A specialists’ view: men and aesthetic surgery

In today’s world where stereotypes about aesthetic surgery are starting to change, men who appreciate a healthy appearance are opened to a completely new world. “Aesthetic surgery among men is not such a taboo as it used to be”, says Dr Gintaras Papečkys, a renowned plastic surgeon in the Baltics. “Men are becoming more critical about their appearance, more open to talking about it, and more eager to do something about it. At Christinas Clinic, the number of male customers has considerably risen over the last few years – we see several men every day in consultations or at the surgery.”

One surgery, different solutions

Most of the procedures of aesthetic surgery are suitable for both men and women, but due to some gender differences (e.g. the thickness of the skin, the way that fat is preserved, etc.), surgery techniques may differ. For example, in the case of rhinoplasty, the purpose of the surgery is to improve the shape and functions of the nose, whatever the patient’s gender. However, the surgery aimed at getting a strong and refined masculine nose greatly differs from the shaping of a fine and balanced feminine nose. It can be said that successful aesthetic surgery for men concentrates on creating or preserving masculine proportions. Therefore, men should trust themselves with professional surgeons and specialists who have a lot of experience with male cosmetic surgery and/or male aesthetic procedures.

What do men want?

It is obvious that men also want to look good. They have come to realize that the surgical techniques have advanced a lot during the years and that the results of cosmetic surgery today look completely natural. In our constantly evolving culture, the image of an ideal man is starting to look like a superhero from the movies.

The most popular procedures among men are male breast reduction or gynecomastia, liposuction, abdominoplasty, rhinoplasty, eyelid surgery, and intimate plastic surgery. Injectable gels are commonly used to give a handsome masculine look to the face and botulinum toxin injections are used for preventing the formation of mimic wrinkles and help cure hyperhidrosis.

Male breast reduction – the most popular procedure among men

“If about half of women think about breast enlargements, then it can be said that about half of men think about breast reduction”, says Brit-Carmen Norlan, the director of the clinic. The enlargement of the breast tissue was not such a common problem before as it was mainly connected to using the wrong kind of food supplements. Now, it’s becoming more and more common. Regular-sized and relatively slim men come to the clinic with the problem of enlarged mammary glands. This is not exactly considered part of a masculine body.

The results of male breast reduction have been remarkable and this is why men are usually very pleased with the procedure. One must consider, though, that in the case of breast reduction, there’s no escaping from the scars. As a rule, the scars from this procedure are small, but when bigger skin areas have to be removed, the scars will be larger. Usually, this is not a problem for men because a few years after the surgery, they can choose a cool tattoo to cover the scars or the scars will be covered by body hair. Besides, who hasn’t heard the saying, “scars adorn men”.

Abdominal liposuction, e.g. getting rid of “bad fat”

Many men exercise enough and maintain a healthy diet but find that it is still hard to lose the excess fat from the abdomen. This is where liposuction may help. Dr Papečkys admits that he himself has had excess fat removed from his stomach. “It is the so-called bad fat and removing it is important for the good health of men. You shouldn’t be ashamed of this problem; you can just come to the clinic and ask for advice. Thanks to removing the “bad fat”, I feel much better and my metabolism has changed completely. I’m extremely grateful to Dr Viiklepp for the surgery!”

Abdominoplasty – getting rid of excess skin

Fast and extreme weight loss may result in excess skin, the so-called “saggy skin”. While a woman may wear a one-piece swimsuit to the beach to cover the excess skin, a man cannot usually hide it as it is almost impossible to tuck the excess skin into swimming pants. This problem can be corrected by abdominoplasty – the procedure where the extra skin and fat from the stomach area are removed. For the best results, abdominoplasty is usually performed together with liposuction. As for the scarring in these procedures, it will usually be covered by wearing pants.

Eyelid surgery – when saggy eyelids interfere with your vision

Men’s eyebrows are genetically lower than women’s, which may result in earlier and more visible blepharoptosis. Men’s upper eyelid plastics should follow the masculine form and the eyelids should not be sculpted as high as women’s. Internationally, eyelid surgery is considered a medical surgery and saggy eyelids can be compared to a toothless mouth; when droopy eyelids interfere with your vision, the problem should be dealt with.

Intimate cosmetic surgery – penile lengthening, widening, and testicular implants

Christinas Clinic has over 20 years of expertise in men’s intimate cosmetic surgery and these procedures are based on the patients’ needs. Male intimate cosmetic surgery can be compared to female breast surgery – men have a personal relationship with their genitals as women have with their breasts. If a man has non-proportional genitals or an empty scrotum, it may keep him from living a full-fledged life.

Men are independent and conscious customers

“Men are usually certain in their decisions – if they’re planning to have surgery, they’ll most likely not change their mind at the consultation. They may go through with their plan sooner or later, but they will go through with it”, says Brit-Carmen, the Director of Christinas Clinic. Based on our experience, it can also be said that men are more independent in their decisions, as they hardly ever believe information from Google nor make a decision based on a friend’s suggestion. They simply do not discuss these issues with friends. “I’m extremely grateful to all our male patients for their courage and determination. I have huge respect for them!”, says Brit-Carmen.

Attention! This is a healthcare service. Christinas Clinic is licensed by the Health Board, permit L04361 (CBF Medical OÜ). The operations and procedures are performed by healthcare professionals.