Rejuvenation goals
Men often have rejuvenation goals that are different from those of women, Dr. Camacho said.
The most common reason that men seek cosmetic treatment is for a "tired, sinking face"; they want to look refreshed and confident, but they want subtle, natural-looking results, he said.
And, of course, there’s hair.
"Hair, hair, hair. Hair is a huge concern for men," Dr. Camacho said.
Sometimes men think they have too much hair, sometimes they have too little. Men drive the market for hair loss treatments, and also are increasingly seeking hair removal treatments, Dr. Camacho noted. Since traditional methods for hair removal, such as waxing, shaving, and epilation, are temporary and can cause irritation, laser hair removal is increasing in popularity among men. In fact, according to the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, it was the second most common nonsurgical cosmetic intervention for men in 2011, Dr. Camacho said.
Other useful cosmetic procedures
One of the most popular noninvasive cosmetic interventions for both men and women is neuromodulation injections, for softening of expression lines and treating areas including the glabella, forehead, and periocular area, that can contribute to an angry-, tired-, or sad-looking face, Dr. Camacho said.
In 2011, men accounted for 9.1% of botulinum toxin treatment patients, and this represented a 258% increase from the year 2000, he noted.
Skin resurfacing treatments are increasing in popularity among men as well. In 2011, men accounted for 7.3% of skin resurfacing treatments, making skin resurfacing the fourth most common nonsurgical cosmetic intervention in men, Dr. Camacho said.
Other treatments for skin issues of concern to men include laser and light therapies to improve the complexion, and skin-tightening procedures, such as radiofrequency and ultrasound, to help improve skin laxity
In addition, data from 2011 showed that men accounted for about 20% of patients undergoing CoolSculpting, which is both effective and appealing to men seeking treatment for abdominal and trunk fat deposits, Dr. Camacho said.
Treatment pearls
When providing facial treatments for men, preservation of a masculine appearance is essential, Dr. Camacho said.
"The last thing we want to do is have a man’s face looking like a woman’s face; we need to be able to preserve the masculine appearance," Dr. Camacho said, noting that in his experience, a combination of neurotoxins and dermal fillers is excellent for achieving desired results.
For neurotoxins, remember that men require doses at about 1.5 to 2 times as much as women, he said
"But also remember that men want to preserve some animation, so it’s always important to keep a balance between being effective with our treatment, but also keeping the patient happy with what they want," he said.
In Dr. Camacho’s experience, most men are less concerned with periocular lines, but some are, so be sure to ask them exactly what they want at a treatment session.
"You can’t assume they want three areas treated at a time as we usually do with women," he said.
Be sure to preserve the masculine position of the brow, which in men is very subtle, located right at the supraorbital rim, and has no major arching, said Dr. Camacho.
By avoiding injecting at the superior portion of the orbicularis ocular muscle, the subtle arch at the supraorbital rim can be maintained, and feminization of the brow avoided, he said.
"Also, when treating the frontalis major make sure to go all the way lateral, because you don’t want a little bit of frontalis pulling and giving some arching to the eyebrows," he added.
As for fillers, keep in mind that men probably will require higher volumes, which is an important consideration when discussing finances during the initial consultation.
Fillers are particularly useful in the tear trough area for men seeking treatment of tired-looking sunken eyes.
"Very easily, we can create a smooth transition between the lower eyelid and cheek. We can also use (fillers) for prominent nasolabial folds," Dr. Camacho explained.
Before filling the lines, however, consider restoring the cheek to correct for the midfacial fat loss common in men, he noted.
Also, if treatment involves the lip area, avoid overfilling the vermilion border – this will feminize the lips, he said.
Breaking into the men’s market
Consider developing a marketing strategy that shows your practice’s appeal to both genders – by launching a website and developing marketing materials that feature both male and female models and patients, and by offering cosmeceutical product lines developed for men, Dr. Camacho suggested.
"The modern man is here, and the modern man is actively looking for advice on cosmetic procedures and recommendations for skin care. Dermatologists will have a very important role in male aesthetics," he said, noting that a dermatologist’s role can include enhancing awareness and cultural acceptance of cosmetic interventions for men.