Who makes up a major part of your medical tourism clientele?
We see a lot of patients coming from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Nigeria and Kenya. Recently we are seeing many patients from different parts of Europe too. We do not have exact figures but we can say that many of them approach us for all the services we provide here at Cocoona, which include cosmetic surgery, dermatological treatment, dental treatment, reconstruction work to correct deformities, liposuction, body contouring, hair transplants and much more. Women patients are more than men but there has been a steady increase in men seeking aesthetic enhancement, especially hair transplants and Botox injections.
Why did you set up Cocoona and when?
The concept for Cocoona came up when I was working as a plastic surgeon in Dubai in 2008. We wanted to create an environment that was comfortable, safe, secure and private for people who were looking for aesthetic improvement. So we named it Cocoona from the word cocoon where a larva develops into a beautiful butterfly. We want to provide our patients a protected and caring journey to perfection.
We are meeting our objectives by focusing on our three pillars — quality, safety and service.
What is the most sought-after plastic surgery in Dubai among residents and visitors?
The most common and sought-after treatments are non-invasive procedures such as botulinum injections, fillers to reduce wrinkles, non-surgical facelift and so on. But among surgeries we perform liposuction to get six-pack abs, breast surgery for reshaping, augmentation, reduction and reconstruction followed by rhinoplasty, facelifts and hair transplants. We are the only ones in Dubai to offer the Artas robotic transplant system/ technology, which is attracting [a higher] number of patients to Cocoona.
The team at Cocoona includes the best specialists and consultants in their field of expertise. We have a highly experienced support team to assist them and a good safety assurance programme for our patients to ensure their safety and care during recovery. In addition Cocoona provides a comfortable, homely personal experience for each patient.
What’s your take on the rules and regulations in place here concerning aesthetic surgery?
Congratulations to Dubai Health Authority for the rules and regulations that have helped us set a standard on a par with the best in the world. More can be done to unify standards across the UAE and prevent unethical marketing practices. Also it would be good if there could be a differentiation between our type of service and other standard medical practices.
Are you confident that the kind of service you provide will be a major contributor to making Dubai a preferred medical tourism destination by 2020?
We are fully confident about that. We expect Dubai to become the Beverly Hills of the Middle East for aesthetic surgery.
