Healthcare/Biotech

Pre Implantation Genetic Testing - A boon for couples with genetic issues. Most patients undergoing IVF will read around the subject and from time to time we get enquries about Pre-implantation Genetic testing (PGT). PGT includes 2 procedures, viz. PGS - Preimplantation Genetic Screening and PGD - Preimplantation Genetic diagnosis. These terms are used interchangeably but they are actually different procedures. We at Cocoon Fertility recently introduced the PGD-PGS services at our Thane facility and this was inaugurated by our brand ambassador Soha Ali Khan Pataudi. This article aims to explain this advance of science. Preimplantation genetic testing is a method of identifying a genetic defect in an embryo before it is implanted back in the womb at embryo transfer. This helps us separate embryos with a known or suspected, gene problem (PGD) or abnormal number of chromosomes (PGS) from the normal ones. Transferring back a PGT selected healthy embryo increases the chances of having a healthy baby. To be able to do PGT a cell is removed from the embryo in a process called 'embryo biopsy'. During an embryo biopsy typically about 3-8 cells are removed from each day 5 embryo (a blastocyst), and are sent for testing for PGS or PGD as required in that particular case. The embryo is usually frozen and implanted later as the test results take a few weeks to come back. " We have recently procured the latest in IVF lasers the Hamilton Thorne - Lykos, this is a fantastic addition to our state of art IVF lab. Embryo biopsies can now be done with greater precision" said Dr Rajalaxmi Walavalkar, IVF Consultant at Cocoon Fertility. What is PGD - preimplantation genetic diagnosis? PGD is used when dealing with couples with a family history of a serious or deadly disease who worry about passing it on to their offspring. It is generally recommended in cases of single gene disorders, like breast cancer, sickle cell anemia, cystic fibrosis etc. Dr Anagha Karkhanis, IVF Counsultant at Cocoon Fertility added "PGD can be used to identify over 1,500 inherited single gene disorders and is 98 percent accurate identifying affected and unaffected embryos." What is PGS or preimplantation genetic screening? PGS checks whether the cells in an embryo contain the normal number of chromosomes, which is 46. The embryo is usually biopsied on day 5 (blastocyst stage). Embryos with a normal number of chromosomes are "euploid" and those with an abnormal number are "aneuploid." PGS allows for a embryo with normal chromosomes to be transferred into the uterus. Risk of aneuploid embryos increases with the age of the woman. An abnormal embryo is almost always likely to fail to give a healthy pregnancy. The risks of miscarriage, fetal death later in pregnancy, stillbirth or a baby with abnormalities are all raised in aneuploid embryos. PGS also helps in severe male factor infertility and in couples with previous recurrent miscarriages. PGT cannot be offered as blanket treatment for all. Certain genetic abnormalities can manifest at a later stage of development. A genetic condition called mosaicism may exist. Mosaicism is when abnormal cells may coexist in an otherwise normal embryo and vice versa leading to test results that do not accurately reflect the chromosome status of the embryo. A critical analysis of the case is needed before PGT can be undertaken. One also needs to consider that, in theory, the embryo biopsy and freezing may cause embryo damage, though in experienced hands this risk is low. In its' report on PGT the ASRM ( American Society of Reproductive medicine says, "No single test, however, can accurately predict the risk of all defects in a child, and many birth defects, such as those related to environmental and toxic exposures and those that are random and unexplained, are not genetically based and may not be detected with genetic screening." Before you finally decide to go ahead with PGT there is one other factor that you must consider. PGT does not replace prenatal testing. PGT allows for diagnosis before implantation. "Prenatal testing is a part of standard routine pregnancy care and is recommended despite the fact that PGT had been done." , explained Dr Rajalaxmi Walavalkar. Prenatal testing like Nuchal Translucency scan, chorionic villus sampling or amniocentesis reconfirms the diagnosis where diagnosis remains uncertain. Dr Anagha Karkhanis, added "It is also important to understand that PGT is not and cannot be used for sex selection or family balancing". Pre-natal sex selection is a punishable offence. PGD is indeed a boon for couples faced with risk of genetic diseases in their offspring. If you feel you are the right candidate for PGT, meet up with the expert and understand the procedure before going ahead. Cocoon Fertility - +912271237070 Email - info@cocoonfertility.com Website - http://www.cocoonfertility.com Cocoon Fertility Branches- Thane, Versova, Dadar, Santacruz, Pune.

Looking younger and ageless have been every woman's dream; and will continue to be. In the medieval times, there was a lot of physical work expected from women, and this would ensure they stayed fit and active. Today, however, technology has made us sedentary. It has also hooked us to post pictures of our every waking moment on social media - and hence looking ageless and picture perfect, has become a constant obsession. Somehow, the camera lens does not lie. It shows you the pigmentation on your face, patches of different colour, the fine lines and basically everything you wish weren't there! And so you add that filter on your app that magically takes the minor imperfections away. Here's the good news- there is actually a better way to look younger; and that app doesn't have to become your best friend. All it takes is 15 minutes. Dr. Tvacha Clinic offers a wide range of non-invasive, laser -based treatments to rejuvenate your skin. These offerings are relevant across age groups. Here are four types of 15 minutes rejuvenation treatments that take years off your face. Anti-aging Lasers: Lasers are immensely useful to remove patches and pigmentation with incredible accuracy. A standard skin rejuvenation treatment takes the stress away from your face. A 20 minute sellas laser can help brighten your complexion. The intragen laser can target sagging underarms. Another classic lunchtime procedure is the Q-switched Nd-Yag Laser treatment. It is an effective treatment for the whole face, elbows, ankles, knees, feet, back and hands. It takes 10-15 minutes to do the face, there's no downtime and it is very safe when done by a trained professional. This treatment lightens facial hair, pigmentation marks and freckles and makes your skin glow. Botox: Botox injections are popularly called youth-keeping injections. One of the most popular cosmetic treatments in the world, countless celebrities swear by these miracle youth-keepers. It is a prescription medicine, which implies that it is approved medically. It is injected into muscles and used to temporarily improve the look of moderate to severe forehead lines, crow's feet lines, and frown lines between the eyebrows in adults. It is natural, safe and does not create any problems when done under the supervision of an expert cosmetologist. Fillers: There are six common types of fillers that are used to take the age away. Those that are injected in the under-eye region, naso-labial line, jaw shaping and marionette line (lines than run from the mouth to the chin) filler lasts about a year, whereas the cheek volumising and chin-shaping fillers last for about 1.5 years. Vitamin infusions & Peels: Superficial, Medium and Deep Peels: The only way to look truly young and beautiful is to be that way. Vitamin infusions restore the balance in your skin and make it supple and healthy. Peels can often be used for micro delivery of nutrients and invigorate the skin from within. It is very important for a cosmetologist to guide these infusions and peels for you, after a thorough understanding of your skin. Dr .Amit Karkhanis, Founder of Dr Tvacha Clinic shares that the most important thing to remember with beauty is that make up is temporary but the benefits of healthy skin; coupled with the right treatments at the right age; can be permanent. Good habits like sleeping well, a good healthy diet away from smoking and alcohol, a walk in the park, developing a good hobby that keeps you positively occupied and the love of friends and family are irreplaceable ingredients in your quest for a youthful life. Add a touch of science to your life, and with the right treatments, you can be prepared to receive many compliments; all in 15 minutes of work. Dr. Tvacha is India's no. 1 laser technology clinic for skin and hair treatments. For further details call on 022-7123 7000 or send an e-mail to info@drtvacha.com

Possible to avoid genetic defects in IVF with PGD technology at Cocoon Fertility Brand ambassador Soha Ali Khan took a tour of Cocoon Fertility's clinical and laboratory facilities in Thane. She also posed with babies conceived through assisted reproductive technologies, at Cocoon Fertility, along with its doctors Dr Anagha Karkhanis and Dr Rajalaxmi Walavalkar. Cocoon Fertility was incepted in 2013, with the promise of a safe, truthful, ethical and empathetic experience for to-be parents. It offers a complete range of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) services, all under one roof. This includes In Vitro Fertilizaton (IVF), Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI), Embryo Freezing (Vitrification) and Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET), PICSI (Physiological Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection), Intra Uterine Insemination (IUI), and male procedures like PESA/ TESA, to name a few. Soha Ali Khan was thoroughly impressed with the range of equipment and state-of-the-art technologies available, to help couples who are denied natural parenthood. She said, "This is my first visit to any fertility lab. I am happy to know that couples facing infertility issues have so many options today; thanks to responsible IVF centres like Cocoon Fertility. I was also happy to note that, Dr Anagha, Dr Rajalaxmi and I share a common educational background in the UK. Its a rigorous training ground and prepares you well for challenges ahead." Dr Rajalaxmi Walavalkar, Consultant, IVF and Reproductive Surgery at Cocoon Fertility added, "We are especially excited today. We are happy to announce the start of Pre-Implantation Genetic Services at our Thane Centre. Our lab here is now fully licensed for offering PGD / PGS services in Thane. This offers complete range of solutions for couples wanting to avoid genetic disease in their offspring and for couples who have had recurrent miscarriages and IVF failures.We are also delighted to introduce Lykos IVF laser at our centre to help in PGD-PGS." Preimplantation genetic testing is a technique used to identify genetic defects in embryos created through in vitro fertilization (IVF) before pregnancy. Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) refers specifically to when one parent or both, has a known genetic abnormality and testing is performed on an embryo to determine if it also carries a genetic abnormality. Dr Anagha Karkhanis, Director of Cocoon Fertility added, "PGD begins with the normal process of IVF that includes egg retrieval and fertilization with sperm in a laboratory. Over the next three days the embryo will divide into eight cells. First, one or two cells are removed from the embryo. The cells are then evaluated to determine if the inheritance of a problematic gene is present in the embryo.Once the PGD procedure has been performed and embryos free of genetic problems have been identified, the embryo will be placed back in the uterus, and implantation will be attempted," explained Dr Anagha Karkhanis." With this new technology, women aged 35 and over, carriers of sex-linked genetic disorders, carriers of single gene disorders, those with known chromosomal disorders, women experiencing recurring pregnancy loss and women with recurrent failed fertility treatment can benefit. Cocoon Fertility Centres will be coming soon to Versova, Vashi as well as Kochi and Pune. Cocoon Fertility - +912271237070 Email - info@cocoonfertility.com Website - http://www.cocoonfertility.com Cocoon Fertility Branches- Thane, Dadar, Santacruz.

We all know how wrinkles around the eyes is a sure sign of aging. However, what we may not know is that our lips are among the first to lose their volume and definition over time and in most cases, are the first to show signs of ageing. It is really critical to not take lip care for granted; premature ageing and thinning of the lips, make you look way older than you biological age. So why do your lips start ageing? 1. Localised collagen depletion: Collagen is the building block of the skin. Think of it as an armour that protects the skin against possible signs of ageing. Critically so, collagen serves as one of the most important elements in determining lip health because it provides the base for elastin and hyaluronic acid- both of which are exceptionally vital to maintain the structure, shape and suppleness of the lips. The loss of collagen can cause a loss in volume and also a loss in elasticity of the lips. Creases and fine lines start appearing around the mouth, and the prominent signs of ageing. 2. Sun exposure: Since the lips are very delicate, they can be easily vulnerable to the harmful UV rays of the sun. 3. Smoking: We are aware how cigarettes can be detrimental to our health. Like internal health, cigarettes can also affect the lips in an irreversible way. The toxins in cigarettes can result in development of coarse fine lines and deepened wrinkles around the mouth. The nicotine and tar sticks to the lips and causes discolouration. 4. Lack of moisturisation: The skin of the lip, with three to five cellular layers, is very thin compared to typical face skin, which has up to 16 layers. They have a very thin stratum corneum and hence are softer and more vulnerable. Keeping the lips hydrated and moisturised therefore is extremely critical. 5. Constant licking of your lips: We lick our dry lips to add some moisture, but it actually dries them out even more. Your saliva contains acids that break down food, but they also irritate your lips. Plus, continuously licking will remove any natural oils you have on your lips. Now that we have established why lips age, and how we need to take care of them, let us look suitable steps to prevent the aging of our lips; especially non invasive techniques that can be used by women over the age of 35. Dr Amit Karkhanis of Dr Tvacha clinic says "Lip fillers, also known as Hyaluronic Acid fillers have become increasingly popular in India because of the fact that they can work magically to improve the shape, volume and structure. Once injected, the gel in the fillers supports and shapes the tissues of the lips. Both men and women can try it anytime." One of the most outstanding benefits of these fillers is that the amount of substance injected can be manoeuvred and the cosmetologist has control of how much lip volume needs to be created. Also, this can be safely repeated after a year or 18 months, as needed. Fillers are usually priced per syringe injected. The cost will depend on how much material is required and most people don't need more than one to two syringes. This is a totally non-invasive procedure. Dr. Tvacha is India's no. 1 laser technology clinic for skin and hair treatments. For further details call on 022-7123 7000 or send an e-mail to info@drtvacha.com

Majority of the Indian population, used to accept baldness as a natural phenomenon and live with it compromising on their dreams and outlook. Was even resulting into being misled by Quacks and botched up procedures. This was primarily due to lack of availability of those international standards and technology on which they could believe without a doubt in their mind. People used to save fund so as to accumulate enough for getting the same done from abroad, which for most Indians, until a few years ago, was just a tough dream. Studies and statistics have shown that in India, males are now facing baldness issues as early in their 20s now. This is undoubtedly an alarming sign! As the demand for more affordable hair transplant surgery continues to grow, it is not surprising to know that the Team of Doctors in India - Dr Arika Bansal, Dr Pradeep Sethi, Dr Sarita Sanke and Dr Abhinav Kumar, with their clinical expertise and world-recognized Technique for Hair Transplant - the DHT® technique, have now made it possible for patients within India and overseas to come and avail world-class treatment. With their International Standard Infrastructure coupled with strict protocols for Safety and Quality, they aim to create a Baldness-free India. Their DHT technique has brought a revolution in the concept of hair transplant across the globe. Now it is the most sought after technique and is being appreciated by Top Surgeons worldwide. Encouraged with this feedback, they decided to only focus upon HAIR RESTORATION SERVICES. With their clinical associations and accreditations from the biggest and the greatest authorities globally, they have been training other Doctors, at both national and international symposiums & workshops, on their Technique. In a very short span of time, Eugenix Hair Sciences has become the most preferred name amongst Hair Transplants in India. Their Mumbai centre is gaining popularity and you will see patients coming in from significant backgrounds and status, coming and availing treatments from the Hair Experts! With an aim to disseminate their learnings and knowledge to other surgeons and the budding medical students, they have recently launched their book " Step by Step Hair Transplantation". And yes, it was keenly waited amongst those associated with the Hair Transplant world. This book is written with noble intention to teach young and experienced dermatologist, the finer skills of FUE and DHT technique of hair transplantation. It has immense scientific illustrations with practical tips, for neophyte as well as veteran surgeons, that demonstrates, reinforces, and expands on clinical aspects. Besides the Doctor Duo (Dr Pradeep Sethi and Dr Arika Bansal), it also authored by Dr Abhinav Kumar and Dr Sarita Sanke. Is enriched by scientific references and recommendations provided by more than 10 international stalwarts in the field and represents the fastest growing segment in the hair-restoration field in terms of ethics, terminology, techniques, quality, and patient candidacy. All of the authors have entered the field of hair restoration surgery (HRS) within the past ten years and so what they present is truly a 21st century view of the field. The book is comprehensive and begins with the all- important topics of patient evaluation, preoperative planning, and pre-, intra, and post-operative care. The authors outline underlying principles and practical tips in design elements for the hairline, temples, and crown. They have focused their surgical approach on Follicular Unit Excision (FUE) which has emerged as a dominant, if not preferred, technique of harvesting grafts for transplantation. They present a thorough discussion of details in the techniques required to excise high quality grafts, to extract the grafts and handle them while out of body and during placement to achieve optimal outcomes. So, Hair Worries shall now be all gone! As a bonus the authors have added chapters on beard harvesting and transplantation, eyebrow transplantation, eyelash reconstruction, as well as the unique aspects of treating women with hair loss. In addition, they present a well-conceived and executed approach to the difficult cases of those requiring corrective surgery and to the causes, prevention, and management of surgical complications. "I have been a hair restoration surgeon for over 25 years and as a clinician I know how hard it is to work on professional papers and textbooks in the midst of keeping up with a busy practice. But Drs Sethi, Bansal, Kumar, and Sanke deserve high praise for their accomplishment in writing this guide. Who better than clinical practitioners to create a step by step guide that is indeed practical and useful to other doctors including beginners and experienced surgeons. My congratulations to the authors and my welcome to you fortunate readers." Says Robert H True, Md, MPH Fellow and past Scientific Chair of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery, Diplomate and Past President - American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery, Editor Emeritus Hair Transplant Forum International