Are men really flocking to plastic surgery offices? We asked Bellevue, WA plastic surgeon Michael Leff and he said the increased interest is likely due to “the popularization of all plastic surgery, along with the later retirement age necessary these days.” “The most common requests I get from men in Bellevue are for eyelid surgery, facelifts, and liposuction.”

1. Contouring and Slimming Down

Roughly one third of the U.S. male population is obese, but many are finding solutions through exercise or even bariatric surgery. After weight loss, a man is often left with folds of loose skin. In this situation, a guy can turn to his cosmetic or plastic surgeon for body contouring. One male patient named Matt from Sacramento, recently explained his body contouring procedure online:

“After losing so much weight, I was left with a lot of excess, hanging skin on my stomach and abdominal areas. I was at a good weight, but I looked pretty bad. I thought I’d just have to learn to live with it. When I discussed it with my regular doctor, he recommended abdominoplasty surgery…”

For other men, the problem is less severe. Many surgeons say that more men are asking about liposuction for slimming down specific body areas like the waist or back. Some men are even investigating the latest non-surgical options for body slimming. “The Zeltiq Cool-sculpting procedure appeals to men because it is noninvasive with no down-time,” says Fairfax plastic surgeon Christopher Hess. “The results look as if the guy is working out more and eating better,” he adds.

2. Chest Concerns: Gynecomastia, Pectoral Implants and Pectoral Etching

Although it is quite exaggerated in size, an idealized male chest is highly sought after by body-conscious men. Enhancing the chest can mean different things for different men; some want to reduce excess chest fat while others want to pump up the pectoral muscles.

Last year, more than 18,000 American men had a breast reduction to remove excess tissue (Gynecomastia). “Many of these young men are well built and in great physical condition, but just have excess fat and glandular tissue in the chest,” observes cosmetic surgeon Dr. Jacob Haiavy of the Inland Empire, CA.

3. Male Boomers Remain Competitive Through the Recession

During the recession, male-dominant industries were hit disproportionately hard with layoffs. In the current economic recovery, it shouldn’t be surprising to hear that men are seeking a competitive advantage over their (often younger) peers.

“Men are the victims of two thirds of the 11 million jobs lost since the recession began in 2007.”  – Newsweek

“A lot of these guys think that in order to compete in the workplace – to compete with younger guys – that they need to look better,” said clinical psychologist Jeff Gardere, on a recent CBS Early Show appearance.

“In our tough economic environment, men want to look more youthful so they can compete for and retain jobs that younger people are competing for,” comments Indiana plastic surgeon David Robinson, and “plastic surgery is playing an increasingly important role for these men.”

A large number of cosmetic surgeons are men in the very same age group, so they understand the desire to keep up appearances. “As a boomer myself, I identify with men my age who exercise, act young, and feel young,” remarks Philadelphia plastic surgeon Bruce Genter.

4. Influential Men – Politicians and Celebrities – Are Doing It

Tabloid speculation about politicians, celebrities and other influential men “having work done” has put the spotlight on cosmetic surgery options. Even for men who don’t pay attention to Hollywood, these examples are nearly impossible to ignore.

Last week, the Boston Herald wrote an article claiming that John Kerry looked “better than he did a decade ago.” As hard-hitting journalists should, they asked local experts for their opinions. Boston plastic surgeon Dr. Fouad Samaha observed that Kerry “looked his age in 2002, with the loss of facial volume resulting in hollow cheeks and deepening of the folds around the nose and mouth.” But now in 2011, Kerry’s appearance is visibly improved.

Dr. Samaha explains: “Although this can happen naturally, it is likely that these areas were ‘enhanced’ and that volume was added. Many techniques are available to achieve this result, and it would be difficult to say which was done here.” He also adds, “if Senator Kerry had any ‘work’ done, it was done very tastefully, enhancing his features without creating something that looks artificial.”

5. New and Improved Options for Hair Replacement

By the age of thirty-five two-thirds of American men will experience some degree of appreciable hair loss, and by the age of fifty approximately 85% of men have significantly thinning hair.

– American Hair Loss Association

In 2010, more than 13,000 men chose a hair transplantation procedure from a plastic surgeon. New hair restoration methods are continually being developed. One of the newer techniques, follicular unit extraction, grew to rapid popularity over the last five years, probably because it is considered “less invasive.”

In a recent guest post on realself.com, Dr. Jeffrey Epstein explains that the popularity of FUE has “largely leveled off,” because the technique achieves a slightly lower rate of hair regrowth when compared to follicular unit grafting, which, Epstein says, can produce 90% hair regrowth.

Another hair restoration advancement is the introduction of bio-stimulation lasers. The iGrow system, for example, is a helmet that contains laser and LED diodes, which deliver energy to the scalp for hair restoration at home. Some plastic surgeons, including New Jersey plastic surgeon Dr. Barry DiBernardo, have added the iGrow to their non-surgical offerings.

Contact Dr. Michael Leff to learn more about plastic surgery for men in Bellevue, just outside Seattle, Washington.

The researchers noted that “progresses in microsurgery and their adaptation to trauma surgery have contributed considerably to the increasing significance of plastic and reconstructive surgery in trauma surgery.”

The study evaluated characteristics, including age and gender, of 10,732 patients who were admitted to the outpatient clinic of Emergency Plastic Surgery in Sisli Etfal Training and Research Hospital between 2000 and 2004. Male patients outnumbered females by a ratio of 4: 1, and the mean age of all patients was 22.9 years.

The study found that the most common injuries for patients at the plastic surgery clinic were:

• Forearm and hand injuries (64%)
• Maxillofacial injuries (28%)
• Tissue defects (8%)

Most of the upper extremity injuries were due to glassware cuts (33%), and 76% of these injuries were self-inflicted trauma due to the patient punching glass during a bout of aggression! Head-and-neck injuries were most frequently caused by traffic accidents.

The researchers noted that a multidisciplinary approach in the E.R. was most critical for trauma patients, with a main team that is usually comprised of a trauma surgeon, neurosurgeon and orthopedist, but that “plastic surgeons have a significant role, particularly in the treatment of an important group of patients with critical injuries.”

The full study, “The practice of plastic surgery in emergency trauma surgery,” is accessible through Pubmed.

Beware if you’re looking for discounted plastic surgery—there is usually a catch, according to a recent posting on AOL’s Stylelist website. The article warns consumers of bargain plastic surgery, citing everything from billboards advertising “bargain boob jobs” in California to an ad near Clearwater, Florida touting “$8 Botox” injections.

While some are just marketing ploys other “bargains” could be at the cost of safety. “To get the cost down, they could be cutting back on things like general anesthesia. They make you feel like the procedure must be easier and not so serious if you’re just getting local sedation. Nothing could be further from the truth,” says Long Beach, Calif., plastic surgeon Dr. Marcel Daniels.

Another cosmetic surgery trend, according to Stylelist, is that doctors who studied a different branch of medicine, such as gynecology, are performing plastic surgery procedures.

“Many physicians not trained as plastic surgeons can legally perform a surgical procedure in their office. These people often claim that they can do the same procedure as a plastic surgeon under local anesthesia and may even claim they are more scientifically advanced,” says Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. John Anastasatos. “The truth is that they don’t have surgical privileges at hospitals and surgery centers because they simply are not surgeons and never trained as surgeons.”

How do you avoid these plastic surgery pitfalls? Research your doctor to make sure he or she has plastic surgery training. Consumers can check any doctor’s board certification for free at the American Board of Plastic Surgery website. Another red flag, according to the article: a lack of before-and-after photos.

Dr. Leff is a board certified plastic surgeon who practices in the Bellevue, Washington area. His website contains a before and after photo portfolio of his work.

The full article, “‘Free’ Plastic Surgery: The Dangers of Bargain Breasts and Botox” is available on Stylelist.com. (Photo by Aaron Gruenert, courtesy of Stylelist.com)

Silicone breast implants offer the benefit of feeling more natural, weighing less – which reduces the chance of ptosis – and do not ripple when bending over. This has been a major complaint of saline implants for some time. However, saline implants have the benefit of requiring a smaller incision and in some cases are able to be place through the belly button, reducing the chances of a visual scar.

Safety has often been a question of concern for women seeking breast augmentation with regards to their implant choices. Both Saline and Silicone have been extensively studied over the past decade for their rate of rupture, capsular contracture, studies on breast cancer, auto immune deficiency syndrome and overall affect on the human body. In fact, the silicone breast implant has been studied more and tested more than any FDA approved drug and medical device on the market today.

The two major manufactures of breast implants in the US are the Mentor Corporation and Allergan. Both companies provide a complete list of options in their breast implants choices – from high profile to low profile to smooth round to contoured textured. The options may seem confusing for women seeking breast augmentation, however, during the consultation visit most of these questions can be addressed with the surgeon.

The fact the there are a multitude of choices now for breast implants, women should take the time to research their options prior to scheduling their surgery. If you are wishing to know more about breast augmentation and your breast implant choices please contact Bellevue Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Michael Leff.

Dr. Michael Leff

Dr. Michael Leff of Overlake Plastic Surgeons, is board certified with the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and can help you make an informed decision on the benefits and limitations of cosmetic plastic surgery.

Contact Bellevue Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Michael Leff to schedule your free consultation today.