The first thing that you feel when you step into Dr. Batra’s clinic anywhere in India is “This Thing Is Going To Be Costly”. Though lately the Indian urban society has got accustomed to shopping in malls with vitrified floor tiles, glass facades, swank lighting and chick interiors which demand no extra charge on one’s daily use items but I guess it will take time for them not to think “The guy who has spent so much on looks of this space is going to charge a bomb from you” every time they step into such a building though the clinic in question is not that chic. And I am afraid that feeling is reconfirmed when you are leaving Dr. Batra’s clinic thinking did I actually pay this guy Rs.11000 just now.
Yeah that fee can be hard to swallow for people who are used to seeing homeopathic doctors practice in dark, dingy clinics in nondescript ancient apartment building and shopping arcades, and ask for a meager 50 Rs. for a week’s medicine. Probably that is the reason why DBPHC (Dr. Batra’s Positive Health Clinics) have mushroomed only in the metros where unlimited people are supposed to have unlimited money.
I went to DBPHC a month ago as I was losing hair at an alarming rate from last 2 months. Not that I had not had hair loss before and not panicked, but this time it was really bad. After deciding not to pop up Finpecia (only acclaimed drug for treating male pattern baldness but can lead to temporary side effects such as impotency) and applying Minoxidril (another only proven topical drug for regeneration of hair) for the rest of my life, and having applied all possible shampoos in the world to treat my dandruff (Himalaya, Head and Shoulders, Arcolane, Selsun, Seldan and Nizoral) I came to realize that nothing was actually working a bit. I even went to a local homeopathy doctor and tried her medicine for 2 weeks but nothing happened. So I decided to give Mr. Batra’s “Super Specialty” drugs a try.
I had been there more than 3 years ago for the same problem but that time the hair loss had miraculously stopped in a week when I left Pune and went home so I attributed the dreaded fall to Pune and wished I had opted for a job in Delhi rather than Pune. Anyways, I was directed to a doctor by the receptionist who recovered my file number on telling her my name in a second. I liked the fact that all my case history was there in their database and I didn’t have to wait a minute for the doctor. She was courteous and polite too. I narrated my problem to the doc who confirmed that it is exactly the same as I had in 2001. He examined my scalp and diagnosed me of having seborrhea or seborrheic dermatitis (which is excessive oil secretion of the sebaceous glands in the scalp region). He explained in length the causes and the treatment that he is going to give me. What can I expect from the treatment and how long would it take. He also took pictures of my scalp (for those before and after photos). I would not make a good candidate for those photos though since the thinning in my case is not too visible.
Now here came the bomb –
“it would be just 11000 Rs. for a treatment lasting 2 years”.
I gulped and thought of all the major purchases I had made that month and about the down payment of the new car I was just about to buy in a week.
“I don’t have that much cash with me right now”, I tried to look calm.
“No problem, we accept credit card as well”, he smiled back and added -
“I recommend you go in for a 2 year plan since hair problems do take that much time. Moreover 1 year is going to cost you Rs. 6500 which if paid twice will be more than the 2 year amount paid one time”.
“OK” I said.
I was trying to calculate the credit card bill for that month and it came roughly to Rs. 25000. I gulped again. I reminded myself of the way I looked when I had shaved my hair 2 years ago and decided that Rs. 11000 was nothing – nothing at all.
I was then directed to another doctor for “Ray treatment” and handed over some brochures talking about good hair care. Came back to the reception and was still not convinced for a 2 year plan and decided to pay for 1 year first. I was handed over 4 week’s medicine in blister packs and some topical lotion to apply. Praying that all that money would not go in vain I came back and stuck to the regimen told by the doctor religiously. I was also told to shampoo my hair with Dr. Batra’s anti-dandruff shampoo daily. I was myself surprised to see such quick results. Within 2 weeks my hair loss had come down by 30%. I still dreaded the comb however and the dandruff was still not going away. I revisited the doctor after two and he told me to continue with the medicine as it does take time to act sometimes.
I have an appointment again with the doctor today and I am elated with the results. The hair loss has come down by almost 75% and there is a 30% reduction in dandruff too. The rate at which my hair were going, I did not believe that anything could save me from balding. But the treatment has actually worked and I don’t think I still mind those Rs. 6500 anymore. I would be glad to go for a second year as well if I have to. I was surprised to see so many negative reviews about DBPHC. It confirms my belief that homeopathy does not suit everybody and it takes time to cure. Though costly and with doctors inclined to sell like businessmen, I would still recommend DBPHC purely due to my positive experience with them.
Edit after 45 days
My hair loss has stopped completely and the dandruff has come down by 70%. I am really happy with the results. I am using Dr. Batra’s shampoo too in compliment with the medicine and its nice to see all the shine and gloss come back to my hair after a long long time. The shampoo too is very good but the Dr. Batra’s conditioner is no use at all. Its of very cheap quality to abstain from it.
Also the doctor I went to last time didn’t give a feel that she was a doctor. Seemed to be a nurse from a local hospital. And they transferred my case to her without even informing me. Seems like they have a person for the first meeting who ’’looks and talks like a doctor’’ to attract people to pay up annual charges and once they are in they will transfer you to the second/third grade ones.