‘Brotox’ — Botox for men.
Did you know that roughly 1 in 10 Botox injections are now performed on men?
There are very good reasons the “Brotox” trend keeps gaining popularity — many men are opting for this treatment because of the effectiveness of its results but also because this cosmetic treatment involves no downtime. It seems there is a revolution happening in the way that men think about cosmetic procedures for themselves. While many men think that some wrinkles are acceptable, it is when they see changes in themselves that they view as ‘old’ and taking on the appearance of their own father (or grandfather!) that they are prompted to take action. What’s more, the rejuvenating effects often have an extra pay off, boosting self-confidence and providing a youthful edge that can increase odds of success in social and professional situations.
Part of the reason for the increased popularity is perception in the workplace and greater competition within the job market. Men are seeking any extra edge wherever possible and the experience of many men is that age is a definite disadvantage. The end result is that men have a greater interest in treatments that subtly redress or delay the appearance of signs of aging.
As it turns out, the most commonly treated area for guys are the frown lines between the eyes, also known as the glabella lines. This is because in addition to aging you, they can make it look like you’re always miserable or angry about something — not an ideal look under most circumstances!
The benefits of Botox for men are clear — but what do you need to think about before trying this treatment for yourself?
Choose a practitioner who is experienced in treating men.
Men and women have very different facial anatomy structures and require different amounts of Botox and achieve a satisfactory result. There have been plenty of instances where a man’s face has been ‘feminised’ by Botox injections being done by an inexperienced practitioner or who’s treatment wears off after a very short amount of time due to poor understanding of treating males.
You will need more Botox than a woman.
As the facial muscles in men are so much more developed and bulky the dosage of Botox needed is likely to be higher than in ladies — this usually means paying a ‘man premium’ for the cost of your treatment. This varies from clinic to clinic, but a rough guide is to expect to pay about 20% more.
Will people notice I’ve had Botox?
If Botox is done well, people will not know you’ve had it done. The goal of Botox treatment is not to look ‘done’ or ‘frozen’ but refreshed and younger looking. So if you go to a reputable practitioner who treats men and women (not just women) then people are much more likely to respond with ‘wow, you’re looking great, have you been on holiday or been working out?’
You can use Botox for more than just wrinkles.
When people who had migraine headaches used Botox to treat their wrinkles, they told their doctors that their headaches were better. So doctors began to study it as a migraine treatment and found great benefits in the majority of people.
Botox is also approved to reduce excessive sweating in the armpits and can also help with sweaty palms and other areas. Treatments here tend to last about half a year which can make a huge change to anyone that is constantly embarrassed by their sweaty pits!
So as you can see, there are lots of reasons for this new trend in men having Botox treatments. It looks like the trend is only going to carry on going up so it is important to do your research and stay safe by only ever seeing a reputable and safe medical practitioner for any cosmetic treatment you might be considering.
Article written by Dr James Dean — Aesthetic & Dermatology Doctor at Freyja Medical Clini, Wrexham.
