This may sound surprising, but men make up approximately one-third of aesthetic procedures done worldwide today. While people generally understand that they are kind of stuck with what they were born with in the past, men today are less fatalistic about their looks and are increasingly turning to aesthetic enhancements to make themselves look and perhaps feel better about themselves.
In fact, these procedures are increasingly being viewed as a way of self-improvement, such as wearing nice clothes, or joining the gym to get fit. Men today are more aesthetically conscious compared to men in the past. Whilst still some distance away compared to female counterparts, more and more are at least giving non-invasive aesthetic treatments a try. The fundamental difference is men are still shy of the scalpel and prefer non-invasive procedures with minimal maintenance.
We share the top 5 concerns of modern men and discuss highly effective and popular treatments for these.
Acne Scars
According to Dr Chua Han Boon from the SW1 Clinic, men are no longer feeling shy about skin rejuvenation laser procedures. “It is almost as if a population of men have woken up and realized that doing lasers is the new norm to achieve a smoother complexion. Most of these men who do such lasers accept the slight downtime of 3-5 days of the resurfacing treatment and do not even bother to hide it”.
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Acne scars are usually treated with a fractional CO2 laser, which applies tiny columns of laser energy through to the dermis, resulting in natural collagen production which improves the appearance of scars and large pores. For deeply set scars, Dr Chua may opt to perform subscision to “release” scar bands which hold down the scars before laser treatment. Rejuran Healer is an increasingly popular polynucleotide (derived from salmon DNA) microinjection with skin restorative properties – healing and smoothening out acne scars.
“Quite a number of my male patients do not mind letting people know that they have had a laser treatment done, some even coming in during their lunch hour. So it goes to show how our society is evolving and starting to see certain facial self-enhancements in the same way as visiting a personal trainer at the gym, for example” added Dr Chua.
Wrinkles
Wrinkles can be static (always there) or dynamic (only appear when there is expression). Static wrinkles are permanent folds which are always a little harder to treat, while dynamic wrinkles will eventually progress to static ones. But these take many years, so take heart, there is still time!
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Deep wrinkles can be addressed with Botox, but Dr Chua says that most of his male patients do not mind some lines on their faces. So Botox is less done for males compared to females.
“I guess wrinkles, especially the lines that appear when a person smiles, convey a certain warmth and sincerity. Also, men generally like to look matured, charismatic but not-aged.”
Dull Skin And Sun Spots
In case you haven’t noticed a trend, healthy and dewy-looking skin is steadily gaining popularity with males, especially asian ones. Dr Chua attributes this to the rising popularity of Korean pop culture and perhaps the influence of social media platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook.
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According to Dr Chua, Fraxel Light is the “bread and butter” laser treatment for males who without major skin issues and just need something more than just a facial. A no-fuss, very low downtime treatment which brightens the skin, there is no swelling or obvious scabbing like those seen in fractional CO2 treatments. That means that patients can return to normal activity quickly.
“More males are open to skin enhancement treatments today compared to a decade ago, perhaps because society places more emphasis on first impressions, particularly during job interviews or in the dating game”, noted Dr Chua, who has more than 10 years of experience from his work at the former Sloane Clinic, and now, at the SW1 Clinic. He added that most of his local male patients have realistic expectations. “They do not need flawless skin, but they do want skin that looks slightly groomed – healthy skin which looks clean and fresh, bordering on a very subtle glow”.
Poorly Defined Jawline
Think of the sharp, angled jawline and square chins of Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, and even George Clooney! A chiseled jawline is the hallmark of a masculine face. Some men may not mind acne scars as much, but most fear a poorly defined jawline, which can affect men young and old alike. In the latter, this is often due to skin aging which results in skin sagging and bone resorption.
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Natural dermal fillers made of hyaluronic acid can be used to augment a weak jawline or chin. These have excellent safety profile and last for up to 18 months, depending on the exact filler used.
Dr Chua explained that the masculine jawline is traditionally sharp-angled and the chin is square, whereas feminine jawline is a gentle slope which tapers to a sharper “V” at the chin. “There is a third type of preference these days though, perhaps due to the popularity of Korean pop culture, some men prefer slightly feminine-type chins, settling for something in-between”.
Thinning Hair
Male-pattern hair loss is the loss of hair that begins at the temples or crown of the head. Some may experience receding hairlines to an “M” hairline shape, or (gasp) until all or most of the hair is gone. This often boils down to genetics, but a variety of factors could also be to blame.
“Thinning hair can lower self-esteem, so most men are more proactive about seeking help for it early” says Dr Chua.
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The Keramax Scalp Program is a comprehensive hair treatment for those experiencing hair thinning problems.
Revitascalp is a hair treatment with clinically proven Minoxidil, which works to inhibit DHT, a hormone which binds to hair follicles and causes them to shrink. Combined with carefully selected nutrients, a dedicated therapist applies this to your scalp. Next, 30 easy minutes under a painless hair laser completes the treatment. The Revage 670 uses photobiostimulation to stimulate “sleeping” hair follicles into the growing phase. Blood flow is stimulated to nourish poor thinning hair follicles, pushing them into the active growing phase and encourages growth of thicker, healthier hair shafts.
It is no wonder that this treatment is popular with men and women alike!