Every day there are more and more men in the world who want to improve their appearance through aesthetic surgery. According to the International Society of Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery (ISAPS), since 1997, the number of men who decided to go under the scalpel of a plastic surgeon in the world has increased by more than 300%. And among Mexican men over the past 5 years the number has increased by 10%. Aesthetic surgery has long ceased to be considered the prerogative of the weaker sex.
Why do men decide to resort to the services of a plastic surgeon? The reasons can be very different. The most basic — men strive to look «good».
Francisco Perez, a surgeon certified by the Mexican Association of Aesthetic and Reconstructive Plastic Surgery (AMCPER), says his practice has seen a 30 to 40 percent increase in requests for surgery from men over five years, most notably from men aged 24 to 40.
The most popular surgical procedures for men are high-definition liposculpture, which emphasizes the muscles of the abdomen, chest, shoulders, lower legs or thighs, rhinoplasty, which reshapes the nose, and mastectomy, which reduces the volume of breast tissue. But the most popular operation among men — namely high-resolution liposuction, the task of which — not just remove excess fat from the abdomen, but create «muscle» relief.
Some people had gastric bypass surgery as a last resort to lose weight, but what to do with the loose skin on your belly? Getting rid of obvious aesthetic defects — another reason for the demand for plastic surgery from men.
About 60% of those who decided to undergo surgery — people of non-traditional sexual orientation, and gays usually strive to look good. But at the same time, they are more careful and thorough in choosing the type of operation and plastic surgeon.
But not gays — engines of development of plastic surgery in Mexico. Following them, “metrosexuals” began to come to the clinics, people who value their time and invest money in their appearance. Their turn to plastic surgery caused the rapid growth of the industry.
Quite often one hears: “A friend complained to me about the surgeon.” A friend or acquaintance is always considered the best advertisement.
The increasing demand for male plastic surgery services has led to the rapid development of specialization among practicing surgeons. Although rhinoplasty and mastectomy are not complex surgical procedures, high definition liposculpture — The procedure is quite complex and not every clinic can do it. It consists of taking excess fat from certain areas of the body, such as the stomach, and placing it where a man wants to have more muscle. Most «muscles» men want to have it on their thighs and calves. In this case, the man must be of normal or slightly overweight, and in clinics where this operation was performed on obese men, the result was disastrous.
The cost of male plastic surgery varies greatly and most often depends on the complexity, and also on the «name» clinic and surgeon. The most inexpensive aesthetic surgeries for men in Mexico — rhinoplasty and mastectomy, their cost ranges from 30 thousand to 70 thousand pesos ($1600 — $3700), respectively. The most expensive — high-definition liposculpture, prices here range from 100 thousand to 180 thousand pesos ($5300 — $9500), not including hospitalization costs.
«Typically, men are looking for results that will make them look more masculine, to fit the stereotype of a successful gym-going man with defined abdominal muscles and large pecs», — explains Perez.
Although Mexico ranks fifth in the world in the number of cosmetic surgery procedures performed, with 923.3 thousand procedures per year, Mexican society, which is largely tolerant by nature, still frowns on the use of plastic surgery by men. These are the ISAPS data, confirmed by surveys.
An example of the prejudiced attitude of Mexican society is the story of Hector Herrera, a midfielder of the Mexican national football team, who underwent 2 operations. In his statement, Herrera wrote that the plastic stages he performed — functional rhinoplasty and otoplasty — were necessary in order to breathe better and eliminate discomfort in the ear. Hundreds of mocking comments filled social networks. The player was accused of actually wanting to improve his appearance.
«Mexico has a «culture of shame» for the fact that you were operated on — It's common to hide things like this. If you go to Colombia, everyone says they've been to a plastic surgeon, it's almost a social status. Here people continue to claim that it is diet and exercise, although the changes in appearance are too radical», — says surgeon Perez.
With the increasing demand for plastic surgery from the male gender, many charlatans have emerged. Francisco Perez studied for over 14 years to become an expert surgeon. At the same time, there are those who have just received a diploma or even a master’s degree, and after two years they open a clinic specializing in aesthetic surgery. There are very few medical universities in Mexico that teach plastic surgery at the proper level. The doctor mentions a medical school in Veracruz whose graduates are poorly trained.
To be board certified by AMCPER, a plastic surgeon must have a solid medical career, be established in the specialty, have completed a fellowship in general surgery, and a fellowship in cosmetic surgery.
Perez says people often look for something cheaper rather than something better, risking getting a result that is not what they expected, and sometimes — have serious health complications.