Men make up eight percent of patients who elect to have cosmetic procedures, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
One of the most popular of these procedures are Botulinum Toxin Type A injections, or Botox®. According to the official website of Botox Cosmetic, Botox® "is a prescription medicine that is injected into muscles and used to improve the look of moderate-to-severe frown lines." In 2007, of the 4.6 million Botox® procedures performed, 300,000 were on men.
So why are men becoming increasingly likely to undergo these injections? These top five reasons may surprise you:
1. To look younger. Let's face it. Aging is rarely graceful. Graying and thinning hair, wrinkles, and a waning libido can make you feel your age. Botox® has been proven to remedy laugh lines, crow's feet, and glabellar lines between your brows to make you look younger.
2. It's minimally invasive. Unlike surgeries such as facelifts and male breast reduction that require anesthesia, Botox® injections require no surgery or recovery time. The procedure takes place in the doctor's office and takes only a few minutes.
3. To remedy excessive arm and hand sweating. In 2004, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of Botulinum Toxin Type A injections to treat axillary hyperhidrosis. Sufferers of this condition complain of general unhappiness and complications in business and social interactions.
4. To manage your pain. Botox injections have been found to have benefits that span beyond the cosmetic. In fact, some studies suggest that the procedure can help treat symptoms associated with fibromyalgia, migraines, cerebral palsy, strokes, and multiple sclerosis.
5. For prostate benefits. Typically, men who suffer from an enlarged prostate are prescribed a regimen of medications; however, a new study has found that this problem may be solved with one injection. Research performed at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and the University Medical College in Taiwan found Botox® injections into the prostate gland of men with an enlarged prostate "eased symptoms and improved quality of life."
Sources:
Botox Cosmetic
http://www.botoxcosmetic.com
Botox Benefits Prostate
http://www.mirm.pitt.edu/news/article.asp?qEmpID=177
Demand for Plastic Surgery Rebounds by Almost 9%
http://www.surgery.org/media/news-releases/demand-for-plastic-surgery-rebounds-by-almost-9%25
