We all know that more women than men tend to get cosmetic surgery, but this year’s American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) aesthetic data reveals an ever-increasing rate of male patients. In fact, 44 percent of practitioners are anticipating growth in male patients this year, up 5 percent from the year before. As more men turn to in-office solutions and seek plastic surgery, we’re starting to get more of an idea of what they want and expect in terms of aesthetic outcome. Among cosmetic surgeries for men, the rhinoplasty reigns supreme.
We spoke with experts to learn why a nose job is the most requested aesthetic procedure for men and what they see on the horizon for male plastic surgery.
Introducing the AAFPRS
The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery is an accredited association of board certified surgeons specializing in facial plastic and reconstructive surgeries, and requires previous board certification from either the American Board of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery or the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
Their annual survey to members offers an inside look at this specialized niche of plastic surgery, and with life finally settling into a post-COVID norm, this year’s stats give us the best idea yet of the state of the industry. While COVID brought a lot of people to plastic surgery, causing marked surges across the board, there has still been a consistent trend: more people are getting cosmetic procedures.
2023’s survey, released this month, demonstrates that while the pandemic plastic surgery craze has slowed, there is still consistent growth in aesthetic surgery. If you ask surgeons, they’ll tell you that growth comes from a lot of different places.
Campbell, CA, plastic surgeon Kamakshi Zeidler, MD explains she’s noticed an influx of both male patients, but also younger patients in their mid 30s looking for cosmetic procedures. “I practice in Silicon Valley, so I would say the younger millennial population in my community is in a good financial position, particularly coming out of COVID,” Dr. Zeidler explains. “I think that this group of patients we see in the in their 20s, early 30s are really looking at investing in themselves, even over material things.”
That includes a rising interest in facelifts for the younger crowd, more prejuvenation than rejuvenation and an increase in focus on maintaining skin quality.
What Is a Rhinoplasty?
“Rhinoplasty is basically a restructuring or re-contouring of the nasal cartilages, nasal bones and sometimes the nasal soft tissue,” explains Palo Alto, CA facial plastic surgeon David Lieberman, MD. “While this is frequently done to address aesthetic concerns, the function of the nose must be accounted for in any nasal surgery.”
Palto Alto, CA facial plastic surgeon Jill Hessler, MD explains that the delicate reshaping of the nose can create a lot of change. “The nose is such a prominent central component of the face so subtle changes can have a big impact,” Dr. Hessler says.
New York facial plastic surgeon Matthew White, MD adds that facial balance is the primary aesthetic goal of a rhinoplasty. “When you see a patient that’s interested in a rhinoplasty, their nose is typically out of balance in some way,” Dr. White explains. “They might find it to be too large for their facial features or the tip is too overpowering. And because of that, in their private and professional lives, when people see them, the first thing they notice is the nose. It’s where their eyes gravitate to.”
Dr. White’s personal philosophy for rhinoplasties, then, is to draw a person’s gaze to yours.
“We’re talking about those milliseconds where you meet someone for the first time, and you can feel them scanning your face and making judgements,” Dr. White says. “So, our whole strategy is to make those milliseconds about your eyes and not your nose. To create real harmony in the face.”
Why Are More Men Getting Rhinoplasties?
“I see a lot of male patients for rhinoplasty, so it doesn’t surprise me this is the most common procedure for men,” Dr. Hessler says. According to her, one reason for that popularity is that a rhinoplasty can be performed at any point in a person’s life.
“Rhinoplasty is a procedures that spans many decades of life. Often men in their late teens up to their sixties or seventies can seek refinement to their nose. Although I frequently perform blepharoplasty and facelift and neck lifts on men, this is generally in a slightly older demographic whereas rhinoplasty can be performed at any age.”
According to President of the AAFPRS, Sherard A. Tatum, the advances in surgery also have something to do with the rise in popularity among men. “As minimally invasive technology continues to advance, this opens the door for more men to get discreet, quick-to-heal cosmetic treatments,” says Dr. Tatum. “From non-invasive neck lifts to needle-free enhancements, there are more options than ever for men to keep looking as vital and youthful as they feel. The rise of minimally invasive options seems to be slowly closing the gender gap when it comes to facial plastic surgery.”
