Achieving the ideal male aesthetic

Men may have different reasons for visiting a cosmetic surgeon’s office, but one fairly universal concern they share is wanting to maintain (or enhance) their masculinity. According to Michael Somenek, M.D., Washington D.C., the key to great results and happy male patients is knowing how to treat his face without feminizing his features.

“When addressing a male upper eyelid [for example], you don't remove as much skin because you don't want to feminize the eye… a fuller upper eyelid is a very sexy characteristic in a male. Maintaining that is something that we try to do,” says Dr. Somenek, who spoke on the differences between the male and female face in his presentation, “Achieving the Ideal Male Aesthetic,” at this year’s Global Aesthetic Conference in Miami, Fla.

Noting that 40% to 50% of his patients are men, Dr. Somenek says that the best results for this population are those that are so natural, no one’s pointing fingers.

“It's rare that we are talking about a male that has had plastic surgery because chances are, we just don't notice it because it looks good,” he says. “We only notice the bad stuff.”

It’s only been in the last few years, Dr. Somenek says, that there has been an increase in men seeking aesthetic treatments, most commonly, non-surgical procedures like fillers, Botox, lasers or treatments that address skin texture and sun damage.

As for surgical procedures, upper eyelid surgery may be the most common, he says.

And once you gain male patients’ trust, “They're very loyal, and they become very open to try new things with you. When I ask most males how [they] find me, it’s Google, and they've done their independent research.”

Still, though the number of men who are having cosmetic procedures is growing, there is limited data on treatment principles and goals specifically for men.

The Journal of Drugs in Dermatology reports that the lack of information available on male aesthetic treatments and goals contributes to the disproportionately small national percentage of men seeking the advice of a cosmetic physician when compared to women. 

“Educating men about available aesthetic treatments and about the safety and side effects associated with each treatment, as well as addressing concerns about their treatment results looking natural, are key considerations,” study authors explain.

Dr. Somenek says he tells his male patient consults that they won’t look feminine or unlike themselves after treatment — a result achieved with education and training in the nuances of the male face.

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter whether it’s a male or female patient walking through the door as long as they’re leaving looking natural and rejuvenated.

“I really developed a passion to speak about the male aesthetic… because it is quite a talking point for many people because they don't even know where to start.”

References:

Keaney TC, Anolik R, Braz A, et al. The Male Aesthetic Patient: Facial Anatomy, Concepts of Attractiveness, and Treatment Patterns. J Drugs Dermatol. 2018;17(1):19-28.

Dr. Somenek