Recently I was asked by Cosmetic Surgery Times, to contribute my thoughts on treating the male cosmetic patient. The question posed; “In what ways is the male aesthetic patient differnt from his female counterpart?”
There are nuance differences between men and women. Below is an excerpt of my response from this article in a segment entitled Aesthetic Exchange.
Cosmetic Surgery Times web link: http://digital.healthcaregroup.advanstar.com/nxtbooks/advanstar/cst_201202/#/4
“Although the majority of cosmetic surgery patients are women, there is an increasingly growing population of male patients. Like their female counterparts, men hope to maintain a youthful and attractive appearance that results in improved self image and self confidence. However, there are definite differences in expectations, the decision-making process and motivations.
“Men tend to make quicker decisions about what treatment they desire, yet are more intolerant of any delayed downtime. Men and women want to be attractive to the opposite sex, yet women are also motivated to look good for other women. Men are less pressured to look good for other men, yet men are definitely motivated to look good (strong, healthy, vibrant) in the workplace.
“There are also special technique considerations in treating the male patient for facial concerns. One cannot singularly apply the techniques we use for women in men. Spedifically, we do not want to feminize the male patient. For facial procedures, one must understand the gender differences. Although the eyes are the focal point for both groups, they are framed differently. Other differences include the following: men’s brows are heavier; men’s eyebrows tend to be hrizontal or slope downward from middle to outside of the eye, whereas women’s eyebrows tend to be curved; both sexes have malar prominence in youth, but they tend to be not as full in men; women’s faces are heart-shaped, the-so called “Triangle of Beauty,” but in men, the face should be square with a strong jawline; and an attractive male face has a strong chin and jawline.
“With these caveats, my botulinum (Botox, onabotulinumtoxinA, Allergan) technique is modified for treating the glabellar frown lines. In men, the desired Botox arching of the female eyebrows should be prevented by injecting a small dose of Botox on the superior-lateral aspect of the fronatlis muscle (forehead). This maneuver drops the lateral aspect of the eyebrow.
“I am more agressive recommending fillers to revolumize the glabellar and supraorbital ridge that opens the eyes but maintains a masculine appearance. I also use fillers (Restylan, hyaluronic acid, Medicis) in the infraorbital region to minimize the bags under the eyes, but moderately fill the malar area and avoid an overly aggressive filling of the lateral zygomatic region to prevent creating a feminizing triangle of beauty. I also follow the above guidelines for facial fat grafting in men. For a weak chin and jawline, I use fillers or fat to enhance the chin. As a standalone treatment or in conjunction with facial fat grafting, I prefer using laser liposuction (SmartLipo, Cynosure) for the chin, neck and jawlne area.”
In Health and Beauty,
Dr. Tom
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