By Debbi K. Kickham, www.GorgeousGlobetrotter.com
Women have been going “under the knife” for years – let’s face it, women have always been more preoccupied with their looks than men. But in the recent past, there’s been a sharp uptick in men having cosmetic surgery. The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery reports that male cosmetic procedures increased by more than 325% in the past 20 years. In 2015, approximately 1.2 Million men had aesthetic work done.
Yes, it’s been facelifts and fillers – but now there’s a type of cosmetic surgery that has become more in the open, and more in the mainstream. That would be the problem of gynecomastia – “male breasts.” Whereas 30 years ago, it was mostly bodybuilders who had to deal with this problem, today all kinds of men are more candid about having this surgery, even insofar as to bring their friends and girlfriends with them into the plastic surgeon’s office, to discuss gynecomastia surgery.
The plastic surgeon at the forefront of this phenomenon is Dr. Mordcai Blau, owner of Westchester New York Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Thirty years ago, while teaching anatomy at medical school, one of his students – a bodybuilder and medical student – asked Dr. Blau if he could perform a gynecomastia surgery on him. Reluctantly, Dr. Blau complied. It was an experience that was to change Dr. Blau’s life – and his practice. Years ago, this plastic surgery specialty was “totally neglected,” says Dr. Blau, and the only men interested in such surgery were bodybuilders. Today, Dr. Blau specializes in gynecomastia surgery performing 15-10 such surgeries per week, on your average every day man (not bodybuilders) for a total of about 500 gynecomastia surgeries per year. This is in addition to the other surgeries he performs – such as tummy tucks, breast augmentation, liposuction, facelifts and more, for both sexes.
Dr. Blau also notes that other plastic surgeons – his peers and contemporaries – typically perform about three gynecomastia surgeries per year – making him the true accepted, experienced leader in this field. Dr. Blau specializes in what he calls a “natural blend technique,” in that his surgery looks and appears completely natural. He says that this is vital – “The results have to be good,” he says. “Otherwise men will never take their shirt off – even at the pool or beach.”
Why such a shift in men’s attitudes towards plastic surgery?
“Men didn’t used to worry about how they looked,” says Dr. Blau. “Then it changed. Today women are in positions of power, and men want to appeal to women more than ever before. Everything has changed and is still changing – things are more equal.”
One thing that has also helped Dr. Blau enormously is his interest in painting. He is known for his artistry in oil and watercolors, and also in sculpting, which of course, is well-suited to his profession. He is also so highly regarded in this field of gynecomastia surgery that other surgeons come and train with him, usually for one week, to understand this highly specialized field of surgery.
In his professional experience of performing gynecomastia surgery on men, as word-of mouth about his results spread – Dr. Blau says that in his 30 years, he has never received one bad review. It’s no wonder that patients travel from all parts of the world to consult with him. He is an internationally famous plastic surgeon, and it makes sense to Skype or FaceTime a consult with him.
What’s on the cosmetic surgery horizon for 2017, for both men and women? Dr. Blau says that male plastic surgery, female plastic surgery, and gynecomastia surgery, will only be increasing. “I think that every year it is going to be more popular,” he says. “Every year it’s more and more.”
Debbi Kickham is a luxury beauty writer, author of The Globetrotter’s Get-Gorgeous Guide (www.GorgeousGlobetrotter.com) and can be reached through her website at www.MarketingAuthor.com, where she creates marketing content and marketing communications for her clients.
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