Men's Facelifts Surge...

Men's Facelifts Surge

Men’s cosmetic/plastic surgery procedures grew 2 percent in 2010, with some — particularly facelifts — showing a dramatic increase, Medical News today reports.

Facelifts rose 14 percent among men in 2010, while male liposuction increased 7 percent, according to newly released statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). Interestingly, the majority of the 10 fastest-growing cosmetic procedures among males are surgical, going against the growth trend in minimally invasive procedures over recent years, ASPS reports.

In 2010, men underwent more than 1.1 million cosmetic procedures, both surgical and minimally invasive.

Following are the top 10 fastest-growing procedures, by percentage increase. The only criterion for inclusion is that the procedures were performed on at least 1,000 men in 2010:

Facelift — 14 percent increase
Otoplasty — 11 percent
Soft-tissue fillers — 10 percent
Botulinum toxin type A — 9 percent
Liposuction — 7 percent
Breast reduction — 6 percent
Eyelid surgery — 4 percent
Dermabrasion — 4 percent
Laser hair removal — 4 percent
Laser treatment of leg veins — 4 percent

Plastic surgeons say they also are noticing a shift in the type of patient seeking their services. Medical News Today quotes Stephen Baker, M.D., an ASPS member in Washington, as saying, “Typically people think of celebrities and high-profile men going under the knife. And while that may be true, the typical male cosmetic surgery patient that I see is an average guy who wants to look as good as he feels. Most of my patients are ‘men’s men,’ the kind of guy you might not think would have plastic surgery.”

In an ASPS statement, society President Phillip Haeck, M.D., says, “The growth in cosmetic surgical procedures for men may be a product of our aging baby boomers who are now ready to have plastic surgery. Minimally invasive procedures such as Botox (onabotulinumtoxinA, Allergan) 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.”