Male Cosmetic Enhancement
So ladies, let’s talk about men for a minute. You’re busy looking after yourself, using good skin care, getting facials, peels or injectables when needed to look fresh and revitalized – but what about your mate?
Some of you men out there have already figured out that looking young and full of energy isn’t just for the girls. Increasingly, men are making up a larger proportion of spa and cosmetic clinic-goers. Guys are learning they, too, feel better when they don’t look grouchy, and their girlfriends and spouses are liking it, too. In one study, the most common reason men stated for having a cosmetic procedure was the urging of their significant others. Another important reason some men undergo treatment is the desire to stay competitive in a tough economy and youth-obsessed culture.
There are differences in treatment suggestions and techniques specific to men, which are important for treating physicians to be aware of. At MCSC we have a significant and ever-growing group of male patients, and we have lots of experience and expertise specifically in the field of male cosmetic enhancement.
Male Skin Care
Many men come in complaining of oily or shiny skin. This is particularly true for those in jobs that require being in the limelight, working with the public. In general, men don’t want to use complicated skin care with many steps. Our medical aesthetician has great suggestions for simple and effective skin care that can cut the shine while also reducing signs of sun damage and aging – all without too much time investment. Men’s skin tends to be thicker than women’s, so stronger formulations of retin A, vitamin C and salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide are often better tolerated by men. Injections at the hairline, in the forehead and on the scalp to reduce excessive sweating can also help.
Sweat Management for Men
This is one of the most common things that bring men to our clinic. There are lots of options – everything from topical agents, injections and surgery – to help with excessive sweating on the face, under the arms and on hands and feet. Sometimes higher doses need to be used in male patients to get the desired results. Sweat treatment is often covered by health insurance.
Injectables for Men
Just as in women, injections of the muscle-relaxing type to treat those creases above the nose that make people look mad or unhappy are used very frequently in men. Men’s muscles are larger and stronger, and therefore doses are sometimes slightly higher. Injections to alleviate crow’s feet are also excellent for improving male eye appearance and horizontal forehead lines. However, elevating the tail of the brow too much with Botox Cosmetic is not a great idea in men, as it can look feminine, as can overly augmenting the cheeks with filler. Volume loss in the cheeks can be corrected, but one doesn’t want to create too high or wide a cheek in men.
The chin and jaw line, on the other hand, are a real area of focus in male cosmetic treatments. Concealing jowls and restoring a stronger, more prominent jaw line provides an attractive, masculine appearance. Nasal contouring and proportioning can also be achieved with fillers.
Gynecomastia Surgery
This is a huge area for men. Given the increasing social acceptability of cosmetic surgery, we see lots of fellows who finally, in midlife, decide to undergo male breast reduction, after a lifetime of being too self-conscious to take their shirts off at the beach. A simple procedure, which in some cases can be achieved with liposuction alone, can be life altering in terms of self-esteem.
Liposuction & Liposonix®
For many men, high-stress work coupled with a poor diet and not enough time to get to the gym results in increase abdominal girth over time. In many cases, this increase is caused not only by the accumulation of fat under the skin but also by fat accumulation within the abdominal cavity. That’s important to understand, as neither liposuction nor non-surgical ultrasound fat reduction ( Liposonix®), can treat intra-abdominal fat.
Increased waist size in men correlates with all sorts of health risks, including diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Dr. Weinberg recommends that his male patients with a high body mass index and large waist circumference see a dietitian and start an exercise program to lose weight before undergoing liposuction or Liposonix to further reduce their superficial abdominal fat.
“Many men have spent much of their adult lives working hard to secure their financial future,” Dr. Weinberg says. “This is often at the price of their health and appearance. Many successful executive types are realizing it’s OK to spend some of their time and resources to get back into shape so they can continue to enjoy some of the fruits of their labors in the years to come. Cosmetic surgery can help them do that.”
Tummy Tuck
For men who have fluctuated in weight and suffer from loose, hanging skin and subcutaneous fat,tummy tuck surgery is an excellent option. For those who have lost very large amounts of weight, a tummy tuck is often coupled with other body contouring procedures, such as arm lifts and leg lifts.
Laser Hair Removal
The most popular area for laser hair removal in men is the back. Laser hair removal is an effective and permanent way to get rid of significant back hair. The Cynosure Elite™ Apogee® laser has the advantage that it is effective in all skin types and is quite powerful, so fewer treatments are required than with many other less-powerful machines. Depending on the amount of hair, 5 to 6 treatments may be sufficient, unless the amount is very large, in which case more may be required. The Cynosure also has a cooling tip, which can make sensitive areas on the back easier and more comfortable to treat. It’s important to remember, though, that grey hair cannot be treated by any laser hair machine, so don’t wait until your hair starts graying before considering treatment.
For more information on any cosmetic treatments for men, call (905) 273-3045 and book a consultation.
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