Exploring Health Concerns and Treatments

Society puts a lot of pressure on women to appear younger than their years, and because of that the cosmetic surgery profession has boomed in the past few decades. However, men are not immune to societal pressure; in fact, they may even feel it more keenly than women. Because they cannot manipulate their appearances through makeup, clothing, and creative hair styles, men have fewer options than women for appearing younger than their years. For this reason, it seems, men are beginning to turn to the world of cosmetic surgery.

Statistics

Statistics on the number of men receiving cosmetic adjustments were not even collected until 1997.  Once data gathering began, it became apparent that men are now in the cosmetic surgery race to stay. Here are some of the findings:

• From 1997 to 2015, the number of cosmetic procedures performed on men has increased 273 percent.

• Out of a total of nearly 14.5 million cosmetic procedures performed in 2013, over 1.2 million were performed on men.

• The greatest increase in male patients comes in the over-55 group.

Services

What procedures bring men flocking to cosmetic surgeons? Men are choosing more noninvasive than surgical procedures, perhaps because they want to reduce the amount of time required for recovery.

Noninvasive procedures allow for more youthful looking skin without the dramatic appearance changes produced by surgery. The top five procedures for men in 2013 were

1. Botox injections

2. Laser hair removal

3. Microdermabrasion (to exfoliate the skin surface)

4. Soft tissue fillers ("pump up" wrinkles to reduce the appearance of age)

5. Chemical peels (smooth skin by removing damaged layers)

Surgical procedures require time off from work for the body to heal. Bruising, bleeding, and drainage are all common to recovery, although these are often minimal. The top five surgical choices for men in 2013 were

1. Rhinoplasty (nose reshaping)

2. Eyelid surgery (to prevent drooping, tired eyes)

3. Liposuction

4. Breast reduction (to eliminate "man boobs")

5. Facelift

Facelifts offer men an all-over way to reduce wrinkles and tighten the skin of their faces and necks. However, there are several considerations when it comes to doing facelifts on men. For instance:

• Incisions for men's facelifts are often made inside the ears to prevent facial scars.

• Men's skin is harder to work with than women's skin, because it contains stronger ligamental supports. One surgeon likens a man's facelift to "drilling through rock."

• Men also have more vascular skin than women, which means special care must be taken to avoid excessive postoperative bleeding and bruising.

• Surgeons must be careful to prevent a shift in the sideburn line; after all, no man wants sideburns growing over his ears!

• Lastly, after surgery men need to monitor their blood pressure, even taking high blood pressure medication briefly if necessary.

Societal shift

Most men seek cosmetic adjustments because they want to appear more youthful than their years and, therefore, more competitive in their careers. They cite age reversal as integral to being perceived as strong and competent in the workplace. Even so, many surgeons recommend some face wrinkles be left intact to give the appearance of wisdom and experience. One doctor calls this effect the "Forbes facelift."

Clearly, men are becoming less inhibited than they were in previous years about taking care of their skin. It can only be expected that the number of cosmetic procedures involving men will increase in the near future.

If you are a man who is less than satisfied when you look in the mirror, consider scheduling a consultation with a cosmetic surgeon or visit http://www.myplasticsurgerygroup.com for more information. You may opt for a few simple Botox injections, or you may choose a facelift--which just might give your career and personal life the same.