Men: Want to look younger than your coworkers?
Think plastic surgery is just for women? Think again. In 2008, 863,748 surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures were performed on men in the U.S., according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
- The most popular men’s surgical procedures are liposuction, nose reshaping, eyelid surgery and male breast reduction.
- Botox, with 225,099 treatments given to U.S. men in 2008, is by far the most popular non-surgical choice. More men are also taking advantage of laser hair removal and injectable facial fillers.
There’s a difference between looking rugged and looking haggard
“In times of economic stress, we tend to see more men coming in for procedures—basically so they can maintain their position in the workplace,” says Dr. Rappaport. “With layoffs and everything else going on, older men and women are looking to retain a more youthful, not-so-tired appearance.”
Botox gets rid of that ‘worried’ look
Botox® works by relaxing the muscles that cause frown lines and crow’s feet. “In men particularly, the frown lines are important because they tend to reflect intensity and other aspects that people are trying to ease a little bit so they don’t look as serious and concerned,” says Dr. Rappaport.
There are important differences between treating men and women with Botox. “Men’s brows are usually flatter than women’s,” Dr. Rappaport explains. “You have to be careful with men so you don’t drop the brow too low with Botox—you still want to maintain animation.”
In some men with very thick skin and heavy muscle action, Dr. Rappaport combines Botox with injectable facial fillers to get rid of frown lines.
‘I look at my treatments as a long-term investment’
Rob, a 41-year-old financial counselor, recently came to Dr. Rappaport for microdermabrasion, a treatment to rejuvenate the skin of the face and neck. “My wife, who’s a patient of Dr. Rappaport’s, read about microdermabrasion in one of Dr. Mehmet Oz’s books and suggested it to me,” he says.
Rob has come in for several microdermabrasion treatments. “I like the treatments,” says Rob. “I think they’ve helped keep my pores more open and clean and my skin fresher. Plus, the wrinkles around my eyes are minimized.
“In financial counseling, age can be good—but you want to look older and healthy,” he laughs. “If I look older and not healthy in my line of work, does that mean I’m depressed because I haven’t handled my finances correctly?
“I want to look positive and healthy first,” says Rob. “Healthy people look younger. They have more energy, more of a glow. Taking care of these things now is preparing for the future—definitely a long-term investment.”
