Men and the Mid-Knife Crisis

By: Amy Lindsay
Created on 11th August 2010

An increasing number of men are turning to cosmetic surgery to turn back the signs of ageing. We investigate the growing trend

In a society where the pressure on women to look younger and slimmer grows each year, it seems an increasing number of men are also opting for surgery to turn back the hands of time.

A recent survey by a cosmetic surgery website revealed that men are undertaking a record number of cosmetic surgery procedures, with nose and eyelid surgery, liposuction, hair transplants and ‘moob’ reductions topping the list of concerns.When it comes to non-invasive procedures, top of men’s shopping lists are chemical peels, Botox, teeth whitening and laser hair removal.

The survey found that nearly three quarters of men and a whopping nine out of ten females said it is important for a man to look after his appearance, and it seems they are not afraid to pay large sums to look good.

Dr Tim Bradstock-Smith of the London Smile Clinic has noted a significant increase in the number of men undertaking treatment: “The proportion of men to women we see at the clinic is now almost 50:50 and they are requesting a very broad range of treatments from whitening, veneers and orthodontics right through to full smile makeovers.”

Cosmetic surgeon Dr Grant Hamlet agrees: “I have definitely witnessed a recent increase in the number of men undertaking treatments – I would say my patient base is now split 50:50, whereas it used to be 90 per cent women and ten per cent men.The most popular procedures men are asking for are wrinkle reduction with products such as Botox, dermal fillers and Vaser Hi-Def to tackle stubborn fat.”

Another contributing factor to the boost in male procedures is that society’s attitude to men and cosmetic surgery is changing. Whereas 20 years ago, a man’s washbag housed nothing but a rusty razor, these days the men’s grooming industry is booming, with moisturisers, anti-ageing lotions, balms and eye creams selling more and more each year.

“Certainly in London, attitudes are changing towards men having cosmetic surgery procedures and surgery for men is becoming more and more routine,” says Bradstock-Smith. “Recently I’ve noticed less reluctance to discuss the other procedures they are having in addition to the dental work.”

When it comes to skincare routines, the survey revealed 93 per cent of men moisturise, 23 per cent would have a facial and one in five pinch beauty products from their other halves.

Indeed, other halves have a lot to answer for here. When asked who had the greatest influence on their appearance, almost half of men interviewed (46 per cent) said their girlfriend or spouse, 34 per cent said just for themselves and 19 per cent blamed celebrities for their preoccupation with their looks, with top male role models being Johnny Depp, Russell Brand and Barack Obama.

“I think men do want to look and feel younger, healthier and more athletic,” says Hamlet. “They seem to be looking for a kick-start to improve what they were given – at the end of the day, if you look good you feel great.”

“There are many reasons men give for seeking treatment,” says Bradstock-Smith. “Men are increasingly aware of the importance of the smile. We’ve noticed a big increase in men over quite a broad age range who have been made redundant and want to make the right impression in a very competitive employment market.”

It seems there are increasing numbers of men submitting to the surgeon’s scalpel or nurse’s needle each year – and the trend looks set to continue: “It is becoming more socially acceptable for men to have cosmetic surgery procedures,” says Hamlet.

“Men now discuss having treatments with their girlfriends or wives, they see it as an option open to them and not just for women. I think the numbers will continue to rise because technology is advancing, they can now get consistently good results with minimally invasive treatments.”

“Even in a recession there has been steady growth so I’m sure as the recession lifts that numbers will continue to rise,” agrees Bradstock-Smith.

You have been warned ladies: best to lock up that Crème de la Mer.…

Case Study: Vaser Lipo

Paul, 39, underwent Vaser with Dr Grant Hamlet (www. granthamlet.co.uk) to tackle his stubborn love handles.

“Having spent the past five or six years feeling unhappy and very self-conscious about my body, I decided on Vaser with Dr Hamlet.

“I have spent recent years trying various faddy diets as well as periodically throwing myself into all kinds of sporting activities but the goals I set myself and worked hard to achieve were always out of reach.

"I have a very hectic work schedule that involves a lot of travelling, so establishing a routine of healthy eating and regular exercise proved very difficult. I often became despondent about what to do and how to achieve the body shape that I want.

“I decided that I should stop beating myself up every day when there was a solution to help me achieve the results that I want. I view the Vaser treatment as an important step towards having a body that I am proud of, as well as giving me the motivation to continue eating well and exercising as I now know achieving the body I want is an attainable goal.

“I am looking forward to being confident enough to wear the type of clothes that I want, and no longer dreading the moment I have to take off my T-shirt on the beach! It seems like a huge investment but I’m sure that I will achieve so much more in life by feeling happy with myself and more self-confident.”

A hairy issue

Men are becoming more and more conscious of their looks but hair loss has always been an issue. As Ian Watson of the chain of HIS Hair clinics (www. hishairclinic.com/0845 604 4618) explains:

“Hair is very important for men because of the ageing effect that hair loss can have. If you start to lose your hairline then you instantly look older.

“However, the options for dealing with hair loss can often be disappointing. A wig can be very noticeable and leaves wearers feeling insecure and hair transplants are often an expensive, painful and scarring experience. Hair transplants also take several months to have an effect whereas we can create the illusion of thicker and fuller hair immediately – whatever the extent of hair loss – using the Micro Hair Technique.

“This is a very specialist form of cosmetic pigmentation and is not to be confused with standard tattooing. MHT needles have been designed to be microfine in size and a computer-controlled device is used rather than a traditional tattoo machine. MHT needles are sterile, single use and are disposed of after each procedure. Also specially formulated pigments are used as opposed to tattoo ink.”

MHT provides an effective impression of a full head of hair that is closely cropped or shaved, which can be worked into any remaining areas of coverage.