Plastic Surgery For Men

By Michael Chiaramonte, MD, FACS

Tired of the “keg” around your stomach? Wish you had “six-pack” abs? Do you work out and stick to a healthy diet, and yet still have a tire around the middle? Then join the legions of men who are turning to plastic surgery to improve their appearance.

Men often choose to improve the same body parts as women, but the procedures used are generally different. The areas that generally concern men most are their eyes, nose, neck, stomachs and chests.

Eyes

The eyes are the focal point of the face and contribute substantially to a person’s overall appearance. Eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) can help a man look fresher and younger. Fat, which builds and accumulates as we age, is removed, wrinkled and excessive skin is eliminated, and drooping eyebrows are given a lift. The result – a tired or sad-looking face is invigorated.

Nose

Nose contouring or reshaping (rhinoplasty) has always been one of the most popular procedures for men. Bringing the nose into balance with the rest of the face can dramatically improve one’s appearance. Sometimes it is combined with a chin implant to further balance the face while improving the jaw line.

Neck

Instead of a facelift, men often choose to get rid of the excess skin that gathers in their neck, often referred to as their neck waddle or turkey gobbler. For men it is one of the most tell-tale signs of aging and it can be resolved with less scarring and much less downtime than a facelift.

Stomach

Liposuction helps men in the same way it helps women: it gets rid of those excess pounds – the dreaded love handles – that linger despite a healthy diet and exercise. “Six-pack abs” can be obtained by combining liposuction with abdominal etching to build definition, which forms the foundation for restoring the abdominal muscles through exercise.

Chest

An area of particular concern is the chest, where fat can accumulate and skin can sag – making men feel as if they have female breasts. This condition, known as gynecomastia, is surgically treated by removing excess skin and fat with minimal scarring.

More than ever, men are making the choice to improve their appearance with cosmetic surgery. Whether it’s to maintain their competitive edge or to simply feel better, men now have a multitude of options. Swapping a “keg” for a “six-pack” has never been easier.