Men appear to age more slowly than women. Some basic differences between the sexes, which result in men’s aging more slowly, have been observed for many years. Think about the movie stars–Patrick Dempsey, Brad Pitt and George Clooney to name a few–who maintain the admiration and attention of many women despite their advancing years. The underlying reason for this aging discrepancy stems from the thickness of the facial skin. Men’s facial skin is much thicker due to hair follicles in the beard. This makes the tissues less elastic and more resistant to the aging process.
Each year, over one million people have cosmetic surgery, with approximately 25%-30% of them being men. Many studies have documented the importance of one’s looks in determining success in the business world. One’s appearance can have a dramatic effect on self-confidence and interpersonal relationships.
This is not a new concept, but one which dates back thousands of years. In one of the tombs of an ancient pharaoh, scientists were delighted to find a well-preserved inscription. Hoping to find a profound message, they were surprised to read a recipe to cure baldness! Through the ages, the Romans wore wreaths of olive branches on their heads to camouflage baldness. As recently as two hundred years ago, George Washington and the other colonists would shave their heads completely and wear ornate wigs, for style and vanity.
Styles may change over the years, but the desire to enhance one’s appearance is a deep-rooted basic instinct for most men. One of the most exciting things in the 21st century is the wide variety of options available for men to enhance their looks.
View before and after photographs.
Male Cosmetic Surgery Procedures
Dr. Brian Maloney offers several cosmetic procedures for men, including skin care and services including:
Botox Cosmetic
Facial Fillers
Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty)
Brow Lift
Cheek Implant
Chin Implant
Facial Liposuction
Laser Resurfacing
Hair Restoration
Rhinoplasty
Ear Surgery (Otoplasty)
Face and Neck Contouring
Pre-Juvenation and Male Cosmetic Procedures
An emerging trend called “Pre-Juvenation” indicates that young people between the ages of 20 and 30 are using Facial Fillers and Botox® Cosmetic as a preventative measure. Early maintenance can possibly delay more comprehensive surgical procedures. Some studies show that social media makes younger patients increasingly aware of their facial features. It also introduces them to ways of enhancing and maintaining a youthful appearance.
Skin Care and Cosmetic Surgery Procedures for Men
A healthy complexion is the cornerstone of a youthful appearance. Fine lines and brown sun spots add years to one’s looks. Fortunately, great advances have been made over the years in skin care products and skin care services.
Sun protection with a minimum of SPF 50 should be used daily. For early signs of sun damage, a good exfoliator, combined with skin care services, including chemical peels and microdermabrasion, can help. Chemical peels and microdermabrasion have minimal downtime. Being consistent with either or both of these in-office treatments can help to achieve and maintain a healthy complexion. A well balanced diet, being well hydrated with water or water-rich foods, and exercise play a very important role in maintaining a healthy complexion.
Botox® Cosmetic
Generally, we think of muscles inserting into bones and tendons. The facial muscles are interesting because they insert directly into the skin. Therefore, each time they contract, the skin creases; over time, wrinkles begin to appear. An safe and effective treatment to soften the appearance of wrinkles of the face is the injection of Botulinum Toxin A, aslo referred to Botox Cosmetic. Ice and or a topical numbing cream can be applied to the skin prior to the injections. To keep your best results, schedule Botox treatments around every 3 to 4 months. Routine Botox Cosmetic treatments are safe, even over many years. Some research shows regular treatments can train your facial muscles over time, making your results last longer. Complications are very unusual, making this one of the fastest-growing treatments for men.
Facial Fillers for Men
Fine lines and thin lips were treated for years with collagen. The downside was that the collagen came from a cow; therefore, skin-testing to detect allergic reactions was necessary.
Hyaluronic acid (HA) dermal fillers are the leading non-surgical solution for facial volume restoration, wrinkle correction and soft tissue augmentation.
Eyelid Surgery for Men
As the aging process continues, excess tissue can develop around the eyelid area. Due to the thickness of the eyelid skin in men, this subsequently can cause drooping of the brow. Blepharoplasty is a surgical procedure that involves the removal of excess skin and fat from the upper and lower eyelids.
Brow Lift
At the consultation, Dr. Maloney will evaluate the position of the brow. If the eyebrows are drooping, or if there are deep frown lines between the brows, a minimal-incision or endoscopic brow lift may be appropriate. Men generally have low eyebrows; therefore, typical brow height standards developed for women, do not apply. This is a good reason to make certain that your plastic surgeon has extensive experience in plastic surgery specifically for men. Previously, techniques to raise the brow would involve making an incision in the middle of the forehead, resulting in a scar which could take months to fade. The advantage of the minimal-incision brow lift for men is that, even if there is thinning of the hairline, the small incisions that are generally about one to two centimeters long are hidden within the hair.
Forehead Lift
The endoscopic forehead lift is performed with general or twilight anesthesia. The procedure utilizes the latest in technology: very small telescopes and cameras which project the pictures to a large monitor from which the surgeon can view and perform the procedure. With this procedure, the frown muscles can be weakened permanently.
Patients can experience post-operative bruising for one to two weeks and numbness for up to six months. A forehead lift in male patients men take into account the unique features and aesthetics of the male face. It’s important to maintain a masculine appearance. A feminine brow will arch, whereas male brows should be straight sitting slightly lower or at the level of the brow bone.
The goal of upper eyelid surgery in men and women is very different as well. In women, the goal is to create a crisp, sharply defined upper eyelid crease. In men, the eyelid should be slightly undercorrected. Creating a sharp eyelid crease in a man generally creates a telltale sign of surgery. Most of the time, sutures are removed within a week and can resume normal activities. The incision fades and ideally should be hidden by a slight overhang of the skin on the upper eyelid.
Options to treat the lower eyelid include removal of excess fatty tissue which causes puffiness. Laser resurfacing can be performed to correct wrinkling around the eyes. To remove more significant amounts of eyelid skin, a small incision can be made to remove the tissues.
Face and Neck Contouring for Men
With aging, tissues may accumulate along the jawline and neck.
In the younger patient with fullness along the jaw and neck but good skin quality, facial liposuction is a targeted facial rejuvenation procedure designed to remove stobborn fat deposits from specific areas of the lower face and neck. A small incision is placed under the chin with dissolvable sutures. Patients will wear a support sling for a few weeks allowing the underlying facial tissues to heal and help with post operative swelling. Minor bruising can occur. Chin augmentation involves placing a biocompatible implant through a small incision, typically inside the mouth. The implant is positioned over the jawbone to enhance projection and balance facial proportions.
With skin tone becoming more lax in the fifties, men may consider a facelift (rhytidectomy). The modern male facelift should consist of contouring the jawline with liposuction and tightening both the muscles and the skin.
As excess tissues develop, many men find a “wattle” of tissue directly under their chins. This “turkey neck” causes wear on shirt collars and is a noticeable obstacle when turning one’s head. The turkey neck can be excised in the midline using a relatively simple procedure, with a recovery period of about a week. The scar fades within a couple of months.
Laser Resurfacing for Men
The male facelift, once considered rare or stigmatized, is now a cornerstone procedure in many plastic surgery practices. the ideal male face emphasizes a defined jawline, angular features, and a natural appearance. Overcorrection or feminization must be avoided at all costs. Performing facelifts on male patients requires technical precision and aesthetic sensitivity. Meeting these goals helps the male patient by enhancing facial definition while preserving his masculine features.
CO2 laser skin resurfacing is widely regarded as one of the most effective skin rejuvenation treatments available today. It targets the deeper layers of your skin to stimulate collagen, smooth texture, and restore your natural glow. Whether you’re dealing with stubborn fine lines, deep wrinkles, acne scars, or sun-damaged skin, this treatment delivers real, lasting results. CO2 laser skin resurfacing is one of the most powerful tools available in modern medical aesthetics. It removes damaged skin and stimulates the growth of new collagen. When you maintain a good skincare routine and protect your skin from the sun daily, you may have results that can last for years.
Rhinoplasty for Men
Plastic surgery of the nose is very popular with men. At the Maloney Center for Facial Plastic Surgery, computure imaging allows the patient and Dr. Maloney to arrive at a common understanding of the patient’s goals, Computer imaging allows the patient to visualize the possibilities of a surgical procedure by using photographs taken at the initial consultation. The goals of the male rhinoplasty generally involve maintaining a strong nasal bridge, since a low nasal bridge lends a feminine appearance. The tip of the nose should not be rotated up too much, and the angle between the lip and the nose should not be more than 90-95 degrees.
Dr. Maloney does not use nasal packing post operatively in his rhinoplasty patients making it a much more comfortable procedure. The thicker nasal skin characteristic of male anatomy can create prolonged swelling, particularly at the nasal tip, requiring patience throughout the healing process.
Ear Surgery for Men
Otoplasty, commonly known as ear surgery, is designed to improve the shape, size, or position of the ears. Prominent, oversized, asymmetrical, or misshapen ears can affect facial balance and cause patients to be self conscious about their appearance. Otoplasty can create a more natural appearance by repositioning or reshaping the ears to better complement the rest of the facial features.
Candidates for Male Cosmetic Surgery
A good candidate for plastic surgery is usually someone in good health, with clear goals and realistic expectations about what surgery can and cannot do. Careful consultation with Dr. Maloney will help determine whether the timing, procedure, and recovery plan are appropriate for the patient.
Benefits of Male Cosmetic Surgery
More and more studies show the direct connection between youth and beauty with respect to workplace success and personal happiness. A handsome man is one whose features are all in balance, working together. If a nose is too large, or ears too prominent, it will dominate the face and distract from other more attractive features.
Men seek the advice of a facial plastic surgeon to help achieve this well-proportioned and balanced look so that all their features are working together. Even if one started life with perfect facial proportions, due to the aging process, the balance begins to change: hairlines recede, noses lengthen, and the lower face and neck skin and underlying supporting tissues become relaxed.
When considering non-surgical or surgical options for a treatment program, men factor in the universal concerns of pain, bruising, and downtime necessary to experience a successful result. With advances in procedures, and better understanding of male facial structure, aesthetics, and proportions, results are much improved. Facial plastic surgery in men can offer a very exciting and rewarding change.
