TRENDING: 4 office based procedures for men

In the past decade, men have turned to plastic surgical procedures more than ever.  We have seen a similar change in the percentage of men seeking cosmetic procedures in our practice.  In my practice a decade ago, men occupied less than 5% of the patients I treated.  Today, it is closer to 15%.  One-third of the patients that visit my website are men. 

While the answer may be obvious to some, I will go ahead and ask the question….WHY?

In the zoom era, both men and women have taken notice of their appearance and in some ways, appearance is more important than ever in business.  How often do we simply have a phone call?  Most communications that require detail and time, are carried out visually and audibly online.  Some patients feel better about themselves and exude more confidence when they look better.  I also believe my patients are much more health conscious these days and simply want to look as good as the they feel.  In 2021, this means more than just their bodies but also their facial appearance. 

Being male carries with it many advantages and even a few disadvantages (sorry guys).  One of the disadvantages males have is a poor tolerance for pain, including surgical pain.

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Here are 4 office based surgical procedures that can improve your facial appearance with limited downtime and discomfort:

1) Upper Eyelid Surgery – The medical name for this procedure is blepharoplasty.  While I still perform lower eyelid surgery in the operating room, the upper lids can easily be performed in the office under a local anesthetic.  This procedure is designed to help improve the heaviness of the upper eyelid area, opening the eyes up, making us look a bit less tired.  The procedure takes about 45 minutes.  This area does get some swelling, so ice really helps for the first few days.  Pain is limited, with many patients using only Tylenol or ibuprofen.  The sutures come out around 5-7 days.  Most patients are “presentable” in 7-10 days with resolution of most of the swelling.  I allow patients to begin getting their heart rates up around 2 weeks.  The result can take 6-8 weeks.  The good news is the scar is hidden in a natural crease we have and cannot be seen when your eyes are open.

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2)Neck Liposuction – Some patients may have either inherited or accumulated fat under their chin but still have reasonable skin quality and tone.  In those patients, office-based liposuction is a great option to better define your jawline and neck area.  The procedure takes us 30-45 minutes and is performed completely under a local anesthetic.  Following the procedure, we like to keep you wrapped as much as possible for the first week allowing you to remove the wrap if you must venture out of the house or take a video call.  Most patients are just sore and do not require more than Tylenol or ibuprofen.  Improvement in shape and contour can be seen by the end of the first week with the result taking around 6-8 weeks.

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3)Direct Neck Excision – As we men age, we start to see the skin under our chin “lengthen”, creating a “waddle” or “gobbler” as one patient described to me.  Traditional facelift or lower facelift can address this quite nicely.  For men, looking for a faster recover and quick fix, a direct neck excision may be the answer.  A direct neck excision excises the loose skin under the chin leaving behind a vertical scar from just underneath your chin down onto your neck proportionate to how much loose skin you many have. This procedure is performed under a local anesthetic and takes us about 45 minutes.  It is the epitome of instant gratification!  Following the procedure, we wrap you and ask you to wear it as much as you can that first week.  Most of our patients grow a beard, which easily camouflages the incision.  Our patients can return to physical activity around two weeks and feel comfortable shaving around 3-4 weeks.

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4) Fat Injections to Face – We live in a world now where we can easily restore the lost volume of facial aging with filler products, we get off the shelf.  This is a very simple procedure, which results in instant gratification and a very predictable result with a defined longevity.  For some, fat can be an alternative.  It uses your body’s own tissues and once the volume is set (this procedure may require more than a single treatment) it can last for several years. The procedure is done in the office under a local anesthetic.  We must numb the site we take the fat from (typically the abdomen or hips) as well as the areas of the face we are going to augment with fat.  After the procedure, you are sore where we took the fat and do get some swelling and bruising where we inject in the face.  It may take 7-10 days to be presentable in public.  Fat is a little tricky and only about 60% of what we inject stays around.  We make an assessment around 3 months following the procedure and at that time decide together whether another procedure would be beneficial. Full activity is allowed around week two.

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While these four procedures are surgical, they all can be done in the office simply using a local anesthetic.  In the right patient, they can result in an impactful change with recover lasting somewhere between 1-2 weeks.  Should you have an interest in learning more about one of these procedures or others, I would love the opportunity to meet with you and discuss what options may best suit you.

Contact us here for more information about putting your best face forward!