This is a question we often get asked, and we have looked at our leading consultants’ practices to understand what men are seeking, why they’re seeking the given procedure and what benefits and impact these procedures might be having on them. The benefits relate to functional improvements, their psychosocial well-being and their lives in general.
Top of our list for procedures popular with men – gynecomastia.
This is unkindly often referred to as man boobs or moobs, but it can be an incredibly distressing condition for a man to have. It can happen on both sides of his chest or just one side, and each sides can appear differently.
Gynaecomastia can result in discomfort, pain, sensitivity and also the inability of the sufferer to feel comfortable exposing his chest. This impacts on family life, on intimacy and on day-to-day activities such as going swimming with the children or taking his top off on summer holiday. For many men, they will only wear loose and baggy clothing to avoid their gynaecomastia being noticeable through their clothes.
Where is gynaecomastia surgery performed?
Surgery for gynaecomastia is normally carried out at Purity Bridge in our day surgery theatre and involves techniques that are tailored for the individual person’s situation. These techniques can range from limited incisions around the areola through to more extensive incisions particularly in patients who have lost a lot of weight in combination with having gynaecomastia, and therefore have a lot of loose skin.
What is the recovery from gynaecomastia surgery?
The recovery takes a little while like any procedure, and we normally recommend six weeks to consider as a recovery period, with the first two weeks being most important time to take things easy. We often employ a technique known as a haemostatic net, which describes a number of rows of stitches that are placed for three to five days in the chest that are then taken out, which helps to contour the skin but also reduce risks of bleeding, which were associated with many gynaecomastia operations in the past.
This is life changing surgery. Our patients are able to feel better about themselves but also not suffer from the discomfort and the self consciousness that they had on a day-to-day basis beforehand. They are able to get on with their lives in a normal fashion and have the freedom not to worry about their chest anymore.
Face and neck lifting – the second most popular procedure for men
The second placed procedure for men in our practice is face and neck lifting. Sometimes men age very rapidly and they can develop discrepancies between the changes in their neck and their face. This can impact on them psychologically, it can impact on them professionally and socially, and sometimes there can be underlying reasons why changes in the face and neck may happen due to connective tissue disorders or issues with enlarged and unsupported salivary glands. In addition they might have changes due to sun damage on their skin.
This type of surgery can be complex and notoriously mens’ face neck lifting is more challenging than similar surgery on women due to the thickness to their skin, the fact that their skin is hair bearing and men have more of a reputation for complications such as bleeding. As a result the use of the haemostatic net in mens’ facelifts has been revolutionary and has really transformed mens’ facelifts results.
What are the results of face and neck lifting in men?
As with any face and neck lift, the result needs to treat the areas of concern but also produce a natural and harmonious outcome that ensures that the patient does not have any stigma or appearances of having undergone surgery. Whilst we still treat many more women than men, the taboo surrounding male facial surgery is really reducing and we are seeing an increasing number of men enquiring about their concerns in this area. Interestingly, more men are enquiring specifically about their necks and a less commonly performed, but very effective procedure, can be a direct neck lift which leaves a vertical scar between the chin and the Adam’s apple. A direct neck lift can not only excise any excess skin but provide access to deal with the deep next structures that might be causing the issues and problems the man is presenting with.
Lower eyelid surgery – the 3rd most popular procedure for men
Third on our list of popular procedures for men is lower eyelid surgery, often known as eye bag surgery or more correctly, lower blepharoplasty. This, again, can be indicated for functional and psychosocial reasons. Men may report issues with increasing bulging of the fat pads under the eyes, a loss of support of the lower lid resulting in watery or dry eyes and also the psychological impact of people frequently telling them how tired and sad they look.
How is lower eyelid surgery performed?
Depending on the complexity of the individual situation, different surgical techniques are employed to address the eyelid position, any herniating fat and skin excess. Normally the incision is on the outside under the eyelashes and extending into the crow’s feet, but occasionally if no skin removal is required the incision might be on the inside of the eyelid. By supporting the lower eyelid position as well as re contouring the area, we can improve the eyelid symptoms of dryness and watery eyes once the recovery period has ended. Lower blepharoplasty will also aim to rejuvenate the area, which gives our patients a whole new lease of life.
Like any plastic surgery procedure, the result should be unnoticeable in terms of having had anything done. Scars will take some time to settle, but they are carefully placed below the eyelashes and extending out into the crow’s feet which make the scars almost imperceptible overtime.
Men are an increasingly larger patient group we are seeing, and for us that is an incredibly rewarding finding as it shows us that the taboos that typically surround mens’ healthcare in terms of appearance and function appear to be reducing, allowing men equal access to the benefits of aesthetic plastic surgery.
Are more men having plastic surgery?
In short, yes – an increasing number of men are seeking the expertise of our consultant plastic surgeons at Purity Bridge. For more information, please get in touch on 01892 536 960 or email us at info@puritybridge.co.uk
By Mr Marc Pacifico
