A few years ago it was just in its infancy, now it’s a reality: aesthetic surgery and medicine are not just for women… Men are increasingly partial to preventive treatments or treatments to preserve a younger appearance for longer. Who are these men and what are their motivations? Which treatments do they prefer?
Aesthetic surgery for men: a realization
It is estimated that the proportion of men having undergone aesthetic surgery has increased from 5% to around 15% in 20 years, even though the figures are not very accurate. As in the field of cosmetics and the advent of « metrosexual » men – men who take care of themselves and their skin and do not hesitate to use creams and serums – aesthetic surgery is heading in the same direction.
More and more men – irrespective of sexual orientation – are now making appointments for injection sessions or surgery such as blepharoplasty (surgery of droopy eyelids), liposuction, or gynecomastia (excess mammary gland in men).
This can be explained on the one hand by the increase in life expectancy and the need for men to convey a younger, more efficient image, and on the other hand by the democratization of aesthetic surgery, which is no longer exclusively for an elite few and concerns all socio-professional categories, as well as its ‘natural’ positioning.
Men and aesthetic surgery: who are they?
This trend for aesthetic surgery for men concerns all socio-professional categories but according to recent studies demands concern many businessmen, or in any case those in contact with the public. These men notably wish to preserve a young but above all dynamic appearance, in shape, and not tired.
Young men are now also requesting aesthetic procedures, especially non-invasive treatments (without surgery), from around the age of thirty to help forestall the aging process and also to look more handsome.
Men and aesthetic surgery: why do they consult?
The main motivation of men when they wish to undergo aesthetic surgery is the same as for women: to take care of their appearance. For women, the process focuses more on « beauty »; it is a question of looking good for themselves or attractive in general, whereas men express it differently during the consultation. For them, it means looking fitter, dynamic, and being « in the race ». Looking tired seems to be their number-one enemy! And at this time of productivity, in a world where everything is happening so fast but there are only 24 hours in a day, it is not always easy to look great.
Another motive for consultation is linked to the tendency to store rebellious fat around the tummy and love handles which, unfortunately, spares neither men nor women despite a balanced diet and regular physical exercise.
Finally, men also consult about an issue that affects nearly 10 million in France: baldness.
Which aesthetic procedures are most commonly requested by men?
Looking less tired, Botox and eyelid surgery are very popular! Indeed, like women, men wish to have Botox injections in the forehead, between the eyebrows, and for the crow’s feet wrinkles for a fresher appearance and wider eyes.
To rectify droopy eyelids that darken and close the eyes, they opt for a blepharoplasty, a common procedure that requires considerable know-how and precision.
Regarding the silhouette, men do not hesitate to undergo liposuction around the abdomen and love handles to recover a well-balanced physique. Some men also consult because they have overdeveloped mammary glands, also known as gynecomastia. A surgical procedure is an effective and definitive solution.
A natural but above all inconspicuous result!
Women are looking for a natural result, but men are even more so! So it is necessary to be even more vigilant. The procedure must be carefully thought through, and whether it is medical or surgical it must remain minor and ultra discreet: above all, it must not change the face or the expressions. The doses of botulinum toxin must relax and not paralyze, and if we do hyaluronic acid injections, the target areas must not make the face rounder and more feminine.
Regarding liposuction or gynecomastia, the progress made in the field enables natural results to be obtained without leaving any visible scars as the incisions are very fine and often made in the natural folds of the skin.
In any case, even if men are increasingly open-minded about these rejuvenation or anti-aging techniques, they remain relatively guarded on the issue. Mentalities are changing albeit slowly and the subject is still a bit taboo, which is one of the reasons that also explains why men do not wish the procedures they undergo to be visible or known.
Choose your surgeon well
For all these reasons, finding a serious, qualified surgeon who is used to treating men is essential to ensure a successful outcome that is natural and in no way doctored. After a detailed clinical examination, a good surgeon will be able to advise you on the different options available and guide you through your project whether it is aesthetic surgery or an in-office aesthetic medicine procedure.