Among Men, Liposuction Is More Popular Than Ever

It is a common misconception that virtually all cosmetic procedures are performed on women. As the number of cosmetic procedures performed on male patients each year continues to rise, men are clearly entering into the image enhancement game in a big way.

However, men do not age in the same way women do. The hormonal changes women experience can cause drastic changes to their body, but men face age-related changes differently.

While there is an old adage that men “age gracefully,” not all men would agree with this assumption. As the cosmetic surgery profession continues to garner more mainstream acceptance, and as the battle of the bulge becomes more difficult as the metabolism slows, I have found more and more that men are seeking out the help of liposuction to maintain a fit physique.

With so much online information regarding liposuction geared towards women, men are often left wondering how this popular procedure can help them. As a result, medical professionals must work harder to promote and market liposuction offerings not only to women, but also to men.

Through my personal social media outreach and blog posts, I have made it a point to educate prospective patients that the techniques and tools used in liposuction are the same regardless of gender. That said, male and female patients tend to look to liposuction as a way to “fix” different areas of fatty deposits on their bodies. I find that male patients usually seek out liposuction to target their love handles, fat deposits in the abdomen, and/or chest. Among both male and female liposuction candidates, the procedure is most effective for those of normal body weight who are struggling with fat buildup in specific zones that diet and exercise alone will not resolve.

I believe liposuction is a great option for men who wish to sculpt their bodies, since the results are permanent. Every person has a certain amount of fat cells they accumulate, and once these cells are removed, they do not grow back, except in cases of extreme weight gain. Therefore, whenever patients take the time to undergo a liposuction procedure, it means they never have to worry about those love handles again, as long as they maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle.

I always inform both my female and male patients that even though liposuction is a surgical procedure, it is actually considered minimally invasive. In fact, the majority of my patients head home in as little as 30 minutes after the procedure and are able to resume light activities within a few days.

Nevertheless, I speak with patients about the expected recovery process in all of my initial consultation appointments, because I feel it is important for them to clearly understand what the results and experience will be like. Swelling is normal in liposuction patients, and in many cases, it will disappear between 4-8 weeks when the full results will be visible. Although most patients resume their regular routines before this time, they should use their own barometers and common sense to determine how quickly they can return to their normal, everyday lives.

Liposuction is quickly becoming one of the most popular procedures among men and there is no sign of this trend slowing down. Discussing the procedure and anticipated results with both male and female patients will not only help to grow our practices, but also aid our patients in looking and feeling their very best at any age.

Robert T. Grant, MD, MSc, FACS, is Chief of the combined Divisions of Plastic Surgery at New York-Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia University Medical Center and New York-Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical Center. He is also Associate Clinical Professor of Surgery in the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University and Adjunct Associate Professor of Clinical Surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College. For more information about Dr. Grant or to contact him, visit his website at www.robertgrantmd.com.