The majority of men have some kind of issue or imperfection they would like to address with their bodies. Whether it’s losing a bit of weight, gaining more muscle or tackling emerging wrinkles and receding hairlines as we age. While women still make up the lion’s share of plastic surgery demand in the UK, men are consistently looking to plastic surgery treatments to tackle these body issues head-on.
Men’s Plastic Surgery and why it’s booming
Around 10% of cosmetic surgery procedures carried out in the UK today are performed on men according to statistics from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS). This sizeable chunk of the market is also increasingly seeking out zero downtime ‘tweakments’ to improve their looks without surgery. Think quick-fix anti wrinkle shots, anti-wrinkle fillers or blasting fat off your love handles with fat freezing for example.
Leading beauty journalist Alice Hart-Davis, author of ‘The Tweakments Guide’ has recently been quoted in a Telegraph article as saying that some doctors are now finding that “up to 40% of their clientele are male.” At The Private Clinic, we can certainly testify to this surge in male demand, as more men seek out plastic surgery and non-surgical treatments with us.
But why is this happening? In today’s social media age, male influencers and personalities are much more open and transparent about their plastic surgery use. This has helped put the trend in the spotlight and make it much more mainstream and accepted. In line with this, cosmetic surgery for men has become relatively affordable and easy. Men of all ages are now embracing a vast array of treatments to boost their confidence, appearance and sense of wellbeing.
Types of Plastic Surgery for Men
From a quick ‘nip and tuck’ with lipo, to getting a new head of hair with a hair transplant, we have every type of treatment for men covered at The Private Clinic:
Cosmetic Surgery for Men: Our Top Treatments
When it comes to our most popular plastic surgery treatments for men, the removal of fat is high up on the agenda, along with correcting the shape of facial features like the ears and nose. Non-surgical treatments like injectable fillers are also high in demand. But first, we will delve into our top surgical procedures:
Liposuction
According to data from The Aesthetics Society, liposuction was the most popular treatment for men in the US alone in 2020. Even with the toughest gym and diet regime, it is sometimes hard for men to shift layers of muscle-obscuring fat. Liposuction can help by surgically removing these fatty tissues without any hard effort.
Why do it?
The procedure is probably the fastest way to get rid of excess fat from problem-prone areas of the body like the belly or love handles. Target back fat, chest fat and fat around your buttocks and thighs among other core areas. It’s popular with all types of men, from those who have lots of fat to lose, to those who need to trim up a localised area like their six-pack.
What it involves
Fat is sucked out of the body using a specialised vacuum tube under general anaesthetic. Small incisions are placed at the treatment area, before fat cells are broken up with high-frequency vibrations, lasers or a high-pressure water jet. The surgeon then loosens the fat with the tube before sucking it out of the body. After the procedure, patients can usually leave the clinic the same day, while resting for 10 days after.
We also offer the less invasive Vaser Liposuction procedure for patients with less fat to remove. It uses ultrasound energy to liquify fat before it’s removed from the body. This quick treatment involves a shorter recovery time with less swelling and bruising.
Rhinoplasty for men
Also known as the ‘nose job,’ this common surgical procedure is one of the world’s most popular, with over a thousand procedures taking place each year globally. Men can redefine the shape of their nose by making it look smaller, less crooked or more streamlined.
Why do it?
Some men want to reduce the size of their nose, while others want to correct a protruding nasal hump. A nose job for men is also great at helping to enhance the look of your nose if you’ve had a sports injury or accident. If you’ve ever broken your nose playing rugby or in a boxing match for example, then you can help to restore its former appearance with the help of a nose job.
What it involves
Thankfully, it’s a relatively straightforward procedure that requires 2-3 hours of your time in hospital. Your exact treatment type will depend on the problem you want to fix, from reshaping your nose bridge to narrowing your nostrils. But many male nose jobs are carried out to correct a dorsal hump.
We are one of the first clinics in the UK to offer the advanced Preservation Rhinoplasty technique. This is much less intrusive than standard hump correction rhinoplasty, which requires surgeons to break the nose hump in order to reshape it. With the new technique, no nose breaking is required as the nose is strategically reshaped by reducing padding from the inside. This generates a more natural result, with a much faster recovery time. However, sometimes 20% of men are likely to still need the traditional Rhinoplasty procedure to fix this issue. Either way, the boost in confidence that men get from nose jobs is often life-changing.
Ear Surgery
Ear surgery or otoplasty for men makes up nearly 50% of all UK ear pinning procedures. With 1 in 20 Brits feeling that their ears look too prominent, it is no surprise why this procedure is so sought after. The treatment allows men to reposition their ears by re-sculpting cartilage at the back of the ear to bring them closer to the head.
Why do it?
Ear reshaping can boost your self-esteem and improve your facial appearance by adding balance and symmetry to the face. You are also fully in control of how your new ears will look, as our consultants will seek to understand how and where you want your new ears to sit before the procedure takes place.
What it involves
This simple treatment takes around 2 hours and can be performed under a local or general anaesthetic depending on the extent of your ear reshaping requirements. A surgeon will make a small incision along the crease line at the back of your ear before removing any excess cartilage that is causing your ear to protrude. The ear is then pinned back into a new position before stitches and dressings are applied to support recovery. Patients must wear this garment for around 1 week after treatment.
Varicose Vein Removal
Around 10-15% of UK men over the age of 15 will develop varicose veins in their lifetime. These swollen, lumpy and bulging veins are a common problem in the legs. But they can occur across many different areas of the body. Irregular blood flows and faulty valves inside the veins cause them to become varicose. The side effects range from pain, swelling and itching to muscle cramps and skin discolouration. Thankfully, a range of advanced medical treatments can remove them for good.
Why do it?
Modern varicose vein removal treatments are easy and quick to perform. In most cases, men can remove their varicose veins in a simple walk-in, walk-out procedure that takes between 30-60 minutes to complete. Top procedures like EVLA have a 95% success rate and give patients an improved quality of life thanks to their physical and cosmetic benefits.
What they involve
A vascular surgeon will firstly analyse your veins using a duplex ultrasound scan. This scan allows the surgeon to determine how your blood is flowing and where the faulty valves in your veins are. They will then put forward a suitable treatment that is most relevant to solving your specific problem. Laser and radiofrequency vein treatments close up damaged or leaking veins using thermal energy, while injectable treatments like foam sclerotherapy shrink and dissolve damaged veins using a sticky substance.
Glue treatments like VenaSeal™ are also available to seal off faulty vein valves with medical-grade glue. Once the varicose veins have been sealed, they break down before being dispelled from the body naturally, while blood flow is naturally re-channelled through healthier veins. Some treatments require compression stockings to be worn for a week or so after treatment. But in all cases, patients will notice instantly visible improvements to their veins, and will no longer suffer debilitating side effects like pain, itching and skin discolouration.
Hair Transplants
Two-thirds of all men will experience male pattern baldness at some point in their lives. While some men are entirely comfortable with the balding process, others like Wayne Rooney and Calum Best have sought to address the process by opting for restorative hair transplant treatments.
Why do it?
Advanced hair transplant treatments like FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction) can help men to eradicate their bald patches while restoring receding hairlines. This can give men a welcome boost in confidence and self-esteem.
What it involves
Follicular Unit Extraction is the procedure that Wayne Rooney opted for and involves no stitches or obvious scars. Healthy hairs are removed from the back or side of the head before being re-inserted into areas of the scalp where hairs no longer grow. Recovery time is around 6 weeks, but patients can return to work after just 1-week post-treatment, once the swelling, redness and tightness on your scalp has subsided. After 6 to 12 months, your new head of densely packed hair will be obvious for all to see.
Non-Surgical Treatments for Men
In addition to plastic surgery treatments, men are also increasingly embracing a range of non-surgical ‘tweakments’ to improve their appearance. From dermal fillers to fat freezing, we walk through our most highly requested treatment choices:
Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty
Men don’t always have to go under the knife if they want to reshape their nose. Opt for non-surgical nose jobs using dermal filler injections if you want instant results without any surgical downtime. Contour and smooth out bumps in the nose or restructure the shape of your nostrils for example.
Why do it?
The main advantage of non-surgical rhinoplasty is the lack of downtime and speed of treatment. It takes as little as 15 minutes to complete, and patients are able to resume normal activities instantly, with immediately noticeable results.
What it involves
A cosmetic practitioner will assess your nose to determine how you want to improve its appearance. Injections of hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers will then be applied to strategic locations to add volume, firmness and support to areas that need it most. Nasal bumps can be minimised, and asymmetry can be corrected, while the shape of your nose is refined and streamlined. This process is also more cost-effective than a surgical procedure and requires no recovery time at all. However, patients should note that the visible effects of dermal filler injections are not permanent. So a surgical option may be more suited to those who desire a permanent fix.
Jaw Fillers
In 2019 alone, men underwent nearly 10% of all injectable cosmetic treatments, including Botox and dermal filler injections. Jawline fillers are one of the most popular treatments of this type for men. Achieve a strongly defined, masculine jawline without any need for facial surgery or downtime.
Why do it?
It isn’t just male celebrities like Henry Cavil or Brad Pitt who have inspired men to chisel their jawlines to perfection with the help of dermal fillers. Scientific studies from the Nature journal have demonstrated that having a sharp and strongly contoured jawline actually gives men more sex appeal by denoting higher levels of testosterone and a stronger immune system. It is therefore no surprise why this treatment proves to be so popular. In less than 30 minutes, men can add definition and support to their jawline to achieve this ultra-sculpted masculine look.
What it involves
A typical treatment session involves placing hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers across key points around the jawline and mid-face area to bring back structure, definition and support. Applying fillers to strategic places like the side of the jawline and the chin area enhances a man’s natural bone structure while bringing back bulk and volume to the masseter muscle. Together, this helps to give the man a more structured and streamlined jaw, with results lasting up to 2 years after treatment.
CoolSculpting
Men can also apply greater definition and structure to their bodies by opting for non-surgical fat freezing treatments. CoolSculpting is an ideal procedure for men who need to shift stubborn pockets of fat around core zones like the belly, love handles or back.
Why do it?
Remove fat without the use of invasive surgery or excessive effort at the gym. It also gives men the ability to spot-target fat loss in a way that isn’t possible with diet or exercise.
What it involves
Like surgical liposuction, CoolSculpting strips the body of subcutaneous fat tissues to create a trimmer and more sculpted appearance. But rather than sucking out fat tissues, this treatment delivers controlled cooling energy to break down the fat cells beneath the skin. These treated cells then crystallise (freeze), before shrivelling and dying over the course of a few weeks. Patients usually start to see results as early as 4-6 weeks after treatment once the body has had enough time to metabolise and dispose of the fat cells naturally. The body will continue to flush out these fat cells for up to 6 months after treatment, giving patients permanent fat reduction results without any need for invasive surgery.
Emsculpt and Emsculpt Neo
Men can complement these fat reduction results with Emsculpt, a leading non-invasive body shaping technology. This breakthrough procedure not only burns through fat, but also helps to build and strengthen muscle at the same time. Emsculpt Neo is Emsculpt’s newly upgraded treatment option that burns through fat and builds muscle at an even greater rate thanks to its combined radiofrequency and electromagnetic technology: ideal for those with an above average BMI.
Why do it?
This treatment is ideal for men who want to improve muscle tone across their abs, biceps, triceps, legs and buttocks. One treatment equates to 2,000 manual sit-ups or squats, so it makes a big impact in just one 30-minute treatment session.
What it involves
Emsculpt uses a clever device that sends High-Intensity Focused Electromagnetic Energy (HIFEM) through the skin to rapidly contract the muscles. These intensive muscle contractions build up muscle mass while causing the muscles to gradually remodel. This process stimulates fat reduction too, while the muscles remodel and build back bigger and stronger. On average, just one single session results in a 16% increase in muscle mass, and a 19% reduction in fat after 2-4 weeks. When it comes to Emsculpt Neo, men can achieve even greater gains, with a 30% reduction in treated fat stores and a 25% increase in muscle mass after just one 30 minute session.
To find out more about these non-surgical treatments, and our full range of plastic surgery treatments for men, call us on 0333 920 2471. Alternatively, book a consultation using our contact form.
