If you think about cosmetics, skincare products and plastic surgery, you could be forgiven for assuming that we’re talking about women’s beauty products and procedures. In fact, in the past this would definitely have been the case. Yet, today there has been a distinct sea-change in attitudes, whereby men are much more open towards using cosmetics. It could be said that traditional ideas about gender roles and norms have evolved, which has seen men embrace the tools and technology available to help them look and feel great.

RESEARCH FINDS MEN MORE OPEN TO COSMETICS

Ipsos, a US data company has published a report, “There’s a market for men’s cosmetics and a generation gap” which confirms that men are much more open to using cosmetic products today, than they were historically. However, there is a large divide in attitude between the under 35s and over 50s, with the younger men taking a more comprehensive approach to grooming and cosmetics. Whereas older patients have different motivations, such as wanting to look younger in order to hold their own in the workplace.

Figures show that at least 15% of heterosexual men in the USA between the age of 16-65 use makeup and male cosmetics. Several factors are at play here: Firstly, it is possible to buy these types of products anonymously due to the prevalence of ecommerce. Also, the rise in Zoom and the pressure to look your best on social media. This has resulted in more and more men adding cosmetics to the regular morning routine.

This trend is confirmed by Grand View Research, which places the value of the global men’s grooming products market at 202.6 billion US dollars (2022). It is also forecast to reach 376.4 billion US dollars by 2023, which represents a compound annual growth rate of 8%.

The rise in male use of cosmetics really started to take effect during the pandemic, as people had more time to take care of themselves. The celebrity publication, Entertainment Times recently published an article that suggested 45% of GenZ males were encouraged to use cosmetics and grooming products during this period, which led to a surge in sales on ecommerce channels. A trend that has continued to date.

NUMBER OF MEN OPTING FOR COSMETIC SURGERY ON THE RISE

Similarly, cosmetic surgery patients should no be assumed to be female. Long gone are the days when the best plastic surgeons in Marbella would only see female patients. For both men and women, looking good and feeling your best is an important part of everyday life. Men are just as interested in holding back the hands of time with the help of facelifts, chiseled jaws or regaining the definition around their abs.

One of the best cosmetic surgeons in Marbella, Dr. Pietro di Mauro, has seen an increase in the number of male patients visiting his clinics over the last couple of years. Cosmetic surgery procedures and tweakments on male patients account for around 12%. Enquiries from potential male patients are rising year on year. Throughout 2022, enquiries received about cosmetic surgery in Marbella, including nose jobs, boob jobs and liposuction, were split 82% female and 18% male. The percentage of male enquiries saw an increase of 2% upon the previous year.

Dr. di Mauro explains: “There has definitely been a shift towards more acceptance of male plastic surgery procedures and cosmetic enhancements. Liposuction is by far the most popular cosmetic surgery procedure requested by male patients. The procedure removes stubborn pockets of fat to create a more toned and streamlined silhouette and can be performed on most parts of the body. It is most regularly carried out on the chin, stomach and love handles. Some patients prefer to achieve an extreme sculptured appearance, which can be achieved by abdominal etching surgery. This type of liposuction can create the illusion of a six-pack”. Read about the different types of liposuction in our blog, “The difference between liposuction, lipo vaser and abdominoplasty”.

FACELIFTS

As touched upon above, there has been a steady increase in facelifts from older men who feel that they need to look more youthful in order to compete for jobs against younger applicants and to remain relevant in the workplace. Dr. Pietro is currently the only plastic surgeon in Marbella offering Hollywood’s hottest and most secretive cosmetic surgery procedure, the deep plane facelift. The procedure is loved by celebrities, as it results in a refreshed very natural look. Unlike a traditional facelift where it is necessary to peel back the skin from the muscle, when you have a deep plane facelift the skin remains attached to the muscle. The surgeon operates on the deep plane structure, which prevents the tell-tale stretched appearance of facelifts in the past.

BUCCAL FAT REMOVAL

Another cosmetic surgery procedure that is gaining traction amongst both men and women is buccal fat removal. By removing fat from the inner check, it is possible to create a more defined cheek bone and a masculine chiseled jaw. In addition to the buccal fat removal, patients can also opt for fillers to improve the firmness of their jawline.

In conclusion, the market for male grooming, cosmetics and plastic surgery is on an upward trajectory. Attitudes to self-care changed for ever during Covid and the use of new cosmetics, tweakments, such as lip fillers, and more intrusive cosmetic surgery like an eyelift or nose job have become the norm.

If you would like to find out more about Dr. Pietro di Mauro’s cosmetic surgery procedures get in touch for a confidential no-obligation personalised consultation, by calling call 648 43 45 93.