More men than ever are choosing to undergo plastic surgery in order to look as young as they may feel inside, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. In new statistics published this month, the ASPS found that the number of cosmetic plastic surgery procedures chosen by men rose 2% from 2009 to 2010. More dramatically, however, was the increase in the popularity of individual procedures for the face and body, some of which saw rises of nearly 15%.
Of the more than one million cosmetic procedures men chose in 2010, a majority of the top 10 were surgical, a change in the previous trend toward non-invasive options.
Plastic surgeon and ASPS President Dr. Phillip Haeck said this is largely because “as you age and gravity takes over, surgical procedures that lift the skin are necessary in order to show significant improvement.”
The procedure that saw the greatest spike between 2009 and 2010 was the facelift, which saw a 14% increase. This procedure tones the sagging skin of the lower face to remove jowls and deep wrinkles.
Otoplasty, a type of ear surgery that decreases the size and projection of protruding ears saw an 11% increase. Though this jump was among adult men, this procedure is often performed on children, as well.
Two body procedures that saw the greatest boost were liposuction and male breast reduction. Both of these body slimming procedures aim to create a more masculine form through the removal of excess fat and tissue.
On the non-surgical side, injectable fillers and Botox, which treat many moderate to severe facial wrinkles and folds saw increases of 10% and 9% respectively. This indicates that even with a greater spike in surgical procedures, some men still choose the non-invasive route, at least at first.
