More Men Going Under the Knife

Equal opportunity is taking an interesting turn. Could the fact that more women are cracking the corporate glass ceiling be a hidden reason why more men are crossing over to cosmetic surgery?

It's an interesting question. Certainly competition for jobs, no matter what gender has got to play a part. As well as the economy driving the workforce's need to be and stay employed longer.

But recent statistics by the American Society of Plastic Surgery do underscore what more and more doctors are seeing: Facelifts for men increased 14% in 2010. Liposuction, too, is on the rise with men, increasing a solid 7%.

There's certainly a celebrity angle to be considered as well. More an more high profile men, from politicians to newscasters to, of course, actors are seen to be visibly, well, not aging, which opens the door to it being OK. Or at least something the average man looks at as a more viable option.

"Male plastic surgery patients tend to say they want to look as good as they feel," says Dr. Sam Rizk, a New York City board certified facial plastic surgeon. "My patients are fit, avoid smoking, and just want to feel rejuvenated."

Dr. Rizk cites

Neck lifts, nose surgery and removal of lower eyelid bags are the three most requested procedures by men….

But, he suggests, men don't necessarily approach procedures as women do. Rather than focus on wrinkles and lines, men value a youthful jawline. And because of high-pressure professional careers, they are looking for procedures that promise minimum recovery time.

To address this need, Dr. Rizk developed procedures like the Rapid Recover Neck Lift, specifically created for male clients who need to return to work quickly. It's basically a modified facelift — a small incision behind the ear and another under the chin avoids any hairline scars.

Dr. Rizk performs this procedure with a high definition telescope, which allows the incisions to remain small, resulting in an almost bloodless operation.

"Patients who have hereditary fat deposits under the chin or a small chin will seek correction of this condition via a chin implant combined with neck liposuction," Dr. Rizk adds. But non-invasive procedures like Botox have been incredibly popular as well.

So how about you—would you consider having a little something done? Shh, we won't tell.

More on men under the knife:

The Masculine Nip & Tuck