Men Turning to Cosmetic Surgery in Growing Numbers

While women still make up 87% of all cosmetic surgery patients, 1.2 million procedures were performed on men in 2004, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). This represents a 16% increase since 2000.

Based on ASPS statistics, the top five male cosmetic surgeries in 2004 were nose reshaping, hair transplantation, eyelid surgery, liposuction and breast reduction. Another organization that keeps cosmetic surgery statistics, the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, has the same five surgeries at the top of its list, albeit in a slightly different order.

According to V. Leroy Young MD, a St. Louis-based plastic and reconstructive surgeon and chairman of the ASPS’ Emerging Trends Task Force, today there is less of a stigma for men to undergo cosmetic procedures. He attributes part of this change to makeover reality television shows, which create awareness of what can be accomplished under the care of a competent surgeon.