More men are seeking cosmetic surgery procedures, in part due to aging boomers who want to look their best and stay competitive in the job market.
According to statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, cosmetic plastic surgery procedures in men were up 2 percent in 2010 compared to 2009, with some surgical procedures, such as face lifts and liposuction, showing large increases among men (14 percent and 7 percent, respectively).
Dr. Phillip Haeck, the society’s president, said the increase in face lifts is largely driven by men in their 50s and 60s.
“That’s the leading edge of the baby boomers,” he said. “These are really fit people who have paid a lot of attention to keeping their bodies in shape.” But, he said, they’re getting a “turkey neck,” which is something exercise won’t get rid of.
“This generation has paid a lot of attention to how they look, and they don’t want to grow old gracefully,” he added.
Haeck has also seen men come in for procedures because of pressure to look younger while looking for work. He said men have told him: “You’ve got to do something to help me because I need a job and I’m afraid I’m going to lose out because people are going to think I look too old.”
By volume, nose surgery remained the number one surgical procedure for men, and Botulinum Toxin Type A (Botox, Dysport) was the top non-surgical procedure. The top five procedures for each category are as follows:
2010 Top Five Male Cosmetic Surgical Procedures
- Nose Reshaping
- Eyelid Surgery
- Liposuction
- Breast Reduction in Men
- Hair Transplantation
2010 Top Five Male Minimally-Invasive Procedures
- Botulinum Toxin Type A
- Laser Hair Removal
- Microdermabrasion
- Chemical Peel
- Soft Tissue Fillers
Haeck pointed out reasons for the growth in cosmetic surgical procedures: “Minimally-invasive procedures such as Botox and soft tissue fillers work to a point. However, as you age and gravity takes over, surgical procedures that lift the skin are necessary in order to show significant improvement.”
