Men have always been a hot topic in the aesthetic world, as they represent such a huge population and significant opportunity for growth in the medical aesthetics market. However, most of us that have been in the aesthetics industry for many years know that this has been a cyclical dream. Men still make up less than 10% of all aesthetic surgeries. Every couple of years, people talk about the growth of male patients in plastic surgery, aesthetics, cosmetic dermatology and beyond. There's no question that there is an opportunity for growth in the aesthetic space for treatments directed towards men. The question is whether there is truly a transition from the dad bod to muscle men coming over the next year. There are several paradigms that will make the growth of muscle men in the aesthetic arena a reality. However, the idea that we can take procedures that have been directed at women for years and tell men that they should get them too has had limited success. To truly create a space for men in the aesthetic world means creating and speaking to men in a way that resonates with their personal goals.
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Men, the New Frontier of Plastic Surgery
Men have always been a hot topic in the aesthetic world, as they represent such a huge population and significant opportunity for growth in the medical aesthetics market. However, most of us that have been in the aesthetics industry for many years know that this has been a cyclical dream. Men still make up less than 10% of all aesthetic surgeries. Every couple of years, people talk about the growth of male patients in plastic surgery, aesthetics, cosmetic dermatology and beyond. There's no question that there is an opportunity for growth in the aesthetic space for treatments directed towards men. The question is whether there is truly a transition from the dad bod to muscle men coming over the next year. There are several paradigms that will make the growth of muscle men in the aesthetic arena a reality. However, the idea that we can take procedures that have been directed at women for years and tell men that they should get them too has had limited success. To truly create a space for men in the aesthetic world means creating and speaking to men in a way that resonates with their personal goals.
The Weight Loss Revolution
Treatments that resonate with men are critical to the growth of men in the aesthetic space. Two exciting changes that have created a unique opportunity are the weight loss revolution and body contouring utilizing ultrasound guidance to create muscle definition in men. The idea behind the weight loss revolution is that for the first time, we have something that’s driven men into aesthetic offices. The use of semaglutide, Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro have helped patients lose up to 20% of their body weight over the course of a year while getting them motivated about making changes in their life. Weight loss is something that resonates with both men and women. The weight loss revolution has created an unprecedented flow of men into our office like we have never seen during my career. As individuals embark on their fitness journey and experience success with weight loss medications, they will want to continue to improve their overall physique.
More from Dr. Franco: Ozempic Has Started a Weight Loss Revolution
Sculpting Muscle Men
The second evolution has been our ability to sculpt and create muscle men. High-definition lipo sculpting has been revitalized, as liposuction has become the number one cosmetic procedure according to a recent survey. As many patients have been working on their fitness goals during the weight loss revolution, they wish to further enhance their overall physique. The use of an ultrasound has helped further improve the appearance of high-definition liposuction and muscle enhancement! The ultrasound can be used during high-definition liposuction to identify the muscle borders and inscriptions of the rectus muscle for each individual. This helps avoid the unnatural appearance that has plagued HD lipo in the past. The use of the ultrasound allows the plastic surgeon to outline the specific anatomy in real time as an artistic guide to creating the perfect abdominal muscles.
High-Definition Liposuction With Ultrasound Guidance
The use of ultrasound is a helpful tool, as it allows a variety of muscles to be enhanced and sculpted. The ultrasound allows the surgeon to visualize the specific muscle group that is being enhanced so that the fat can be transferred to each specific muscle group precisely and safely. The ultrasound has created an opportunity for high-definition liposuction in both men and women at a much more precise degree with a much shorter learning curve for surgeons. The idea behind this is that you can give people a very etched and sculpted physique without the results appearing overly fake because you’re actually doing the high-definition liposuction based on the muscle anatomy. The combination of high-definition lipo sculpting and fat transfer with ultrasound guidance can be extremely powerful in enhancing the muscle men physique.
Abdominal Muscles: This tends to be the most popular muscle group to enhance with high-definition lipo sculpting, as the border of the rectus muscle and inscriptions can be defined with detailed lipo sculpting techniques. The use of fat transfer with ultrasound guidance can further enhance the abdominal muscles. This gives a very natural and athletic appearance, as the muscle is enhanced in each segment between the transcriptions. This keeps the muscle looking as natural and athletic as possible, as it is the actual muscle that is being increased. Since the fat is precisely placed in the fascia and secured by the inscriptions, it holds its position and is not dependent on skin quality. It also avoids the overly fake appearance that can occur with high-definition lipo sculpting that leaves too much fat behind.
Pectoralis Muscle: The chest is the second most popular area to be enhanced with fat transfer under ultrasound guidance. This can be done as part of a total body transformation or as part of the treatment of gynecomastia. Many men that are working on their personal transformation from dad bod to muscle men want to improve the shape of their chest, as this is an area they associate with a muscular physique. The fat is placed along the natural contour of the pectoralis muscle and secured with the fascia. The pectoralis muscle enhancement with high-definition liposuction of the chest is a great way to improve the muscle man appearance overall.
Deltoids: This is a muscle group that is underutilized in helping men create an athletic physique. Deltoids are a difficult muscle group to enhance in the gym, but can transform the overall shape of an individual to give them an inverted V shape to their body. This is an area where enhancement of the muscle not only improves the muscle group itself but also improves the overall shape of the body.
Biceps: We can’t talk about building muscle without including the biceps. A small amount of precisely positioned fat under ultrasound guidance can further define and enhance the muscle group. The fact that the fat is placed under the fascia with the guidance of the ultrasound keeps a very natural, but enhanced appearance to the bicep muscle that will flow naturally with movement.
Triceps: The unique structure of the triceps muscle can be enhanced to give the arms a sculpted and defined appearance along the multiple heads of the muscle.
Buttock: In the past, women have dominated the buttock augmentation market. However, as men transition back into their fit lifestyle, this is an area that is critical in creating an overall athletic appearance. The aesthetic is unique to the male figure in that it is much narrower than a typical Brazilian Butt Lift created in our female patients. Again, the use of the ultrasound can help us precisely place the fat to create a look that is unique to the male physique, and not a female BBL just done on a man.
Calves: The muscles of the lower extremity are often overlooked, but can be an area that is a struggle for a lot of men that have created a stunning appearance in their torso and arms, but don’t have legs that match the rest of their body.
The Gladiator Transformation
Occasionally men will have a specific muscle group treated and enhanced, however men typically will do a total body transformation with high-definition liposuction and muscle enhancement. This total body transformation is often referred to as a gladiator transformation, as many of the muscles we associate with a gladiator physique are enhanced during the procedure.
The combination of the weight loss revolution, ultrasound guided fat transfer muscle enhancement and new skin tightening devices such as Renuvion and BodyTight have combined to create the perfect storm for men to enter the aesthetic arena. The combination of weight loss, skin tightening and muscle creation have established treatments that are specifically designed for men. It has also created an opportunity for men to come to cosmetic offices to explore options that they never would have done prior to starting their weight loss journey. I know that we have heard that men are the next frontier before. My personal experience having started my own weight loss journey on semaglutide and experiencing incredible success has only increased my interest in having more procedures done in the future. Success on the weight loss front has only encouraged me and many other men to further our fitness journey and transformation from dad bod to muscle men.
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Johny Franco, M.D., is a board-certified plastic surgeon and owner of Austin Plastic Surgeon with an impressive history of publications, presentations, and accolades, including the Merck Index Award and the Walter S. Haven Prize. He is an active member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, and the Austin Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons. He is currently Clinical Faculty at The University of Texas Dell Medical School. He also is a reviewer for the Aesthetic Journal and Annals of Plastic Surgery, where he reviews articles for publication from other plastic surgeons worldwide.
