without medical training,' he said. 'Beauticians using lasers can cause serious harm, including skin burns.' Dr Gupta noted that patients are increasingly coming from across the country seeking help for hair loss, pigmentation, and early signs of ageing, making it one of the fastest-growing sectors in dermatology.He flagged the misuse of glutathione (the substance that Shefali Jariwala allegedly used), a compound not approved for skin-lightening or self-medication, warning that such unsupervised treatments could lead to severe adverse reactions. 'We've even seen fatalities during procedures like hair transplants,' he said.advertisementIn just one year, India saw a dramatic 25 per cent surge in total procedures, from 1.02 million in 2023 to 1.29 million in 2024. That's more than 3.4 per cent of all procedures performed globally. And India's ascent in cosmetic medicine isn't just about volume. The country now stands second globally in rhinoplasty and scar revision surgeries, popular with younger age groups, especially Gen-Z and millennials. India is also among the top five globally for procedures like chemical peels, liposuction, and skin tightening.In non-surgical procedures, hair removal was the top treatment in 2024, with more than 208,000 procedures in India — the highest in the world — followed by hyaluronic acid fillers (97,160 procedures), chemical peels (85,120), and Botox injections (76,720). Surgical procedures are also seeing significant traction. Scar revision topped the list with over 106,000 procedures, followed by liposuction (97,160) and rhinoplasty (67,760).'In aesthetics and anti-ageing, less is more,' said Dr Neha Taneja, an assistant professor of dermatology at AIIMS Delhi. 'Treatments should never be overdone. What's necessary must be carefully decided in consultation with a qualified dermatologist or plastic surgeon.'She noted that the most common procedures today include fillers, skin boosters, and microneedling, with patients often starting as early as ages 22–25. However, Dr Taneja warned that injectables and IV-based treatments, if taken in high concentrations or without supervision, could disrupt blood chemistry and, over time, impact vital organs like the liver and kidneys.advertisementGlobal patients, local surgeonsIndia is not just serving its own. It's becoming a global hub for medical tourism in aesthetics. Around eight per cent of all cosmetic surgery patients in India now come from abroad. According to ISAPS, the US, the UK, and Australia are the top countries of origin, a testament to India's growing number of plastic surgeons and significantly lower costs.India currently has around 2,800 plastic surgeons, representing 4.8 per cent of the global total, on par with South Korea, one of the world's most advanced beauty markets.India's anti-ageing industry is booming. But without caution, it can turn into a dangerous chase. The question isn't whether we can look younger. The question is: at what cost?'The industry is growing fast, but so is the demand for shortcuts, especially for things like overnight fairness. That's where the real risk lies,' warned Dr Taneja, stressing that consistency, not speed, was key to visible, long-term results.- EndsMust Watch