The Differences between Male and Female Cosmetic Surgical Procedures

When it comes to cosmetic surgery, it’s commonly believed that women make up the majority of patients. However, more and more men are pursuing cosmetic surgical procedures to give their face and body a more youthful, refreshed look. In a competitive job market, men also want to preserve their appearance to excel in business and impress employers. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), the top five most popular cosmetic surgical procedures among males are rhinoplasty, blepharoplasty, liposuction, breast reduction, and facelifts. Although these procedures are available for men and women, surgeons perform different techniques on each sex due to body structure differences.

Rhinoplasty, or nose reshaping, has remained the most popular procedure among men for several years. Many men undergo surgery to correct functional issues like deviations or breathing problems, but also to change the appearance of their nose. According to ASPS, there were over 62,000 male rhinoplasty procedures performed in 2011. The second most popular procedure is blepharoplasty, or eyelid surgery, which removes excess tissue to reduce the appearance of hooded eyelids and/or bags beneath the eyes. Male blepharoplasty technique is basically the same as a female technique but less tissue is removed in upper eyelid surgery to maintain a more masculine appearance.

In addition to enhancing their facial appearance, men also opt for fat removal procedures such as liposuction. The third most popular procedure, liposuction, surgically suctions excess fat through small metal tubes called canulas inserted through tiny incisions of the body. With age, men and women both accumulate excess fat in “problem areas” that remain resistant to diet and exercise. The most frequently treated areas for women are abdomen, thighs, buttocks, calves, and hips. Men more frequently target the neck and “love handles” which includes the abdomen and hips.

When it comes to breast reduction, women often choose this procedure to reduce the size of excessively large breasts that contribute to problems with posture, neck and back pain, and stretched skin. Male breast reduction is a more common procedure than most would think. Some men can suffer from gynecomastia, the medical term for enlarged male breasts. Not only can gynecomastia affect a man’s confidence, but it can also contribute to discomfort during physical activities. Male breast reduction is performed with liposuction removing extra fat and surgical excision of superfluous glandular tissue for a more masculine chest contour.

Facelifts were the fifth most popular plastic surgery procedure for men.   Designed to reduce wrinkles and lines for men and women, a full male facelift targets the neck and jowls, nose, and the forehead. The most common type of facelift is the upper facelift, also known as the male forehead lift. The upper face lift tightens the skin and underlying muscles on the forehead along the brows and hair line to help treat and reduce wrinkles and furrows.

To learn more about these procedures or other male plastic surgery procedures, visit our website. For more information on a particular procedure or to schedule a consultation, contact us.