Plastic Surgery For Men: The Power To Change Your Perception7 min read
Caroline Hedges
Become a more likeable, attractive and trustworthy man. What enticing words! Wouldn’t you want to know more?
Plastic surgery for men is gaining popularity (“Brotox,” anyone?). Any stigma surrounding mens’ grooming has long disappeared, with manicures, pedicures and manscaping – the removal of unwanted hair anywhere on the body aside from the scalp – becoming everyday activities so accepted there now even TV shows about it. Men are now allowed to care about their looks, and millions are doing so.
The most recent Plastic Surgery Statistics Report published by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons shows 1.3 million men had some sort of cosmetic procedure in 2017, accounting for 8% of all cosmetics procedures over all. That means for every 10 women who underwent plastic surgery, 1 man also had a procedure.
Why Men Want Plastic Surgery
Between 2000 and 2017, the number of men having breast reductions, liposuction, and tummy tucks is up 30 percent, 23 percent, and 12 percent, respectively. That growth is huge!
The modern workplace is a highly competitive environment and men are not retiring at 65 anymore, so they want to be as energetic and enthusiastic as they feel and add to their executive edge – personal branding that makes them stand out – as they look to extend their careers.
And as new research suggests, plastic surgery can not only boost a man’s career by reducing the effect of aging, it can also make him appear more like-able or trustworthy. In other words, plastic surgery can affect perception!
Between 2000 and 2017, the number of men having breast reductions, liposuction, and tummy tucks is up 30 percent, 23 percent, and 12 percent, respectively.
Plastic Surgery Improves More Than Your Looks
Recent research from a team at Georgetown University has found that looks really do have an impact on how men are perceived. The study, published in the JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery was designed to be more broad reaching than just looking at the perceptions of gender (i.e. a man being perceived as more masculine), and instead explores the impact of plastic surgery on more general personality traits. Specifically, the study found that men were generally perceived to be more like-able, attractive and trustworthy after plastic surgery.
“Taken together, our findings suggest that both men and women undergoing facial cosmetic surgery can experience not only improved perception of attractiveness, but other positive changes in society’s perception of their persona,” said Dr. Michael J. Reilly, an associate professor at Georgetown’s School of Medicine and senior investigator in the study.
How Did The Study Work?
In order to avoid any cross-contamination or predisposed reactions, the research team devised a study that was centered around the before and after pictures of 24 men (48 pictures total) who had one or more of the following surgeries: upper eyelid reduction, lower eyelid reduction, face-lift, brow-lift, neck-lift, nose reshaping (rhinoplasty), and/or a chin implant.
These 48 photographs were then split into groups of eight and used in six different surveys, but with additional rules. Each survey would have four ‘before’ and four ‘after’ pictures. No survey would contain both photos of a single patient.
All of the survey participants (some 150+ of them) took part without knowing the purpose or reason for the study. They were asked to rate their perception of each person on a range of points from masculinity and attractiveness to like-ability and trustworthiness.
The Results Are In!
The results are fascinating and perhaps introduce a new way for men to consider what they want out of cosmetic surgery. The purpose of plastic surgery could shift away from “Make me look younger” or “I really want to fix my nose” Rather, results requests could shift based on the response men wish to achieve. Want to seem more trustworthy? Go for an upper eyelid augmentation or face-lift. Desire to appear more masculine and extroverted? A neck-lift is your friend.
As Reilly commented “It is really interesting that different anatomic areas of the face have varying degrees of contribution to overall personality perception.”
Many aesthetics, from big boobs to blond hair, have been stereotyped for years with a perceived personality, so perhaps the results of this survey are not such a surprise. And with the increase in men’s plastic surgery do not be surprised to see the men in your life suddenly take on new positive traits you didn’t notice before.
"Different anatomic areas of the face have varying degrees of contribution to overall personality perception." - Dr. Michael J. Reilly
INVITATION
For those wondering whether plastic surgery might be the best cosmetic solution for you, we invite you to simply come in for a complimentary consultation with Dr. Chang or one of the cosmetic laser and injection nurses to explore whether you would make a good candidate. To find out more whether Aesthetica can help you, contact us online or at 703-729-5553 to arrange an appointment. Dr. Phillip Chang is a board-certified plastic surgeon in Northern Virginia near Leesburg, Virginia and an expert in a wide variety of cosmetic treatments.
Let Us Help You!
Our office can provide you will helpful information, schedule a free consultation, and advise on which cosmetic procedures would be best for you.
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