Plastic surgery is a thing for guys these days, believe it or not. Here’s what you need to know and why it’s become so popular.
The Statistics
According to the 2014 cosmetic surgery statistics, procedures for men are up 43 percent over a five year period. Plastic surgeons, like KR Plastic Surgery used to specialize in female operations, but the demand from men is clearly on the rise.
In a study published in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal, the average age of men getting plastic surgery is 45 years. The study also broke down nonsurgical and surgical procedures. It showed that men between ages 30 and 40 mostly get nonsurgical procedures like injectables, fillers, facials, and nonsurgical fat reduction. Surgical procedures are mostly done on men between 50 and 70 and include face lifts, eyelid lifts, and nonsurgical body contouring and facial rejuvenation procedures.
Types Of Procedures Being Done
The most popular type of procedures men get include Botox, nose reshaping, hair transplantation, and liposuction.
Botox treatments increased some 233 percent from 2000 to 2005. Doctors today are even more skilled with the practice, so patients who get injections don’t have the classic “frozen look” on their faces.
Liposuction went up 10 percent during the same time period, with a typical male requesting fat removal from the lower back, upper flanks, and abdomen – the “spare tire.” Fat removal under the chin is another popular procedure.
But, niche surgery also exists for men. Some of the weirder bits include chinplants, which promise weak-chinned men the chance to look like a Disney hero. From 2013, chinplants were up 71 percent. The process involves inserting a silicone implant in front of the chin.
Limb-lengthening is another operation many men are getting. Considered a vanity procedure, the physical height of a man can be altered up to 2 to 3 inches.
For men who want abs, but can’t seem to lose the weight, there’s abdominal etching. The procedure lilosucks the fat covering your abs so that you can finally have that beach bod you’ve always dreamed about.
Reasons Why Men Watch Plastic Surgery
Here’s where things get interesting. Many men want to re-enter the workforce. But, there’s a problem – they’re old. Really old. They can’t compete with a younger version of themselves.
So, they get surgery to compete physically. No, you can’t withhold your age in an interview, and lying about it will almost certainly get you fired. But, if you look like you could go another 20 years, you might just edge out someone with less experience and fewer birthdays under their belt.
The cosmetic surgery that many men go after for that younger look is either Botox or lower eyelid surgery.
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, more than 30,000 of these procedures were done on men in 2010, this represented an increase from 2009. And, today, that trend is still on an upward trajectory.
Looking younger isn’t usually a vanity thing for men. It’s a matter of survival. Men are the victims of two-thirds of the 11 million jobs lost since 2007, according to Newsweek. And, when there is a shrinking market, and more young bloods rising to working age, there’s a problem. The younger “alpha males” are trying to display dominance in the workplace, but the old guard doesn’t want to, and isn’t ready to, give up just yet.
A lot of older men think that to stay competitive in the workplace, they need to look younger. That’s going to drive demand for plastic surgery for men for years to come.
Sometimes, men want a more refined nose to help them look like a younger, more hip, version of themselves. This procedure, called rhinoplasty, is one of the most popular cosmetic surgery options for both men and women.
Major weight loss leaves flaps of skin for some men – especially if the weight loss was sudden. When this happens, many men turn to a plastic surgeon to fix the problem. Post weight-loss issues can usually be solved in an uncomplicated manner using this procedure but success often hinges on how well plans are made in advance.
Men who typically undergo this procedure have received a previous gastric bypass surgery for rapid weight loss. They’re now in the position of having to plan out a plastic surgery consult for the baggy skin that’s usually left around their chest and abs.
Hair restoration is another popular surgery. More than 13,000 men a year elect to receive it, and by age 35, almost 2/3rds of men will experience some degree of appreciable hair loss. By age 50, nearly 85 percent of men have significant thinning of their hair, meaning that the market will probably only grow for this procedure.
Dr Kevin Ruhge is an experienced and respected Aesthetic Plastic Surgeon. He is committed to patient care and enjoys the chance to share his views and insights online. He has already written a number of posts relating to cosmetic surgery of the breast, body and face.