Article by
Dr Syed Haq:
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Botox® – Just for women?
Dr Syed Haq, BSc MBBS PhD DIC MRCP(UK)
Physician and Consultant Aesthetic Specialist
www.aquitaineaesthetics.com
Botox®, Vistabel or Dysport, for those who are not yet aware of it, is a purified protein - Botulinum Toxin A - derived from the bacterium Clostridium Botulinum. This protein, when injected into specific facial muscles, almost ubiquitously effaces the years by temporarily paralysing these muscles, reducing muscle contractions that can cause new wrinkles from forming, and ironing out existing ones.
The use of Botox® is now virtually synonymous with the term “non-surgical cosmetic treatment”. Over the past four years, the trend in Botox® therapy has seen a 260% rise in the number of procedures, with millions of patients wanting the anti-wrinkle therapy. Botox® is by far the most sought after non-surgical cosmetic procedure undertaken in the United Kingdom.
Ever since the discovery by Jean Carruthers in 1972 of botulinum toxin as a viable choice for treating facial lines, practitioners have seen a continuing rise in the number of patients having the anti-wrinkle therapy. Its undoubted popularity amongst women can be attributed to botulinum toxin’s extensive safety record coupled with the almost immediate and dramatic effects post-treatment. This trend has now led to an ever-increasing number of men asking for and receiving the same treatment.
Understanding why this should be so is important. The cosmetic/aesthetic industry is a rapidly developing one and men have been largely embraced by it. The fact is that men are seeking more aesthetic treatments than ever before. Significantly, the commonest forms of cosmetic treatment taken up by male patients are largely non-surgical.
Several factors may contribute to explaining why ever more men want Botox®. Constant bombardment from television and print media, the wealth of advertising in numerous forums, the nature of our role models, together with changes in the social dynamic have all in some way tended to reinforce our own perceptions that looking younger correlates with looking and feeling healthier. We have to ask ourselves, is there anything wrong in men, or women for that matter, wanting to maintain their youthfulness and good looks? In short, no! Increased marketing of cosmetic surgery directed toward the male population has also been a significant factor in this renaissance.
Part of the reason why more men are having Botox® can be attributed to changing demographics in the UK. As the baby boomers get older, more and more men are beginning to reach an age where they wish to appear younger. The increased uptake rate has had a knock on effect reflected in a reduction in cost and increased affordability of a Botox® procedure, leading to greater accessibility.
More and more medical practices are actively marketing and encouraging men to have Botox®. The internet with its plethora of adverts, proclaiming, for example, that “Botox® is not just for women”, have helped de-stigmatise the procedure. There is no proto-typical male patient who desires Botox® although, in the past, male Botox® users have tended to be affluent or in the entertainment industry. Men may have distinctly different motivations for seeking Botox® as compared to women. While women may regard Botox® as part of their anti-ageing armamentarium, men may see Botox® as being more of a luxury item. Importantly, men of all ages, differing vocations, income brackets and socio-economic class are now seeking this treatment.
The cosmetic use of Botox® involves the strategic placement of several fine injections to facial muscles, thus softening lines around the eyes and forehead. The entire treatment may take literally 10-15 minutes to perform. The effects are evident within 48 hours, and are maximal by two weeks. In general, the procedure requires repeated treatments every three to six months. Men typically require a higher dose of Botox® compared to women, as they generally have larger and stronger facial muscles.
How safe is Botox, and what of the suggestion that it could affect a man's libido or reproductive abilities? These rumours are entirely without foundation, the very nature of the injections are that they produce localised actions, and have an excellent proven safety record. Side effects however do exist although they are very uncommon, so patients should be made fully aware of these by their practitioner at the time of informed consent. Some of the reported complaints include drooping (ptosis) of the brow or eyelid, headaches, double vision or infection. In extremely rare cases, it must be emphasised, Botox® can cause a potentially lethal allergic reaction (anaphylactic shock). In general, Botox® is a very safe treatment provided it is administered by an appropriately trained and experienced practitioner. It is also a treatment where both the procedure itself takes up very little time and the beneficial effects manifest themselves very soon afterwards.
Women have no doubt pioneered and fuelled the popularity of Botox® but men have clearly embraced this ethos and followed the trend with male patients now accounting for over one-fifth of all Botox® procedures within the UK. Men, like women, want to improve self-esteem and appear less stressed by looking younger, without spending a great deal of money. It is undoubtedly a highly cost-effective and proven method of maintaining a youthful appearance. Botox® will continue to attract patients of both sexes in the pursuit of youth for many years to come.
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