Male cosmetic surgery treatments soar as doctors see “noticeable rise” in men wanting face lifts, neck lifts and Brotox
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Blepharoplasty (eyelid lift) for sagging eyelids
Thermage FLX for Crow’s Feet and laughter lines
Brotox for forehead wrinkles and furrowed brows
Profhilo for healthier, more youthful-looking skin
Hair restoration for hair loss
EvolveX for excess fat and saggy skin
W hether it’s because more celebrities are talking about cosmetic surgery, or because treatments are seemingly more widely available, the demand for cosmetic procedures is increasing.
Yet while cosmetic surgery has historically been associated with women, it appears men now want a piece of the action.
Consultant oculoplastic and ophthalmic surgeon, Dr Elizabeth Hawkes told MBman that she performs up to 16 eyelid lifts each week at her clinic in Chelsea, London, and has seen a 200% increase in inquiries over the past twelve months.
While plastic surgeon, Dr Paul Banwell said he’s seen a “very noticeable rise in the uptake of surgeries for men recently.”
Something that Dr Banwell puts down to a “shift in the way surgery and cosmetic procedures are viewed in recent years.
“It was once regarded largely as a taboo subject; something that happened behind closed doors. Nowadays, there has been a shift so that it is no longer such a taboo for both men and women.
People are proud to talk about how they are making the most of their looks and in doing so improving their confidence and self-image as they age.”
However, instead of opting for large-scale and dramatic changes, these experts told us that men are choosing more subtle procedures. To improve a part of their appearance without it being obvious. Something that they refer to as “men’s tweakments.”
Below we detail more about some of the most popular tweakments Dr Hawkes, and Dr Banwell are increasingly offering to men and what they involve.
Blepharoplasty (eyelid lift) for sagging eyelids
Getty Images/iStockphoto One of Dr Hawkes’ most requested procedures is surgical blepharoplasty, combined with injectables. Blepharoplasty is also known as an eyelid lift and it’s a type of surgery that removes excess skin from the eyelids. Some people naturally have more skin on their eyelids, but as we age, the skin on our eyelids has a tendency to stretch and sag.
In the same way the skin across our faces and bodies becomes less elastic and plump as we get older, so too does the skin on and around our eyes. In fact, the impact can be bigger because the skin around our eyes is so thinner and lacks oil glands and sebum to keep it hydrated. You can think of it, in the same way, as a grape when it dries out and its skin becomes shriveled.
“The benefit of blepharoplasty is that we can achieve a very natural look,” explained Dr Hawkes. “This isn’t facelift surgery – you won’t come out looking like an entirely different person – but you will look a lot brighter, less tired, and refreshed.”
Alongside the blepharoplasty, Dr Hawkes uses what’s known as Profhilo injections. This injectable skin remodeling treatment contains high levels of hyaluronic acid to make the skin around the face look plump and healthy, as well as Botulinum Toxin (Botox) to soften the appearance of wrinkles. These are typically administered two weeks after surgery.
She added, “Eyes are the first places that you can spot how tired you feel. And now that most people are returning to the office for the first time in a long time they’re feeling a real pressure, for women and men, to look like they’re young and refreshed – qualities that some deem synonymous with success in business.”
FURTHER READING: How to get rid of bags under eyes
Thermage FLX for Crow’s Feet and laughter lines
Thermage FLX is a new, FDA-approved skin tightening treatment. It specifically targets areas on your face that are affected by age-related issues like sun damage, loose skin, and fine lines.
It uses radiofrequency to heat the skin and boost collagen and elasticity levels which smooths, lifts, and tightens skin on the upper and lower eyelids, lower face, stomach, knees, and other areas of the body.
‘Thermage FLX is the go-to treatment for those wanting to tighten the skin around the eyes and it’s perfect for men who want a natural result,” said plastic surgeon Dr Angelica Kavouni. “Thermage FLX is the only FDA-approved skin tightening treatment for use on the eye area too. There’s no downtime and results continue for up to a year.”
The results of this treatment aren’t as immediate as with surgery, but because it works by stimulating collagen levels, the results continue to improve over time.
Brotox for forehead wrinkles and furrowed brows
Hyaluronic acid dermal fillers can be used to give a safe, and temporary brow lift. Just like eyelids sag, brows can droop and creases can develop to cause wrinkles and lines. Your forehead is one of the most expressive parts of your face so if you’re constantly frowning, for instance, this can also cause deep lines to appear in between your brows.
Aesthetic surgeon Dr Glyn Estebanez said: “No matter how diligent we are with skincare, a once radiant face can begin to look more tired as the skin begins to sag and creases develop. As we age, the skin loses the ability to produce new collagen and the existing collagen fibres stretch and lose their elasticity.”
He uses a combination of dermal fillers and anti-wrinkle injections to tighten, firm and redefine the brow area without freezing it in place and remove the ability to be expressive.
Bro-Fhilo for healthier, more youthful-looking skin
Hyaluronic acid – the active agent in Profhilo – is not only found naturally in our skin, but it can hold 1,000 times its weight in water. This means it can deeply moisturise and hydrate the skin making it look plump and more youthful.
In addition, Profhilo remodels the skin by stimulating elastin and collagen production, giving the skin in and around the area a firmer, plumper, and smoother texture.
“Profhilo is a highly effective anti-ageing injectable treatment based on hyaluronic acid,” said Hawkes. “It’s injected into predetermined points which then boosts hydration and tightens the skin.
Some improvement can be seen from one week after the first injection, but the results take full effect around one month after the second injection and will last for about six months.
Veneers for a brighter smile
Getty Images/iStockphoto As you can read in our the truth about teeth veneers guide, a dental veneer is a term used to describe something that sits over and is attached to, the surface of your tooth.
Veneers can be from a range of materials, including porcelain, and are used to make your smile brighter, or more uniform.
“We often talk about women getting wedding ready but one of the most common treatments for men ahead of their big day is fixing their smile. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean square, bright white veneers,” says cosmetic dentist and Vice President of The British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, Dr Sam Jethwa.
“Teeth should match the whites of your eyes to look natural. This is about handcrafting teeth to fit your smile, rather than the other way around.”
Dr Jethwa and his team use wafer-thin porcelain shells individually designed to cover the teeth, giving a healthy, natural look.
Hair restoration for hair loss
Shutterstock/MBm Hair loss, or specifically male pattern baldness, affects more than 6.5 million men living in the UK and this is seeing more and more men opting for hair restoration, also known as hair transplant, surgery. It’s not just older men, either. The average age of patients having hair transplants is 35.5 years old.
We go into more detail about the different types of hair transplant in our Hair transplant 101 guide, as well as our Hair loss treatment for men page but, as hair loss surgeon Dr Furqan Raja of The Private Clinic told us, hair transplants involve “minimal discomfort”; once the local anaesthetic has been administered it is generally pain-free.
The procedure is usually performed in one day” meaning patients can go home straight after.
“Once upon a time hair restoration surgery was very much a taboo subject and something that was primarily something that older men had in secret,” said Dr Raja. “The physical and psychological impact of this type of surgery should not be underestimated.”
EvolveX for excess fat and saggy skin
A firm favourite of celebrities, EvolveX is a new body-contouring technology from InMode that promises to eliminate fat, tighten the skin, and tone muscle in many areas of the body including the abdomen, waist, buttocks, arms, and thighs.
“It works by combining Bipolar radio-frequency energy (RF) with electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) which delivers a synergistic layering treatment and consistent transformative results,” said cosmetic doctor, Dr Edwin Anthony of EA Clinic, Harley Street. “It’s completely pain-free and has zero downtime which means patients can go straight back to work.”
Results, which include a reduction in fat, tighter skin, and toned muscles, can be seen in around six weeks.
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