Over the last two decades, the debate on male vs female plastic surgery has taken shape and raged on with no conclusion in sight. At around the year 1997, the number of men going for cosmetic procedures was to a large extent negligible. Back then, plastic surgery was considered a taboo for men, even for those in casual mainstream circles such as celebrities. Today, men are lining up in clinics for surgery, most of the times with their significant others lending support. Statistics show that a little over 10% of those going for procedures are men. While this percentage is still a far cry from the 90% boasted by women, it does show a huge shift in the way the idea of cosmetic fixes is viewed in current times.
Plastic surgery and women
Plastic surgery emanated from the desire of women in the mainstream to beat the rigors of age. As such, it is widely believed that some of the fundamental ideas of cosmetic procedures target the physical buildup of women. There was the initial fear that procedures designed for women would look old in the physique of a man. However, emerging methods seem to have dwarfed this logic and the modern man is going for treatments that were once considered feminine, such as face lifts and liposuction. Experts still warn that it pays to tread carefully because there are myriad procedures that simply do not fit in with men.
The connection between male and female plastic surgery
There has always been a great deal of pressure exerted on the woman when it comes to looks. Society is keen to portray good looking women as successful and eternally young. This explains why an overwhelming majority of females are going for surgeries that straighten up skin tissues and give them taut looks.
Two decades ago, a man’s looks were not seen as an important tenet to his success story. However, barriers have been broken down and the work environment has become ultra-competitive. The society has crossed a bridge in which males need to look their best around the office in order to impress those above them and seek promotions. In today’s word, a strong chin is a simple of success. A youthful look is associated with intelligence, ambition and aggression. These factors would explain why so many men are keen to stand out from the crowd. It therefore turns out that the same pressure and longing that led women to plastic surgery are the same ones pulling men in.
The role of the media in the whole cosmetic issue
The ideas of male and female plastic surgery have been largely explored by the mainstream media. While the motivations are the same, the outcomes are mostly different. For example, a man will go for a procedure that gives him strong, hard looks and firm jawlines while a woman will choose softer features that emphasize on her femininity and aura of daintiness.
For a long time now, the application of plastic surgery has been a domain firmly owned by women. However, statistics show that men are overcoming their inhibitions and joining the fray in numbers that swell by the day.