Plastic Surgery for Men
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Men and Plastic Surgery: A NEW FRONTIER
By Dr. Donald Kress
Gone are the days when good grooming for men meant simply clipping toenails and the occasional shave. Men are now flocking to day spas, nail salons, hairdressers, cosmetics counters, personal trainers, and cosmetic surgeons. By the thousands they are feeling the corporate crunch of downsizing, and looking good often equals remaining competitive in the job market. Today's man is also becoming attuned to what women have known throughout the ages: that looking good on the outside makes one feel good on the inside.
Surprisingly, men's reasons to opt for plastic surgery are as varied and numerous as women's. For the younger patient, rhinoplasty has become the mainstay in plastic surgery in teens, and that now includes males. For the older patient, the core reason to opt for plastic surgery is competition in the workplace. The harsh reality is this: signs of aging usually set in long before a man is ready to wind down his career and society is very youth conscious.
Those who remain looking fit are able to hold onto or ascend to positions of power longer than those perceived as aging and worn out, regardless of whether that is actually true. With the downsizing of corporate America, cosmetic surgery is becoming more acceptable as part of the overall out placement process.
Plastic Surgery for Men - Procedures
Thread Lift - One of the earliest signs that men and women are maturing occurs when the middle part of the face loses its underlying attachments and droops with gravity. The change from fullness of the cheeks to fullness of the lower face is perceived as older and less vibrant. As the cheek fat pads begin to droop, the lines along side of the nose and from the corner of the mouth deepen and become much more prominent. Jowls can also form along the jaw line contributing to the aged, tired, and haggard look.
These changes can occur in spite of a healthy and active life style. They are stubborn and resistant to treatment and often begin in the 30’s. The “threading” technique requires the surgeon to “thread” 6-18 barbed, permanent sutures through a hollow guide into the skin and the deeper soft tissue. This cosmedic procedure does not pull the skin too tight and will not produce that taught, windblown look. Results are natural and show a restorative and refreshed type of improvement.
Liposuction - As we get older, certain areas of the body are less responsive to diet or exercise. In women it is usually the saddle bags and lower abdomen. For men, the troublesome areas tend to be the abdomen and the (love handles) flanks. By suctioning fat in the stubborn areas, men over 40 can achieve the flat stomach they had in their youth.
The cosmetic procedure can be performed with local/IV sedation, and patients need not stay overnight in a hospital. Recovery entails the wearing of a support garment for several weeks. There will be bruising and swelling post-operatively, and men can generally return to work within 4 days.
Chin Liposuction - As men age, they tend to develop a jowly “turkey gobbler” appearance. Often, a full facelift is not required and liposuctioning the chin can give the jawline a stronger, more masculine appearance. This is really a fairly simple procedure. The only external incision is very small, just a fraction of an inch hidden under the skin crease of the chin.
The entire cosmedic procedure can be done through this tiny incision, rendering it a virtually bloodless procedure. During the surgery, the skin itself is undermined and freed up from the underlying tissues of the neck. If there is fat in certain areas, a gentle, conservative liposuction is performed, taking care not to overdo it in order to maintain normal contour. General anesthesia (and the risks associated with it) is not necessary.
Blepharoplasty - In traditional transcutaneous lower lid blepharoplasty, incisions are made just under the eyelashes. Excess fat, responsible for the baggy lower lids, is then removed. The excess skin is then surgically removed and incisions closed with sutures. These sutures either dissolve or are removed within several days after surgery.
With this cosmedic procedure, an incision is made inside the lower eyelid. The excess fat is then gently teased out and the incision closed with dissolving sutures. This technique has been ideal for patients who don't have a great deal of loose skin in need of removal.
Plastic Surgery for Men - What to Expect After Plastic Surgery
While plastic surgery among men increases by leaps and bounds, it is still not as much a major topic of conversation among men as among their female counterparts. Often, individual patients simply do not know what to expect.
During the first few weeks after surgery, the patient can actually look worse than before the operation. Men are also less likely to cover post-operative bruises and scars with makeup, an option available to women as early as one week following surgery.
Plastic surgeons should discuss this beforehand with all patients -- especially men, who, unlike women, have often not had the experience of "going through" the process with a friend.
Dr. Donald Kress, M.D., P.A., F.A.C.S.
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
Maryland
Plastic Surgery One was founded by Dr. Donald Kress, M.D., P.A., F.A.C.S., Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, to address the growing need for high quality plastic surgery among people of all ages and types.
Dr. Kress is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon with over 20 years of experience and a very high level of patient satisfaction. Over 80% of his patients are referred by other patients. A noted author and seminar presenter, he spends his free time riding his horse ChiCha, camping, running, mountain climbing, scuba diving, or fishing.
