Men cutting flab with surgery

The desire to look good has long been ascribed only to women, but men are catching up now.

A recent study, conducted by American Society of Plastic Surgeons, says that globally the number of men opting for cosmetic procedures like liposuction, tummy tucks, breast reductions and botox is rising.

Age is no bar, with the main motivation being to enhance looks and build confidence.

“Plastic surgery is becoming increasingly common in the metros. Most of the clients in Bengaluru are in the age group of 20-40 years,” says Dr Naveen Kumar H R, consultant, cosmetic surgery, BGS Gleneagles Global Hospital.

He attributes the popularity of these treatments to a rise in awareness about cosmetic possibilities, both through traditional media as well as the Internet.

Dr Priyadarshan K, consultant, plastic, cosmetic and reconstructive surgery, Fortis Hospital, Bannerghatta Road, agrees.

“In recent times, advertising and social media have started emphasising the importance of male grooming. Men are now conscious of their looks, which could be one of the reasons for an increase in the number of cosmetic surgeries nowadays. Out of 100 patients I see, about 40 are men; this could be described as an almost 50 per cent increase in a few years,” he says.

The most popular treatment among males is Gynecomastia surgery to treat enlargement of the male breast and reduce fat in the chest.

“Almost 30 per cent of our patients are males and about 80 per cent of them come for Gynecomastia surgery. It’s a one-day procedure. We admit the patient in the morning, perform a minimally invasive surgery that will suck out the body fat and the next day they can go home,” says Dr Naveen, an observation corroborated by most doctors.

Hair transplants, rhinoplasty (nose correction) and liposuction are the other treatments in demand.

Wallet factor

The cost of a plastic surgery procedure for males is between Rs 70,000 and Rs 1.5 lakh.

What’s it?

Plastic surgery is a surgical specialty involving the restoration, reconstruction, or alteration of the human body.

It can be divided into two categories. The first is reconstructive surgery which aims to reconstruct a body part or improve its functioning. This includes treatments like craniofacial surgery, hand surgery, microsurgery, and the treatment of burns. The other is cosmetic or aesthetic surgery that looks at improving the appearance of a body part.