There's an increasing number of men who have no qualms about benefiting from cosmetic procedures. Once highly in demand among women, men are no longer shy about making changes to their appearance with the help of science.
Since 1997, male cosmetic surgery clients ballooned to 327 percent, and in 2015, about 10 percent of the procedures done in the United States were sought after by men. Many of these cosmetic augmentations are not too dramatic compared to those undertaken on women. The men generally prefer procedures that make them look youthful.
The five most popular cosmetic surgeries for men include:
1) Facelift
2) Eyelid Surgery
3) Nose Surgery
4) Male Breast Reduction
5) Liposuction
The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASPS) noted that male breast reduction surgery has increased by 173 percent since 1997 and 26 percent in the last year, as more men look to this option to get rid of gynecomastia or the enlargement of the breast.
"There are varying degrees of breast reductions for men," Scot Glasberg, the former president of the ASPS, said. "The mild ones want to look more toned and get their pec muscles showing; the moderate to severe ones are getting it because it just doesn't look pleasant when they take their shirt off, so they want to do something about it."
Glasberg also said breast reduction surgery in men is convenient because they can return to work after a few days without pain or discomfort. "No one would know because you're all bandaged up and you just wear a shirt to cover it up. That helps because men are often anxious to get back to work."
For non-surgical procedures, men prefer Botox and Juvéderm to diminish wrinkles, laugh lines and other signs of aging. They are also choosing to have dermabrasion and photo rejuvenation for treating skin problems.
The implication of this growing trend among men suggests that body image is not exclusively an issue for women. But surprisingly, men are not affected by the stigma that comes with getting cosmetic augmentations. "Social media has helped to get the word out, and I think reality TV shows, like Botched, also help to show other people the results of these procedures," Glasberg added.