By Sarah Sims 9/04/2009
Tens of thousands of British women have had plastic surgery, but now there has been a surprising rise in new patients – men. Sarah Sims investigates why there is such a boom..
Not so long ago a shave and a splash of Brut was about the limit of most men’s “beauty regimes”.
Nowadays many men have an array of male grooming products but until recently, plastic surgery was more or less the preserve of women.
But new figures reveal a sharp surge in the number of men signing up for a nip and tuck.
In fact men now make up almost one in 10 cosmetic surgery patients, following a recent increase of 300%.
And 28-year-old Marius Muller is one of them. He decided to take drastic action after enduring years of cruel public taunts about his “man-boobs”. Marius paid £4,700 for breast reduction surgery.
“I used to get comments in the street all the time about the size of my ‘breasts’ he explains. “People would shout: ‘Get a bra, mate’ or ‘Look at the boobs on him!’ I felt so self-conscious but I couldn’t hide them, even in extra large tops.”
Marius, who works as a carer in
He says: “I had been dieting for seven years and I’d worked hard on the weight loss but I was left with excess skin and fat. Going to the gym was intimidating, and I avoided swimming or sunbathing in public.”
That’s when he decided on cosmetic surgery. After an eight-hour operation carried out by a surgeon at The Hospital Group, Marius spent two days in hospital, took seven weeks off work, and was left with a big scar.
But he says he has no regrets. “The slightest sneeze or cough was very painful and made me cry at times, but I’ve never looked back. “I’m thrilled with my new shape.”
Surgery for gynaecomastia (commonly known as “moobs”), which Marius had, has replaced the facelift as one of the top five procedures for men.
Liposuction is used to reduce flabby breasts through small incisions under the armpits. Though patients can go home the same day, it can be three months before they fully heal and can move freely.
More than 320 of these operations were performed last year, compared with just 22 five years ago.
During Marius’s operation doctors completely reconstructed his chest, even removing and repositioning his nipples. But he says the results are impressive.
“I was stunned when I saw my chest afterwards,” he recalls. “The first time I looked down, everything looked so flat, tight and small – it was so liberating and such an amazing feeling of relief after all those years.”
Today, he says, he feels so much more confident about his body.
And he’s now saving for his next two procedures to remove more excess skin from his back and arms.
Marius is not alone – “man boobs” are relatively common. Many boys get fatty tissue on the chest in puberty then lose it as they mature. But for about 10%, the problem continues into adulthood.
Bryan Mayou, of
“Many men have body image problems and low self-esteem from gynaecomastia,” he says.
“Many have been teased at school or in the gym about the fat on their chests, and some even refuse to take their T-shirts off in front of their partners, they’re so embarrassed.”
And it’s not the only surgery among men that’s on the up.
Other Popular Surgeries and Alternative Choices for Men:Rhinoplasty, or the nose job, is popular, as are eyelid surgery, ear correction and liposuction.
So what body parts do men worry about most? One study reveals beer bellies are the top concern, then man boobs and love handles.
The number of men having cosmetic surgery has risen by more than 300%, according to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS).
Male breast reduction, up by 44%, has outstripped the rises in overall breast augmentation and tummy tucks – both up by 30% on the previous year – while male brow lifts have increased by 60%.
So why this surge in men opting to pay thousands for surgery? Often for the same reasons as women: insecurity about their appearance, for instance, or a desire to be slimmer.
Experts believe a mixture of pressures has caused the trend, including media images promoting healthy men at their physical peak, and men wanting to keep up with youthful partners or compete with younger rivals at work.
Consultant plastic surgeon Rajiv Grover says: “Not only are men expected to be eternally youthful in terms of stamina and dynamism, but increasingly they are also judged on their looks,“ he says.
With the male grooming industry now big business and worth £8bn globally, he may be right. And in a world increasingly preoccupied with the way we look, plastic surgeons expect it to continue.
The Harley Medical Group, with 23 clinics in the
He says: “There’s huge pressure to be energetic and look on top of your game – it’s all about presentation.”
He’s had Botox every six months for the last three years with Transform Cosmetic Surgery Group.
He says hitting 30 was a turning point. “The frown lines and crows’ feet had crept in, and my natural youthfulness had disappeared. I realised I needed a bit of help to look better.
“The last thing my clients want is to see me looking overtired and jaded. Botox makes me look fresh and feel confident, even if I’ve been up till 4am working on a sales pitch. “More men are trying cosmetic surgery to get ahead in the tough jobs market according to The Birkdale Clinic, which has centres in Merseyside,
It’s seen a 75% rise in men requesting surgery in the past six months, and attributes it to the recession and people facing tough competition for jobs. Marie Jenkins, patient co-ordinator at the clinic’s
“More than half said they were interested in facial surgery procedures like Botox and teeth whitening to make them look and feel better so they had a better chance at a new job or promotion.”
Peter has regular facial peels and mesotherapy, a skin-rejuvenating technique which uses a cocktail of vitamin injections.
He explains: “The effect is immediate, it lasts a couple of months, and rehydrates the skin so you look fresh.”
He says that at £130 a pop, it costs about the same as three facials. “I don’t buy expensive moisturisers or have facials, so I can justify the cost.”
Peter calculates he spends around £1,200 year on cosmetic procedures, and he believes that choosing the right practitioner is key.
He advises: “Take it step by step.
“Don’t rush into anything. Trust your practitioner and feel comfortable with them.
“Having a grooming routine is nothing to be ashamed of.”
GYNECOMASTIA
Large breasts in men are common. It is estimated that at some time in their life over a third of men experience this problem.
This is a brief summary of the operation. More details can be obtained from your own surgeon.
Indications: This operation is to remove excess breast tissue in men. This develops in one of two patterns, either a firm button of tissue beneath the nipple or a diffuse fatty change with poorly defined edges. Sometimes both patterns are present. The causes of gynecomastia (large breasts in men) are numerous and may dictate the treatment used. The extent of gynecomastia is graded in stages.
Method: Ultrasonic liposuction alone is helpful for removing the tissue and may avoid skin excision in many patients. It is now considered the treatment of choice for many men with large breasts.The type of surgery recommended depends on the pattern of enlargement. The most common traditional method is to remove the excess tissue through an incision around the nipple. The incision extends out from the nipple at 3 and 9 o'clock. Liposuction is used to improve the contour or remove additional fat. The operation is under a general anesthetic (you are asleep). Most of the time this is an outpatient operation and a stay in the hospital is not needed.
Problems: All operations have some risk. It is possible to divide the risks of surgery into two groups. First those that are seen in all operations and second those that are unique or special for this operation. In the first group, the main risks are swelling, bruising, bleeding, infection, a scar and numbness or change in feeling. The main problems which are special for this operation are surface irregularity and a change in shape or position of the nipple.
Postoperative care: The recovery takes one to two weeks. Most people are back to work within a week or two.
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