Cosmetic surgery is no longer a secret procedure, with more and more men opting to buy the face, appearance, or body they want. Charmaine Yabsley looks at why this controversial trend has become so popular among men and how to choose the best surgeon for your requirements.
It’s not just women who have their plastic surgeons on speed dial. Males in Asia are now contributing to the billion-dollar industry, investing in their looks and bodies, with surgeries and treatments considered a normal part of their health and beauty regimes. Korea now has the highest rate of plastic surgery procedures in the world, with male patients making up around fifteen percent of the market.
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What’s behind such a rise? According to a report published in The New Yorker, one reason plastic surgery is so common is that, throughout Asia, the “Korean wave” of pop culture (called hallyu) shapes not only what music you should listen to but what you should look like while listening to it.
Eunkook Suh, a psychology professor at Yonsei University, in Seoul, told The New Yorker: “One factor is that, in contrast to Western cultures, the external aspects of self (your social status, clothes, gestures, and appearance) versus the inner aspects (thoughts and feelings) matter more here [in Asia].”
And it’s not just Asian men who are feeling the pressure to look perfect. A recent study by the USC School of Medicine found that 71 percent of men report feeling “significantly concerned” with their appearance, compared to 74 percent of women. In addition, 65 percent of men reported investing “considerable” time and resources toward improving their self-image.
“I have Botox injections every six months in my forehead and around my eyes,” says Conleth Bramley, 39, a developer who lives in Bali. “I consider it to be the same as going to the barber or the gym – it’s all about looking and feeling my best.”
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According to Bramley, he and many of his contemporaries invest in cosmetic surgery, believing they’re judged by society on their looks and promoted and treated accordingly. “It’s about being the face of your company and your position in life,” he says. “If you look good, and work hard, then you’re an ideal employee, and employer’s like that,” he says.
The most popular cosmetic treatments include botox, blepharoplasty, beard transplants, nose jobs, excess breast tissue removal, and rhinoplasty (nose job). And it’s not just residents of Asian countries who are investing in their appearance. Cosmetic tourism is a growing business: in Thailand alone, of the 26.5 million people who visited in 2013, 2.5 million went purely for medical reasons. That number has been growing at an average of 15 percent a year over the past decade.
If you are considering surgery, whether it’s in your home country or visiting a surgeon overseas for a procedure, take some advice from Stephen Handisides, director of MyFaceMyBody, and TV presenter from The Modern Face of Beauty.
- Always do your research. Google your surgeon and read their reviews, to check that there are no reports of misconduct. Try to get any recommendations from friends or family. It is good if you can speak to a former patient if possible.
- Make sure you shop around, and choose at least two or three surgeons to have a consultation with. Make sure you have a good rapport with the surgeon you choose as they will become your best friend if you go ahead with the surgery.
- Be procedure specific. Find a surgeon that specialises in that procedure and ask to see before and after photos of previous cases that he or she has treated.
- Ask to see their qualifications and check if they are properly trained in their field or belong to any reputable industry associations.
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