Just a few years ago, men were as rare as unicorns in the plastic surgeon’s office, but that’s no longer the case. Since the year 2000, the number of men having cosmetic procedures has skyrocketed—by some 500% in the case of butt lifts, for example, and nearly 400% for Botox injections. In fact, in 2016, men had over 1.3 million cosmetic procedures.
And why not? Men today are just as interested in looking and feeling their best as their female counterparts.
Thinking about a little cosmetic rejuvenation? Here are the cosmetic procedures all men need to know.
Understanding Male Cosmetic Procedures
There are three types of cosmetic procedures—invasive, minimally invasive, and noninvasive—and it’s helpful to understand the difference before you visit a plastic surgeon.
Invasive procedures are what are commonly thought of as surgical procedures; they involve an incision, and they generally result in a scar. But don’t get hung up on the word “scar,” because the fact is, surgical procedures often have the most dramatic and long-lasting results. And more importantly, a skilled plastic surgeon leaves virtually undetectable scars.
Noninvasive procedures, on the other hand, leave the skin intact and unbroken. There’s usually minimal discomfort and very little down time. Noninvasive procedures such as fillers and other injectables are becoming increasingly popular, especially for treating the early signs of aging.
The third category, minimally invasive, is a bit of a hybrid. These procedures do require an incision, but it’s much smaller than a surgical incision. Because of this, recovery time is shorter, and there are fewer risks and potential for complications.
Dr. Haque will give you the best option based on the part of the body you’re treating and the outcome you hope to achieve.
Male Facial Cosmetic Procedures
If signs of aging—wrinkles, lines, sagging skin—are making you look older than you feel, these are the most popular male facial cosmetic procedures.
Eye Lift
The technical term is blepharoplasty, and you can treat your upper lids, lower lids, or both. This is a surgical procedure that treats droopy eyes, bags, puffiness, and even excess skin and wrinkles. Recovery time for an eyelift is typically between 10 and 14 days.
Chin Surgery
Chin implant surgery is often performed with nose-shaping or other facial contouring procedures. Chin surgery is generally an outpatient procedure and in some cases can even be done under local anesthesia.
Ear Surgery
Also known as otoplasty, ear surgery can fix protruding, misshapen, or unusually large ears. In many cases, this can be performed in the office, although more complex procedures are done in a surgical center.
FaceTite
This is a minimally invasive procedure; Dr. Haque is the first to offer this new technology in Charlotte, N.C. Using a tiny incision and radio frequency-assisted lipoplasty (RFAL), FaceTite gives facelift-like results without the long recovery time—and in a single treatment, unlike other facial rejuvenation techniques that require multiple treatments. Men often use FaceTite to firm and tighten the skin underneath the chin.
Botox
This is the single most popular male cosmetic procedure for men. Botox injections relax deep facial lines and wrinkles; they are most often used on the forehead, brows, and around the eyes. This is a noninvasive procedure that takes just a few minutes to complete. Results typically last around six months.
Dermal Fillers
Fillers like Juvederm and Restylane restore firmness and fullness to the skin of the face. These treatments are given in the office and take just a few minutes to complete. Results typically last around six months.
Cosmetic Body Procedures for Men
It’s not surprising that men are also paying attention to their bodies and taking steps to both preserve and build on what Mother Nature gave them. In 2016, men had nearly 215,000 cosmetic body procedures.
If you’re looking to improve your physique, here are the top cosmetic body procedures for men:
Buttock Lift
In a Brazilian butt lift, fat is harvested from parts of your body such as the flanks and abdomen using liposuction and injected into the buttocks to improve their shape and firmness. It has the double benefit of removing stubborn fat deposits as well as recontouring the buttocks
Male Breast Reduction (gynecomastia surgery)
Overdeveloped breast tissue in men happens for any number of reasons—heredity, hormonal changes, obesity, or even certain drugs. It can happen at any age. In some cases, liposuction alone is enough to remove the excess fat, but in most cases, gynecomastia surgery, alone or in combination with liposuction, is necessary to restore a normal appearance.
Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck)
If you’ve lost a lot of weight, or have loose abdominal muscles and hanging skin, a tummy tuck removes excess skin and tightens the abdominal wall to restore a more toned appearance.
Liposuction
As men age, fat tends to accumulate on the back, arms, chin, abdomen, flanks, thighs, and calves, even on otherwise trim and toned individuals. Liposuction is a minimally invasive procedure that “vacuums” away stubborn fat for a smooth appearance. Recovery is quick, generally a week or less. Liposuction can be done right in the office and combined with BodyTite or FaceTite to tighten the skin after the procedure.
BodyTite
The companion treatment to FaceTite, BodyTite is a minimally invasive technique that gives surgery-like results without the scars and downtime of surgery. In addition to removing fat, it tightens the skin, smoothing away trouble spots. It is sometimes used in combination with liposuction, depending on the results you’re looking for.
Cosmetic Skin Procedures for Men
If you’ve got sun damage, acne scarring, stretch marks, wrinkles or other skin imperfections, collagen induction therapy (CIT) with the COSMOpen microneedling system helps restore healthy skin. This is a noninvasive, almost painless procedure done in the office; downtime is minimal and results are seen with just one treatment. Most people see more dramatic results with three microneedling treatments done every other month.
The skin is the largest organ of the body—and men are paying more attention to giving it proper care to prevent sun damage and premature aging. If you’re not ready for cosmetic procedures, investing in a good skincare line is a good first step.
Ready to make a change?
If you’re ready to take steps to be your best you, we can help you get there. Why not come in and talk to Dr. Haque about the right procedures for you? A little self-improvement is always a good thing.