On a sunny afternoon in June, a popular Telugu film actress walked into a four-storey building in Kukatpally Housing Board Colony, a plush neighbourhood of Hyderabad dotted with hospitals, dental clinics and salons. The actress, in her late 30s, was looking for a routine beauty-enhancing procedure and zeroed in on ‘Layers Skin and Hair Clinic’, located on the third floor of the building. Above the signage of the clinic was a reassuring name: ‘Prystyn Care – Simplifying Surgery Experience’.
But what began as a quest for self-care soon spiralled into a harrowing ordeal. She opted for Botox treatment, a procedure meant to smooth out wrinkles on her face and restore a youthful glow. However, within days, her once-radiant smile was replaced by an unexpected swelling that was painful too.
Overcome by distress and desperate for answers, she turned to the Telangana Medical Council (TGMC) for help. Her complaint led to an investigation that uncovered a shocking truth: the so-called dermatologist who had administered her the treatment had only a dental degree. The revelation was as painful as the botched procedure itself.
This wasn’t just a case of a treatment gone wrong; it was a blatant violation of trust and a breach of medical ethics. The TGMC wasted no time in taking decisive action, filing cases under Section 34 of the National Medical Commission (NMC) regulations and shutting down the clinic with immediate effect. “It has been nearly two months since the incident a.