If you have noticed that the men in your life are starting to pay more attention to their appearance, you are not the only one. According to a major men’s magazine, males, on average, are spending twice as much money on grooming products today than they were in 2002. This study even shows that 32 percent of men are actually spending more than some of their female counterparts on beauty products. Many men, in quest of more dramatic aesthetic improvements, are seeking plastic surgery for a more permanent solution.
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 1.2 million men received cosmetic surgery procedures in 2004, a 20 percent increase in five years. According to studies, the popularity of minimally-invasive procedures, like Botox and chemical peels, for men has increased by more than 43 percent in the last five years. The men who seek these surgical aesthetic enhancements are not just those one might imagine would seek plastic surgery. Men of all walks of life, professions, and personal backgrounds are seeking cosmetic surgery more often than ever before.
The ASPS reports that rhinoplasty, hair transplants, eyelid surgery, liposuction, and breast reduction were the five most popular cosmetic surgery procedures for men in 2004. Surgeons say that many men seek surgical breast reduction for a condition called gynecomastia, which affects more than 30 percent of men in their lifetime. Older men often wish to rid themselves of their “gobbler neck” through a neck lift. Middle aged men often seek a reduction in the bags under their eyes or droopy eyelids. Many males also seek to reduce the appearance of protruding ears.
One unique concern for men who undergo plastic surgery is that they are not always able to conceal scars as women can with makeup and hair. Many surgeons alter the incision sites on men due to physical differences between a man and woman. For example, the incision used on a female face lift patient would interfere with a man’s sideburns and is therefore modified for optimum male plastic surgery results. Most men seek a procedure that will not leave behind any noticeable signs of cosmetic surgery.
Some men seek aesthetic enhancement because they recognize the benefits of a youthful look in the business world. Other men may have functional concerns about a certain area of their body that can be remedied through plastic surgery. Still others are simply dissatisfied with a certain body area and wish to enhance their physical features with cosmetic surgery.
Whatever the reason, cosmetic surgery has a lot to offer men and women alike.