A May 20 article on CNBC discusses how more men are dealing with what they see as threats to their careers posed by ageism through obtaining facial procedures, most commonly injectable-based procedures such as Botox and Juvederm. The report corresponds with the increasing number of men we at BHP are seeing in our offices who are seeking out solutions that they believe will help them to stay relevant in their professional and their business lives. While such factors as the tendency to delay retirement as healthcare advances and patients’ financial needs are definitely an issue, the declining stigma associated with cosmetic procedures of all types has also been a factor in our increased business.

The CNBC article gives the example of 54 year-old David, a New York investment professional, who felt that his customers preferred someone who appeared to be younger and more in-step with the latest trends, as opposed to a “wise old man” figure. Particularly in a highly youth-obsessed culture, and especially for both men and women in appearance conscious-Los Angeles, being perceived as somewhat younger really can make a positive difference in a great many fields.  However, while many still assume that people who obtain cosmetic procedures are primarily performers of one sort or another, that’s hardly the case. While some of our customers do, in fact, work in the entertainment business, both behind and in front of the camera, they also come from fields as diverse as the law, government, medicine, finance, and pretty much any other area most people can think of.

Indeed, it’s not just ongoing the desire for procedures that many patients are feeling that explains the increase. The rise in male procedures, from injectables to facelifts and rhinoplasty  in recent years, as the article states, is also largely driven by the increasing social acceptance of plastic surgeries for people of all ages and genders. While these procedures for men might have once seemed to be violating some kind of masculine taboo, this is simply no longer the case. Men of all ages increasingly simply view cosmetic procedures and plastic surgery as one more weapon in their professional and personal arsenal.