Abstract
With immense pleasure and pride, I present the inaugural issue of the International Journal of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (IJAPS), the official publication of the Indian Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (IAAPS). The launch marks a landmark achievement for India, which has emerged as a dominant player in the global field of aesthetic plastic surgery. The aesthetic plastic surgery specialty is in a crucial phase, with a significant increase in procedures, dedicated professionals, technological advancements, and cross-border collaborations. Yet, the avenues for publication are far fewer and more expensive. I am delighted that, seizing this pivotal moment, we have taken the initiative to lead this publication at a global level with a gold open-access model, benefiting everyone.
The journal is thoughtfully titled, with a scope that extends to an international presence. The essence of this thought is evident in the cover page design, which is elegant, vibrant, visually harmonious, aesthetically refined, and pleasing to the eye.(Figure 1) It successfully balances the journal’s global appeal and strong Indian roots, ensuring a design that resonates with both international and regional audiences. I am particularly thankful to our publisher, the internationally reputed Sage Journals, for partnering with us on this venture.
International Journal of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Vol. 1 No.1
Last March at AESURG2024, I was tasked with initiating the process of a new journal. With year-long efforts and support from IAAPS, the journal officially launched this March at Ooty AESURG 2025.(Figure 2) The journal’s webpage is now live, featuring online first articles and the SageTrack submission portal 1 . The articles can be read easily with EPUB features, and article metrics, as well as citation links, are displayed on each article’s page. I am grateful to everyone who made this task possible, and I would like to express my sincere appreciation.
Launch of IJAPS at AUSURG 2025, March, Ooty by Dr S Raja Sabapathy, along with Dr James R Kanjoor, Dr Dinesh Kadam, Dr Rajat Gupta, Dr Shivaram Bhartwaj, Dr Raja Shanmugam, and Dr Kartik Ram.
The International Community of IAAPS
Since its establishment four decades ago, the IAAPS has grown by leaps and bounds, with over 1,200 plastic surgeons currently expanding at a rapid pace year after year. 2 The association’s scientific depth and diversity are highlighted by the current spread of the annual conference over five days, in addition to year-long academic courses. The activities of IAAPS have immense international collaborations and contributions. I am happy to emphasize, IAAPS is the first individual national society to finance and take this lead to initiate this publication for the global audience in aesthetics. The ISAPS symposium has been part of our meetings for over two decades, and faculty from around the globe have regularly participated in these academics. The association has collaborated with several countries in recent years, thanks to the collective efforts, networking and wisdom of IAAPS leadership. We currently have an official MoU with ten international Aesthetic Plastic surgery societies, including the American Society, British, German, Argentine, Malaysian, Emirates, Czech Republic, Singapore, Turkey and Russian. The objective of these partnerships is to facilitate scientific exchange and encourage participation in meetings at discounted rates, and create a dynamic platform for active interactions. The launch of IJAPS presents an ideal opportunity to enhance and strengthen our connections with international organizations, and to provide an accessible and interactive platform for scientific exchange and publication.
How is the IJAPS different?
Besides ISAPS’s official publication Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, there is no dedicated journal specifically for the speciality of aesthetic plastic surgery. The lacuna is striking and the scope is immense for another journal to fill this void. In a field like aesthetic plastic surgery—where rapid innovation, multidisciplinary collaboration, and evidence-based practice are crucial—access to scientific literature should not be restricted by paywalls or financial constraints. Further, many high-impact plastic surgery journals today require authors to pay Article Processing Charges (APC) or enforce subscription-based access, thereby limiting the reach of valuable research, especially for practitioners and researchers in developing countries. As the global academic publishing landscape is shifting towards open-access publishing, it is only natural to align with this trend. The IJAPS is committed to breaking these barriers by being a Gold Open Access journal (without APC or paywall access). This means that Authors worldwide, regardless of institutional or financial backing, can publish their work without financial burden. Readers, including plastic surgeons, researchers, academicians, and students, can freely access, download, and utilize published articles without subscription constraints. The widespread accessibility of research will facilitate a more inclusive and diverse global conversation on aesthetic plastic surgery. This publication has been fully supported by the association, which has achieved sustained financial growth and stability over decades.
India’s Rising Influence in Aesthetic Plastic Surgery
India’s legacy in plastic surgery is deeply rooted, dating back to Sushruta’s pioneering work in reconstructive surgery. 3 Indian aesthetic plastic surgery has witnessed an impressive rise in both volume and diversity of procedures, as recorded by the ISAPS’s survey published recently. 4 Over the past two decades, Indian plastic surgeons have made remarkable strides in aesthetic plastic surgery, gaining international recognition for their surgical expertise, innovative approaches, and contributions to global conferences, workshops, and training programs. However, while clinical excellence has reached global standards, our research output and scientific publications have not kept pace. It is imperative that we now focus on matching the depth and rigor of our publications with the quality of our clinical work. IJAPS aims to fill this void by providing a dedicated platform for Indian and international researchers to present high-quality, original research, novel surgical techniques, and expert perspectives that reflect the rapid advancements in the field. We will provide all necessary support to authors to ensure their manuscripts meet the desired standards.
The Road Ahead
Having recently completed my tenure as the Editor of the Indian Journal of Plastic Surgery (IJPS), I am acutely aware of the challenges and opportunities that come with leading a scientific journal. We will make every effort to achieve journal metrics and indexing as soon as possible. I am particularly delighted to receive so many worthy articles from across the globe for this inaugural issue. I am thankful to each of you for your contributions.
The IJAPS is born out of a vision that extends beyond publishing research; to cultivating a thriving community of young and experienced surgeons. With the active participation and contributions of plastic surgeons from India and worldwide, I am confident that IJAPS will achieve its excellence and establish a robust publication platform. We invite researchers, academicians, and clinicians to submit their best work, engage in scholarly discussions, and contribute to shaping the future of aesthetic plastic surgery literature.
Together, let us build a journal that reflects the excellence, innovation, and inclusivity that define our specialty. The era of unrestricted scientific dissemination has begun—welcome to the International Journal of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery!
Footnotes
Conflict of interest: none
None.