When it comes to looking better and younger, it’s not just women embracing cosmetic procedures.
Studies show a growing number of men are getting nipped, tucked and plumped as well. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Botox is the most popular, minimally-invasive procedure among guys, with nearly 420,000 men receiving the treatment in 2015.
And that’s not all they’re getting.
48-year-old David Butler has been coming to see dermatologist Dr. Melanie Palm for the past three years. He’s a husband and a father of three very active young boys.
David, who works in real estate in San Diego, says he may be getting older, but he doesn’t want to look it.
“I’m interacting with people all the time and when I look good, I feel good. I’ve had treatments for sun damage, sunspots. I’ve had filler to fill in the gaps and I’ve had Botox around the eyes just to kind of keep it fresh, so the smile lines don’t show as much,” he said.
Now, David is getting some more freshening up with Botox — or “Brotox” — as Dr. Palm calls it when treating the guys.
There’s a similar product called Dysport, or “Dudesport,” that does the same thing.
It’s a protein derived from a bacterial toxin that’s injected into the skin and paralyzes the muscles, creating a softening of facial expression, making wrinkles disappear.
“This generational gap we’ve had with women doing cosmetic procedures and it’s becoming more acceptable. It’s starting to happen that way with men,” said Dr. Palm.
The plastic surgery and dermatology societies say between 9 and 12 percent of their patients are men, something Dr. Palm has seen in her own practice.
“I’m seeing a lot of significant others come in because we’ve made women beautiful and it’s a dirty little secret and sometimes the husband or significant other gets the word out,” Dr. Palm said.
