Male Aesthetics: The Era of Gentleman’s Grooming
Increasing Demand of Male Aesthetics
There has been a greater focus on appearance in recent years and this applies to men as well. These days, more men are placing greater emphasis on looking good and are seeking aesthetic treatments.
Men are getting aesthetic treatments as they worry about job competition from younger men. This is particularly true for those working in the marketing, sales, banking and finance industries, who regularly meet people in their line of work, and in which first impressions count. Looking youthful plays a part in looking like an ‘alpha male’ at work; it’s about looking like you are approaching your prime, not past your prime.
The International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS) conducted a global survey on the number of aesthetic treatments performed worldwide in 2019 and found that there was a total of over 13 million non-surgical procedures performed worldwide.
The top 5 non-surgical procedures for men in 2019 are botulinum toxin, hyaluronic acid filler, hair removal, non-surgical fat reduction and micro-ablative resurfacing.
In 2018, there were a total of over 1.5 million non-surgical procedures for men and this increased to over 1.7 million in 2019.
The Gentlemen Club - What Men Think Of Aesthetic Treatments
Male celebrities are also fans of aesthetic treatments to help maintain a youthful appearance. Simon Cowell has been quoted saying “I’ve had Botox, but then again pretty much everyone I know has. To me, Botox is no more unusual than toothpaste. It works, you do it once a year – who cares?”
Celebrity chef, Gordon Ramsay was also quoted saying, “Simon Cowell suggested that now I’m a success in America, I should do something, so I had a filler put under the deep crevices. It hurt.”
Main Concerns for the Gents : Millennials VS Baby Boomers
Older patients AKA the baby boomers, do not want to look half their age, but rather look good for their age. Younger male patients AKA the millennials, often want to correct perceived ‘imperfections’ by building up the bridge of their nose or projecting their jaw more but older patients are more concerned about correcting signs of ageing. However, rather than completely erasing their crow’s feet or smile lines, older male patients want to retain some of them as these lines suggest experience and character which are crucial when working with senior people in their organization.
A study by Allergan in 2016 found that men are most concerned with tear troughs, double chin, crow’s feet and forehead lines. The study also found that common reasons for men to consider an injectable were to look good for their age and to look more youthful. As for barriers to trying aesthetic treatments, men are concerned with unnatural outcomes, downtime and side effects or thinking that they do not need it yet. These can be addressed with more education on the effectiveness and safety of the procedures.
As for men who are new to aesthetic treatments, a main is that they would end up looking frozen and fake. At Ageless Medical, male patients have no fear of looking frozen as the way botulinum toxins are administered has changed over the years. After the treatment, you will notice that your expression lines get softened. You probably won’t notice it happening – you’ll just become aware that you can’t fully contract the muscles that have been treated. However, you will still be able to frown, smile and raise your eyebrows normally and look completely natural.
Top Non-surgical Treatments Among Men
There are differences in how treatments are being performed for male and female patients. Male patients would prefer to retain masculine features and opt to strengthen their jawline versus females who seek for the V-shaped face.
Brotox – botulinum toxin for men, ranks at number one for the highest number of non-surgical procedures in recent years. Periorbital areas such as crow’s feet and tear troughs are of most concern among men and are likely to be prioritized for treatment. Muscle inhibitors such as botulinum toxin can help reduce fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes and forehead, for a revitalized and youthful look. Dermal fillers may be used to replace loss of volume, reducing the appearance of tear troughs or eye bags – one of the top concerns men face.
Acne and scar treatments are also popular amongst male patients. At Ageless Medical, there are a variety of treatments to choose from to treat acne and acne scars.
Agnes acne treatment is great for active acne, by delivering radio frequency energy through a tiny partially insulated needle. Agnes destroys sebaceous glands and hair follicles no longer get inflamed and infected so acne on treated area goes away for good.
CO2 Laser can help reduce the appearance of rough skin texture by utilizing ablating fractional resurfacing technology. Microscopic injury is created on the skin to stimulate collagen production which results in a formation of a new skin layer.
Another treatment that is great for acne scars is INTRAcel RF, a combination of three treatments in one – radio frequency, micro-needling and fractional treatment. This treatment can be used to eradicate acne scars, shrink pores, improve skin texture and reduce fine lines and wrinkles.
While hair removal is popular among women, it is also one of the top few treatments for men. At Ageless Medi-Aesthetics, we offer Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) hair removal. It works by penetrating controlled pulses of light to the epidermis and that are absorbed by dark pigments called “melanin” in the hair follicle. Melanin converts the light energy into heat that destroys the hair follicle, making it unable to produce a new hair.
Fat reduction is also one of the most popular treatments among men in recent years. There are two types of fat – subcutaneous and visceral. Subcutaneous fat is the pinchable fat that is visible beneath the skin. Visceral fat is fat surrounding vital internal organs and is associated with numerous health issues. It is possible to lose both types of fat, TruSculpt iD, CoolSculpting and Exilis Ultra 360, can help with subcutaneous fat loss for those who want to look slimmer, while Redustim can help with visceral fat for those seeking to improve health. To build muscle for a toner appearance, Emsculpt Neo is a great option for men who would like to build muscles in the abdomen or arms.
Male Aesthetics – the untapped market
A large part of the aesthetic industry has been focused on women, with advertising efforts targeted at women. However, the statistics have shown that men understand that looking good goes beyond a great haircut and a nice shirt. In recent years, men have been stepping up and embracing aesthetic treatments to give themselves a confidence boost. As the demand for male aesthetics increases, there should be more information available on male aesthetics to help them make informed decisions.