Cosmetic Procedures: Men vs. Women

Gender equality seems to be on the tip of everyone’s tongue in 2016, be it wages, opportunities, or even nips and tucks.

Did you know that men accounted for nearly 33 percent of all ear surgeries last year? And 21 percent of all nose surgeries?* As cosmetic procedures become more mainstream, we asked Vancouver’s most prominent doctors about gender trends when it comes to aesthetic improvements.

*Source: American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Mutual Interests

It’s fair to say that men and women have different needs—both emotionally and physically. That same logic applies directly to cosmetic procedures. We chatted with Dr. Braun from Vancouver Laser and Skin Care Centre to find out what trends are on the gender hit and miss list for 2016.What is the most popular cosmetic procedure for men?We’re seeing an increase in men trying Botox or Xeomin and fillers treatment, but having a buff, hair-free body is seemingly much more important for men than injectables as 17 percent of all laser hair-removal procedures are done on men. Some of the newer lasers like the Fotona YAG Dynamis are almost pain free and extremely safe for laser hair removal.Do men tend to undertake surgical options?For the first time ever, men account for more than 40 percent of aesthetic breast reduction surgeries. Enlarged breast tissue is usually a genetic challenge, so surgery can make a big difference in their lives. But I do think on the whole men are more reluctant than women to have surgical procedures, so we also use non-surgical options like freezing the breast area with Zeltiq CoolSculpting.What should men avoid?Facelifts: I am concerned that facelift surgery feminizes the male’s square jawline by restoring a triangle of youth; women’s facelifts seem to be much more effective.What trends are you seeing in cosmetic procedures for women?Botox is the number one procedure for females. When done correctly, the injections provide a very natural brow lift for a woman, which enhances the arch of the brow.Are women trying out any new types of cosmetic procedures?Definitely, like the recently FDA-approved Cellfina treatment for cellulite and Nova threads for lifting the lower face. Lots of men and women suffer from severe acne scarring, and the new Lutronic Infini provides the best results that I have seen in 20 years.

Local Knowledge

South Granville clinic Skin2 has been treating Vancouverites for eight years, which means co-owners senior laser technician Kim and clinical director Dr. Paul Newitt know what to expect when it comes to men, women, and cosmetic procedures. “Laser hair removal used to be the most popular treatment for men,” says Kim, “but now we are seeing a lot more males coming in for Botox.” According to Kim, women mostly undergo facial rejuvenation and body contouring treatments like Venus, but a lot more men aged between 30 and 40 are starting to undertake anti-aging procedures as well.

The Logical Choice

Dr. Frances Jang“I think men are seeing women looking great with cosmetic help, maybe their partners are doing it, and thinking why not me?” says Dr. Jang from Skinworks cosmetic medical clinic. The Kerrisdale practice has recently experienced both a surge in men look-ing to get rid of stubborn fat areas with non-invasive procedures—meaning they can be back on the golf course that same day—as well as a substan-tive increase in men looking for a breast tissue reduction.“We’ve definitely seen an increase in men suffering from Gynecomastia ,” explains Dr. Jang, “They might be extremely in shape but still have an abundance of breast tissue. We can treat it either surgically with liposuction (we are one of the few clinics in Vancouver that actually have a plastic surgeon in house) or go for the non-surgical Cool-Sculpting option.”When it comes to women, Dr. Jang says Botox and fillers continue to be popular, but it is becoming apparent to many patients that the skill of the physician provider is increasingly important to achieve safe, satisfying, and natural appearing results over the long term. However, non-surgical body reshaping like Vanquish, which takes just 4-6 treatments to see results, comes a close second.

Necessary Measures

When it comes to women, it’s no surprise that the most popular treatment is still Botox and dermal fillers, but what’s interesting is the shifting demographic of the women seeking these treatments. “We still have the steady flow of clients aged 40 and over,” La Derma’s Helen Zambus explains, “but more and more I’m seeing women in their mid-twenties come in and saying: ‘I don’t want to look like my mother.’” Zambus’ clients are referring specifically to frown lines: “They don’t want to look plastic,” says Zambus, “They are young, smart women who want to take preventative action.”The clinic in Downtown Vancouver say that if preventative measures are scheduled appropriately, overall treatment sessions have the potential to be reduced: “If someone comes in pretty regularly—not more than four months apart in the first year—we can stretch treatments out to 2-3 times a year rather than 3-4 times a year,” says Zambus.Men are starting to come around to the natural looking, preventative way of thinking as well, with an increase in males using La Derma’s treatments as a way to stay current in the workplace. “A lot of our male clients want to be able to stay competitive at work,” explains Zambus, “They still have a lot of vibrancy, vitality, and wisdom to offer, but they feel they need to compete with these younger guys—that’s the society we live in.”The majority of La Derma’s male clientele seek out Botox between the brows and fillers in the cheeks, but recently the medical aestheticians there have seen an increase in requests for Intense Pulse Light treatment (a laser-like treatment that reduces sun damage and brown spots as well as brightening the skin) and Exilis Elite, a radio-frequency treatment that reduces fat cells and tightens skin to minimize a double chin.