A face-lift for Father's Day, anyone?
It could happen: A new report finds many more men are taking advantage of the same plastic surgeries that have long been associated with women.
The midlife decision by men to try a face-lift or other procedure has been nicknamed the "Daddy-Do-Over" -- referencing the "Mommy Makeover" for women.
Whatever it's called, "men are embracing the idea of surgery more than before," said Dr. Alan Matarasso, president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).
He stressed that the average man approaching or in middle age might have different reasons for wanting a nip or a tuck, compared to his female peers.
"Obviously, men don't go through the same physical changes that women experience during pregnancy and post-pregnancy, but their lifestyle does change, which can impact their appearance," Matarasso said in a society news release.
"Diet and exercise patterns fluctuate, and they don't sleep as much," he added. "Men notice their body changes due to aging and parenting, and it starts to look completely different in their 30s and 40s. That is the point of a Daddy-Do-Over."
In fact, according to the ASPS, more than 1 million men had cosmetic surgery in 2018, a 29% increase since 2000.
Like women, men are typically getting body contouring and facial procedures to enhance their physique and keep the dreaded "dad bod" at bay. The most popular procedure for men was rhinoplasty -- a "nose job" -- with 52,000 of the procedures performed on men in 2018, the ASPS said. That was followed by eyelid surgery, liposuction, breast reductions (24,000 cases) and hair transplants.
Botox injections are also popular with men, with nearly half a million procedures performed last year. Another 100,000 "filler" procedures were performed on men in 2018, the ASPS said.
One case in point is 57-year-old Scott, a restaurateur in New York City who said he couldn't get rid of his spare tire.
"I realized I was never going to lose the weight on my own," he said in the news release. "Plastic surgery is a personal decision, but I know guys my age who have done different cosmetic procedures. I think an open dialogue about plastic surgery is becoming more acceptable, especially for men."
Men are increasingly getting plastic surgery to help them advance their careers and compete in the workplace, Matarasso said.
Dennis, 59, is a creative director working in the New York City fashion industry. He was lean and fit, but still struggled with fat accumulating in certain areas.
"I've been in fashion my entire career, and it makes me feel good when I walk in the room and I don't feel as if I look 60 in a room of 25- to 30-year-olds," Dennis said in the news release. "I always carried weight in my neck and chin, and my droopy eyelids made me look more tired than I actually was."
He underwent an eye lift and chin surgery and says he's "gained unexpected confidence from the small changes."
Of course every surgery comes with risks, plastic surgery included, so Matarasso stressed that men consult at length with an accredited, experienced surgeon to maximize safety.
Suicide rates among teens and young adults have reached their highest point in nearly two decades, a new study reports.
ReplyDeleteSuicides among teens have especially spiked, with an annual percentage change of 10% between 2014 and 2017 for 15- to 19-year-olds, researchers said.
"It really is an unprecedented surge," said lead author Oren Miron, a research associate at Harvard Medical School in Boston. "You can go back decades and you won't find such a sharp increase."
Suicide rates for 15- to 19-year-olds and those between 20 and 24 are at their highest level since 2000, Miron said.
The surge is particularly strong among teen boys, up 14% a year between 2015 and 2017.
Suicide rates for teenage girls, meanwhile, rose 8% annually between 2000 and 2017.
"Parents and teachers need to be aware that the rates have reached their highest recorded level, and they need to be on the lookout for both boys and girls," Miron said.
He said the opioid epidemic might be fueling part of the rise, and social media is another likely contributor.
"It's much easier to bully," Miron said. "The apps are getting smarter and smarter at providing anonymity and hiding activity from grown-ups."
Today's youth face many pressures and some may hit the breaking point, said Pamela Cantor, a clinical psychologist in Natick, Mass., who specializes in suicide prevention. She wasn't involved with the new study.
Cantor said some kids are "intensely programmed" to achieve and have too little time to just enjoy their youth.
Other issues include family instability, competition, social pressures and "parents who try to smooth the way so that when their children hit a snag they do not know how to cope," she said.
These teens are often exposed to violence, from "horrifying" school shootings to more frequent "socially sanctioned expressions of hatred," Cantor said.
"It's difficult for them to imagine having a life as comfortable as the previous generation," she said.
On top of that, it's all too easy to get a gun if a teen is suicidal, Cantor said. Drugs and alcohol are readily available, and can deepen suicidal feelings or thoughts.
For this study, Miron and his colleagues analyzed death certificate data gathered by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
They found that the overall suicide rate in 2017 was nearly 12 deaths for every 100,000 15- to 19-year-olds, compared with 8 deaths per 100,000 in 2000.
For 20- to 24-year-olds, the 2017 suicide rate was 17 per 100,000, compared with 12 per 100,000 in 2000.
DeleteAccording to the Mayo Clinic, the warning signs of teen suicide include:
Talking or writing about suicide.
Withdrawing from social contact.
Experiencing sudden mood swings.
Using alcohol or drugs more frequently.
Expressing a sense of hopelessness.
Taking part in risky or self-destructive behavior.
Changing eating or sleeping patterns.
Giving away belongings for no apparent reason.
The new study was published June 18 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.