Women aren't the only ones turning to cosmetic procedures for the occasional nip and tuck. In the US alone, the men's grooming market is worth $3.5 billion — that's a lot of money spent on vitamins, supplements, diets, exercise, skincare products, and of course, cosmetic surgery. Traditionally considered a female trend, men of all ages now hope to maintain their looks or improve their physical appearance by means of cosmetic procedures.

The nose knows

Clearly, some men just aren't satisfied with their noses. According to statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), 85,000 nose reshaping surgeries were performed on men in 2006 and the price doesn't come cheap. Rhinoplasty costs, on average, $4,000 and unfortunately, most nose jobs are not covered by health insurance. During surgery, the cartilage and bones of the nose are reshaped and nostrils widened or narrowed to achieve the desired appearance. Open rhinoplasty involves the surgeon making an incision across the skin between the nostrils, while the closed technique does not require an incision on the external tissues and heals quicker. In total, the procedure can take anywhere from one to two hours.

Recovery can take up to several weeks and is very dependent upon each individual. Because the skin of the nose will be sensitive to sunlight, wearing sunscreen is essential. Try Jack Black Sun Guard Oil-Free Sunscreen SPF 30+, a lightweight formulation that is resistant to both sweat and water. Finally, use cold compresses to reduce swelling around the eye area.

Eye do

Many men have opened their eyes to eyelid surgery, known as blepharoplasty and are realizing that treating under-eye bags, puffy eyelids, or droopy lower lids can make a positive difference in appearance. In 2006, ASPS reported that 37,000 men requested eyelid surgeries and ponied up an average of $3,000. The procedure involves creating carefully hidden incisions, which allow adjustment of the surrounding tissue through removing excess skin, redistributing fat, or tightening muscles and tissue. The result should be eyes that appear wider, more alert and youthful, rejuvenating the appearance and shaving years off the face.

Be prepared to miss about ten days of work, although puffiness around the eyes may persist for a few months after the surgery. If you experience bruising, irritation or dry eyes, try cold compresses and a gentle, hydrating eye cream to relieve discomfort. Caudalie Contour Cream Eyes and Lips is paraben-free and safe for use on even the most sensitive skin. Also, keep eye drops on hand to relieve dryness.

Love the lipo

For many men, liposuction is becoming a popular surgical procedure: approximately 35,000 liposuction surgeries were performed on men in 2006. Costing anywhere from $3,000 - $7,500 per treatment, this procedure is costly for men because men's adipose fat tissue is different than women's; it's tough, fibrous, and difficult to remove. In addition, men frequently request liposuction in naturally fibrous areas, such as the chest, love handles or abdomen. During the procedure, an incision is made and a medicinal saline solution injected in the desired area. Then, suction is used to remove unwanted fat and the treated area reshaped.

Patients may return to normal activities after one or two weeks, although numbness, swelling, pain, and bruising may persist for three months and optimal results of the surgery will not be seen for approximately three months. Patients are advised to eat a healthy diet and get regular exercise in order to maintain newly contoured figures.

A hair affair

Men sometimes have trouble keeping their hair where they want it. No wonder 20,000 men asked for hair transplant surgeries in 2006. Depending on the extent of hair loss and how many grafts are required, this procedure can cost anywhere from $4,000 to $36,000, making it one of the most costly of all elective surgeries. The relatively new technique involves surgically removing hair follicles from other areas of the body and implanting them into dead hair follicles with small bore needles or blades. Hair transplants take place over a number of sessions and surgeons must carefully transplant the hair follicles at precise angles to imitate natural hair growth. The transplanted hair falls out within several weeks when new hair growth begins.

Wounds heal in seven to ten days and fortunately, the side effects are minor: mild pain, swelling, and the formation of scabs. Many men may be able to return to work the next day, however; you must keep the new hair drafts moist to diminish the amount of crusting and encourage rapid hair growth. Patients are permitted to gently wash their hair two days post-surgery. To support even greater hair growth, use DS Laboratories Revita Hair Growth Stimulating Shampoo which increases the diameter of each hair strand and improves scalp vitality.

From nose reshaping to liposuction, men are relying on cosmetic surgery more than ever before to increase their sense of well-being and quality of life. Before embarking on any surgery, consider all options, study risks and rewards of each procedure and be prepared for significant recovery time.

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