INTRODUCTION
The number of men undergoing nonsurgical and surgical procedures has increased in recent years. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), nearly 1 in 10 cosmetic procedures in the United States are performed in men.1 Men are equally pursuing surgical and nonsurgical procedures and are open to a variety of tactics to maintain and enhance their appearance. In 2016, men had nearly 185,000 surgical procedures (9% of the total) and more than 1 million nonsurgical procedures (9% of the total). This rise in male patients’ interest to undergo cosmetic pro- cedures is related to many social factors: (1) a desire to look youthful and be more competitive at work, (2) the growing availability of non-surgical options, and (3) the society’s acceptability of men undergoing cosmetic procedures.2 According to a survey of 1,000 adults aged 18 years and older in the US and the U.K. from April 29-May 2, 2013 conducted by J. Walter Thompson Intelligence, men today feel more pressure to look polished than they did in the past (76%), and a majority agree they have as much pressure as women to have a good body (78%) and to be well-groomed (73%).3 According to the male survey respondents, some of the areas causing them to have anxiety about their appearance include wrinkles (28%), beer belly (40%), love handles (33%), lack of abs/six pack (32%), and gynecomastia/man boobs (30%). These areas are in accor- dance with 3 of the top 5 surgical procedures for men reported by ASAPS in 2016: liposuction, breast reduction, and facelift surgery (the other 2 were nose and eyelid surgery).1 The top 2 nonsurgical procedures for men reported by ASAPS in 2016 were botulinum toxin injections and hyaluronic acid filler injections. Research in cosmetic and non-surgical aesthetic procedures has typically focused on the female face and aging. However, physicians need to recognize gender differences in anatomy, skin biology, skin aging, behavior, and rejuvenation goals to allow the male cosmetic market to reach its potential4-5. From 2000-2016, the total amount of minimally-invasive cosmetic procedures in the US grew by 180%, and the growing mar- ket between female and male differed by 90% (164% increase in female vs. 74% increase in male non-invasive cosmetic procedures).6 Despite men’s increased interest in cosmetic treatments, they still only represent a small portion (8%) of the patients undergoing cosmetic procedures.6 As the number of men seeking cosmetic treatment increases, practitioners should reflect a commitment to the male patient through available treatments, marketing, clinic design, and staff.7 Thus, there is a need for practitioners to understand men’s concerns and trends in cosmetic and aesthetic procedures.8 This study aims to inquire about which factors impact men’s decisions towards cosmetic procedures, including motivating or discouraging factors, demographic data, and aspects of appearance that are concerning to them.
