Kiwi men line up for nose jobs, facelifts

BY LOIS CAIRNS

Kiwi blokes have caught on to the benefits of cosmetic surgery and are going under the knife in record numbers.

Plastic surgeons say they are dealing with a steady stream of men wanting to improve their looks by having noses reshaped, eyebrows lifted, "man boobs" reduced, or excess fat removed.

"Men are no different from women in that they like to look as good as they can," said Christchurch plastic surgeon Howard Klein, who estimates that men now make up 15-20% of his patients.

"No question there's been an increase in men having aesthetic surgery. There is still a preponderance of women, but the numbers of men coming through is definitely increasing. Frequently I have the experience of operating on women and then having their partner show up wanting surgery themselves because it's been such a positive experience," Klein said.

The surgical procedures most popular with men were facelifts, cosmetic eye surgery and breast reductions.

"For a long time I think men just weren't aware that there was treatment for the problem [of gynecomastia, or enlarged breasts]. I would say I easily do 50 to 60% more male breast reductions than I did five years ago – in the last three weeks I've seen men aged from 14 to 65."

In the UK, plastic surgeons are reporting a record number of "man boob" reduction operations as the rise in demand outstrips that for all other procedures, including women's breast enlargement.

British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) figures showed operations to correct gynecomastia in men grew by 80%, in 2009, while overall male cosmetic surgery increased by 21%. Men now account for 10% of all cosmetic procedures in the UK. The most popular procedures for men are rhinoplasty (nose), blepharoplasty (eyelids), breast reduction, otoplasty (ear correction) and liposuction.

Klein said that here more men were also taking advantage of non-surgical procedures such as Botox and dermafill injections.

Wellington plastic surgeon and secretary of the Foundation for Cosmetic Plastic Surgery, John Masters, said New Zealand did not collate figures on the number of cosmetic procedures performed on men and women, but anecdotally men were making up a growing percentage of those seeking surgical intervention to improve their appearance.

"They're still the minority, but it's the area we're seeing the most growth in," said Masters.

Masters said the fact that people were working longer was also driving people to consider cosmetic surgery as they wanted to continue progressing at work and did not want to appear too old.

"I see a lot of guys who are keen to just maintain that untired appearance and appearance of vitality because they are still working."

A Christchurch man, who did not want to be named, said he tried Botox for the first time six months ago and was so impressed by the difference it made to his appearance that he was now considering further cosmetic procedures.

"It's not something I ever thought I would do, but I feel so much better for it – it's just nice to wake up in the morning and not see this old man staring back at me in the mirror. I guess it's not really the done thing for blokes to do, but I've always taken pride in my appearance and I still feel young, so why shouldn't I look young too," said the 43-year-old executive.

PRICE OF BEAUTY

HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?

Breast reduction $12,500-$16,000

Brow lift $8500-$13,000

Liposuction $8000-$20,000

Otoplasty (ear) $4000-$8000

Rhinoplasty (nose) $9500-$15,000

Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) $12,000-$23,000

Blepharoplasty (eyelids) $4000-$13,000

Source: New Zealand Foundation for Cosmetic Plastic Surgery

FAMOUS MEN WHO HAVE GONE UNDER THE KNIFE

Michael Douglas, Kenny Rogers, Sylvester Stallone, Mickey Rourke, Rupert Everett.

- © Fairfax NZ News