Not Just for Girls: The Story of Male Plastic Surgery

A quick google for 'plastic surgery' and the results are clear: smooth feminine stomachs, perfected jawlines and fat-free contours are all things that, traditionally, belong to women. Many plastic surgery websites seem primarily marketed at women, too. The models are often women, and so are the testimonies displayed online. With all this we might think that plastic surgery is designed solely for the girls, but this is far from the truth. As a matter of fact, more men than ever are seeking cosmetic procedures[1]. So why don't we see that reflected on websites or in the news? Is it because men are ashamed of seeking such operations? In this article we take a little look at why men want to get a cosmetic makeover just as much as women.

One of the top reasons, perhaps for both sexes, is due to work. The tech industry is a young and thriving market attracting workers the world over, and it is not surprising that its workers are also rather young. This has meant that older generation tech workers feel the pressure to keep up with their younger peers, in performance and appearance[2]. It is not surprising then that those with more disposable income thanks to their industry are willing to put it back into their looks, which consequently can keep them feeling fresh in their work. Specifically facial treatments are popular with this kind of audience; botox and jawline or neck procedures are common. Computer work can affect the face in a negative way due to the time that is now spent infront of a screen, and it seems that plastic surgery is catching up with that fact.

In documenting the rise of the male audience we have to mention the role of male breasts, or gynecomastia. Due to hormonal imbalance, men can be affected by 'man boobs' – something that many people are highly self conscious about, and cannot fix through gym work. Apparently more than 200,000 males per year seek help with this, and the number is only growing (and thats only in the USA alone)[3]. The standard treatment for this is any form of liposuction, and many surgeons are used to performing this procedure on men.

So, from needing to look young to the need to reduce potentially embarrasing hormonal conditions, men are clearly becoming more self-conscious to meet the aesthetic demands of society. Whether this will affect the marketing and advertising of plastic surgery is yet to be seen, but somehow I think that this new audience will make a mainstream breakthrough soon enough. The story of male plastic surgery is still very much in development.