Male Plastic Surgery Concerns

When it comes to plastic surgery, men have a unique set of concerns, quite different from those of women. Male patients, who comprise one-fourth of Dr. Rizk’s patient population, are concerned with three main issues including:

• Nose –30 percent of Dr. Rizk’s male rhinoplasty patients also get a chin implant at the same time as a nose job
• Necklift either alone or with a chin implant
• Lower eyelid blepharoplasty (to remove lower eyelid bags)

Although male patients are not as focused on lines and wrinkles as are women, the three most common non-surgical procedures performed on men in Dr. Rizk's practice include:

• Botox to get rid of the angry frown lines
• Fillers-either for nasolabial folds or lips
• Peels to improve skin sun damage or skin texture.

Male plastic surgery patients tend to say they want to look as good as they feel. Patients are exercising more and smoking less or not at all. They want to look more rejuvenated for a number of reasons:

• Job competition – goal is to look more vibrant, less tired
• Divorce - Seeking life partner
• Desire to look as good as they feel

While neck lifts and lower eye bags surgery are most common with middle aged male patients, nose surgery or rhinoplasty can be performed as early as age 15. In fact, male rhinoplasty is on the rise, particularly for men under 40. Men choose this surgery for two basic reasons - to correct nasal injuries incurred while playing sports or during an altercation or to correct the natural inherent shape of their nose. In both instances, breathing may be affected and thus presents another motivation.

In general, the noses of men who wish rhinoplasty fall into several categories – the ethnic nose, the droopy tip, the underprojected tip, the thick-skinned tip and the injured and crooked nose. In all cases, maintaining a masculine aesthetic is paramount. The desired dorsal line is straight or has a slight convex hump. Upturned noses are considered feminine; therefore the nasolabial angle of a male nose should be no more than 90 or 95 degrees. To achieve a strong balanced profile, sometimes it is necessary to perform a chin implant with rhinoplasty to counteract a weak chin.

The jawline is a significant focus for men seeking plastic surgery. As men age, they become increasingly concerned with their neck and jawlines. A youthful jawline is a well-defined jawline with a well-projected chin, the absence of jowls, and the absence of a double-chin. Even younger patients who have hereditary fat deposition under the chin and a small chin seek correction of this deformity either with a rhinoplasty or as an isolated procedure. A chin implant/neck liposuction can be performed in younger patients seeking jawline improvement while a minimally invasive necklift is one of Dr. Rizk’s signature procedures which can be completed on older male patients seeking jawline definition.

Liposuction may be sufficient for younger men, but men over 50 usually require a more aggressive procedure. Dr. Rizk has developed his signature Rapid Recovery Neck Lift specifically for male clients who need to return to work quickly. This modified approach focuses on a smaller incision that is hidden behind the ear, thus avoiding a hairline incision. Because of the small size of this initial incision, the surgery also must include an incision under the chin to remove fat and tighten the muscle. This is done with a high definition telescope, which allows Dr. Rizk to lift the neck tissues very effectively to create a smooth neck contour in an almost bloodless procedure. Instead of painful drainage tubes, tissue glue adhesives are used to close the incisions, cutting down on bruising and bleeding, which tends to be more common in men. As with rhinoplasty, sometimes a chin implant is required to create a stronger jawline that will withstand the test of time.

When it comes to eyes, men are mostly concerned with under eye bags. Dr. Rizk addresses these bags with a procedure that leaves no visible scar. He uses a “transconjunctival” approach that entails placing an incision inside the lower lid only – the least invasive approach possible. During the procedure, Dr. Rizk removes fat from inside the lid. In some cases, he may take a small pinch of skin to create a better outcome. In other cases, he may inject a hyaluronic acid filler to fill in the tear trough area or hollow below the lid to eliminate a dark shadow.

As the number of years that we work professionally continues to expand and as the stigma of plastic surgery for men continues to diminish, more and more men will choose surgical procedures as an option to improve their appearance. No longer are men a mere afterthought for the field of cosmetic surgery.