There is a prevalent misconception that cosmetic procedures are primarily geared toward women; however, men are just as conscious about their looks. Even if it seems rather unfairly that they age at a slower rate than women, there are still plenty of changes that come with dips in testosterone that happen later in life. According to the Mayo Clinic, testosterone starts to descend about 1 percent per year after age 30 or 40. This brings on a handful of changes that helped coin the phrase “dad bod.” Weight gain, hair loss and skin aging can all have a profound effect on a man’s confidence, but more and more men are finding their fountain of youth and openly embracing the “look good, feel good” benefits of today’s male-centric aesthetic treatments.
Body Movers
As stigmas melt away, aesthetic experts are seeing more male patients come in for a consultation. “Male cosmetic procedures have seen an uptick in the past few years,” says New York plastic surgeon Elie Levine, MD. “One motivating factor is that they are traveling less and have more time to work on their appearance.” Men also want to look good for themselves and their spouses, to meet new people, or to move up in the workplace. While the “Mommy Makeover” is always popular, “Daddy Do-Overs” are trending now, too. Here, experts outline the top body-transforming procedures for the modern man.
Liposuction + Tummy Tucks
“Liposuction to treat the love handles has become increasingly popular,” explains Dr. Levine. “This is often combined with a tummy tuck, and for those who want six-pack abs or V-lines, the lower abdomen can be etched as well to increase definition.”
According to Grand Rapids, MI plastic surgeon Bradley Bengtson, MD, the ultimate Daddy Do-Over involves a tummy tuck, liposuction and breast-reduction surgery to help redefine the body.
Gynecomastia
For some men, obesity, hormonal changes, or the use of certain drugs can cause the breasts to enlarge. Although it’s an embarrassing concern for some, it’s also very common. According to The Aesthetic Society, breast reduction is the second most requested surgery for men after liposuction. “It entails liposuction and the excision of excess skin or breast tissue,” Dr. Bengtson explains. “By removing the excess tissue, fat and occasionally skin, the muscle definition underneath is revealed to achieve a fitter chest contour.”
Fat Reducers + Muscle Builders
When hours at the gym no longer yield the same results, nonsurgical slimmers can help eliminate stubborn pockets of fat. “For hard-to-treat areas like the flanks, arms and legs, CoolSculpting ELITE can freeze and destroy fat cells in these areas so they don’t return,” says Dr. Bengtson. “The new ELITE technology allows for more energy delivery with shorter run times. It also treats fat in all layers versus just the deep layer.”
Combined body sculpting systems like Emsculpt NEO and PHYSIQ are also effective in helping to strengthen and redefine a dad bod. “Today’s top nonsurgical body contouring treatments for men not only reduce fat but also build muscle,” adds Fort Meyers, FL plastic surgeon Dr. Ralph R. Garramone. “On average, with Emsculpt NEO patients will experience 30 percent less fat and 25 percent more muscle.”
Veins
For prominent veins, Hollywood, FL vein specialist Dr. Susan B. Fox employs lasers, radio frequency and foam sclerotherapy, which involves injecting a sclerosant directly into the vein. “This is another treatment with an immediate payoff, as results are instantaneous,” she explains. “The vein shuts down and blood is then rerouted to healthy, adjacent veins.”
Head Turners
Think Marc Jacobs and Simon Cowell are the only men getting facial tweaks? Wrong, say our experts. With new advances in facial surgery, lasers, injectables and hair restoration surgery, there are more ways than ever to get a tune-up from the neck up.
Hair Restoration
Considering more than 70 percent of men experience some type of permanent hair loss in their lifetime, it makes sense that hair transplants rank among the top aesthetic procedures men opt for. “Hair restoration is the number-one treatment men undergo in my practice, and many patients have waited a lifetime to treat this concern,” says Wayne, NJ facial plastic surgeon Jeffrey B. Wise, MD. “Hair transplants have evolved over the past few decades, to the point where there are no detectable signs of ever having received one.”
For a vast majority of his patients, Dr. Wise uses the Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) approach. With this type of restoration, the follicles are harvested individually, leaving no visible scar. “Male and female hairlines tend to have different shapes; thus, the placement of the hair follicles has to be very precisely designed. The most important aspect is ensuring the results look natural and enhance the patient’s features.”
The surgical procedures men undergo the most are liposuction, breast reduction and eyelid surgery.
The Aesthetic Society
Face + Eye Surgery
“Men are always requesting more definition, balance and strength around the jawline, which we achieve with liposuction under the chin, jaw reshaping, chin implants, and micro fat grafting,” says Miami plastic surgeon Yannis Alexandrides, MD FACS founder of 111 Harley Street.
Eyelifts and facelifts are the two facial surgeries Dr. Wise’s male patients over 50 continuously request. “With eye surgery, one important consideration is to not feminize the eyes. The end result should not only look natural, but masculine as well. For the lower face, I’ll use extended chin implants that also enhance the sides of the jawline to create a chiseled, masculine look.”
Injectables + “Liquid Facelifts”
Beyond treating lines and wrinkles, the “liquid facelift” can also help strengthen male features, and it’s another treatment more patients are embracing. “Mostly, we are combining neurotoxin injections to relax muscle movement and eliminate wrinkles, with fillers like Sculptra to address fat loss and rejuvenate the face,” says West Palm Beach, FL dermatologist Kenneth R. Beer, MD. “A man’s skin is about 25-percent thicker than a woman’s, so we tend to use more neurotoxin and more robust fillers.”
Lasers + Skin Tighteners
To smooth skin, reverse sun damage and tighten mild sagging, laser and energy-based devices are a man’s best friend. “Radio frequency is a safe tool that delivers energy waves and heat to the deeper layers of your skin. This stimulates collagen for more elasticity and firmness,” explains Dr. Garramone. “Ultrasound treatments are incredible at improving skin firmness and help lift, tighten and get rid of deeper lines in the lower face and neck. We also use it off-label to treat the body.”
“I am combining radio-frequency skin tightening with the longer-lasting filler Sculptra, both of which help form new collagen,” Dr. Beer explains. “Many of my male patients also undergo CO2laser skin resurfacing, which involves some topical and injectable anesthetic, along with some downtime. Because of their greater skin thickness, men can tolerate a deeper laser treatment. For patients who have fair skin and want a milder option, a gentler, less-invasive laser like Clear + Brilliant Perméa works well and requires less downtime. Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) is also recommended for men who want to address years of sun damage.”
Small Tweaks
Body contouring and face work aside, these are the “tweakments” that keep the male population coming back to the medspa.
Body Hair
Unwanted hair on the back, chest, between the brows, and in the ears and nose are the areas that male patients want to make bare most often, says Dr. Garramone. Laser hair removal sessions can last anywhere from five to 20 minutes, but can save years of shaving and waxing. “With new hair removal platforms like the Forever Bare BBL, the treatment is painless, unlike laser hair removal lasers from the past. Some men prefer to have as little hair as possible, while others just want to thin it out.”
Disappearing Ink
Tattoo removal lasers make unwanted tattoos a distant memory. “Tattoo ink is made up of particles, which are placed into the skin with needles. Fast and precise laser pulses target these pigments to remove them, but there is no guarantee that a laser can remove the tattoo totally,” says Omaha, NE dermatologist Joel Schlessinger, MD.
Sweat Busters
To control sweat production, neurotoxin injections under the arms can be administered to help stave off excessive sweating for as long asthree to four months, says Dr. Beer.
Male Order
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