With statistics showing a dramatic increase in the number of male cosmetic surgery procedures last year, more plastic surgeons are talking about the great cultural shift that has brought more men to their clinics.
Today, many men are entering the world of Botox, facelifts, and tummy tucks for the very first time.
Since 1997 (when hair transplants were the top cosmetic surgery for men) the number of male patients has skyrocketed by 88 percent. Liposuction is now the most popular cosmetic surgery among American men, along with rhinoplasty, breast reduction, and otoplasty. Botox and other non-surgical alternatives are also very popular.
According to Dr. Bruce Genter, a cosmetic surgeon from Pennsylvania, male patients have different needs to consider. They have less hair and typically don’t wear makeup, which presents unique challenges when concealing scars. Sideburns must be kept in place during facelifts. Liposuction incisions on the body must be small because men often go entirely shirtless.
These changes reflect a deeper shift in how men in the 21st century understand themselves. These statistics and stories, as well as the new abundance of male skin care and other beauty lines, indicate that men are more willing to take account of their appearance and make changes without worrying about what others might think. Cosmetic surgery is no longer a women’s domain.
Crunching the Numbers: What Procedures are Growing in Popularity?
Statistics released by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) a few months ago indicate that the number of American men who had cosmetic procedures in 2010 was 2 percent greater than in 2009. With more than 1.1 million procedures performed on men in 2010, this means an increase of more than 20,000 procedures in the last year alone.
According to the ASPS, these were the top 10 procedures that increased in popularity among men:
- facelift (14% increase)
- ear surgery (11% increase)
- soft tissue fillers (10% increase)
- botulinum toxin type a (9% increase)
- liposuction (7% increase)
- breast reduction (6% increase)
- eyelid surgery (4% increase)
- dermabrasion (4% increase)
- laser hair removal (4% increase)
- laser treatment of leg veins (4% increase)
