Through the ages, civilization has been fascinated with the physical beauty of women. Clothing became styled, and women added coloring to their faces to highlight feminine features. Eventually, products were created, mass produced, and widely marketed. The beauty business is now one of the largest industries in the world. In the Twentieth Century, medical technology contributed by going beyond temporary adornments, enhancing natural beauty through the wonders of cosmetic surgery, implants, and liposuction.
Women were the primary benefactors of surgical and non-surgical techniques to improve their facial and bodily appearance, while men escaped society’s pressures to be attractive. However, over the last twenty years or so, cosmetic surgeons have counted more and more men among their customers.
“It is a growing trend, and not just in the United States,” states Dr. Leon Forrester Tcheupdjian, founder of the Liposuction and Cosmetic Surgery Institute in Chicago, Arlington Heights, and Oakbrook, Illinois. “Men have become more concerned about the way they look and, in the world’s more prosperous countries, they are doing something about it.”
The American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery reports that men underwent 13 percent of all procedures last year in the USA, up from 9.7 percent in 1998. Dr. Tcheupdjian, who is believed to have the largest liposuction and cosmetic surgery practice in the state of Illinois, says men now account for about 25 percent of his business. As recently as ten years ago, fewer than 20 percent of his customers were men. He estimates that the percentages are the same nationwide.
“The United States is the capital of cosmetic surgery. It is the destination of both men and women from other countries who want the best treatments, and the most expert work.”
In some countries, particularly in the United States, increased vanity among men is one reason why they are more willing to undergo a nip and tuck. They also want to please women, who have become more aggressive about letting men know what they want. Physical appearance is more important for men than they previous thought.
“The pressure is now on men to be more physically fit, and to be handsome,” says Dr. Tcheupdjian. “For decades, it was assumed that women only cared if men were successful and able to take care of them. Now that more women are financial independent, and more sexually active, they are demanding that their men get rid of their big bellies and sagging jowls.”
Eating, and overeating, is a common passion—as well as a problem—in many countries. For men who don’t exercise, and who still consider dieting a female obsession, the calories collect in their gut.
“Liposuction is by far the most frequent procedure I do for men, no matter where in the world they come from,” says Dr. Tcheupdjian, who has designed some of the tools now widely used in liposuction. “They want smaller stomachs. They don’t want what we call love handles, the fat that sits between their hips and lower ribs. They want the fat removed from their chests.”
“Men in the United States dread getting old and looking old. When they reach age 45 or older, they want the droopy flesh removed from their eyes and neck so they will look younger. Men in other countries often seek cosmetic improvements before they age. They want to be handsome, to appear rugged, or to look like royalty while they are still young. They might want work done on their eyes and necks, but the goal is beautification.”
For further information www.lopodoc.com 1 800.lipousa
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