The Guy's Guide to Cosmetic Procedures  

Acne, dark spots, and wrinkles are no match for current technology. 
A man receiving hundreds of facial procedures simultaneously.
Illustration by Simon Abranowicz

We don't have flying cars, but we did just get another movie from the Fast and the Furious franchise—it's easy feel like progress is a little stuck these days. But one area in which society has made great strides in the last few years is in botox for men and other cosmetic procedures to make you look a little bit younger. Consider the modern, imperceivable hair transplant. (Ever wonder why male celebrities don't go bald anymore?) 

A similar slow revolution has happened with skin procedures, too, and minimally-invasive treatments like botox and laser resurfacing are increasingly commonplace. If you’ve got acne, you can combat it with far more than topical treatments like tretinoin and salicylic acid. Similarly, a simple injection can prevent or hide wrinkles and a thread lift can tighten skin. 

Here at GQ we're Switzerland-neutral about whether you should get any work done—that’s entirely your business, and your doctor's. However, we did want some insight about just what our options are, so we consulted a professional,  Dr. Gary Linkov on the most common cosmetic procedures for men these day. If anything here sounds interesting, you'll want to take the same approach: Consult with a dermatologist, plastic surgeon, or comparable board-certified medial professional. Cost for these procedures can vary widely—from a few hundred bucks for some light filler to thousands for many rounds of laser treatments, and will depend on lots of subtle factors and even where you live. So while we can't give a complete picture of what botox for men or any other cosmetic procedure will work for your face, here's where to start. 

For Acne and Acne Scars: Laser Resurfacing, Microneedling, and Fillers

We talk a lot about resurfacing in skin care: It’s the process of bringing your healthiest, brightest, newest skin cells to the forefront. This is essentially what exfoliation does, as well as peeling ingredients like lactic acid and salicylic acid. And for especially acne prone individuals whose pimples, blemishes, and scars heal at a glacial pace, there is laser resurfacing. In this case, though, it takes exfoliation to the Death Star levels, removing the outermost layer of the skin and stimulating the skin to produce more collagen and regenerate faster. Linkov says some patients will require multiple sessions, spaced months apart, for optimal results.

A less invasive option, especially for dark or surface-level acne scars, is microneedling. This process also works to resurface the skin by creating thousands of imperceivable “micro wounds” on the skin which in turn trigger collagen production. (It’s not as painful as it sounds.) Some treatments add radiofrequency waves to create similar “thermal wounds” beneath the skin to the same effect. 

As for deep “ice-pick” scars: “If it is too deep to improve with lasers or microneedling, fillers can be used to fill-in the deep valleys,” says Linkov. “Alternatively, surgical options exist for the more resistant areas.”

For Hyperpigmentation: Intense Pulsed Light or Q-Switched Ruby Laser

Men in their 40s and 50s can begin to experience "sun spots" or "age spots" which is typically caused by overproduction of melanin in the skin. Your dermo may start you on retinol to promote resurfacing, or hydroquinone, which produces reversible lightening of the skin by interfering with melanin production. As for procedures, mild chemical peels and certain lasers, such as intense pulsed light (IPL) or Q-switched Ruby laser can help in some cases as well. “IPL therapy targets areas of hyperpigmentation without affecting the epidermis or the subcutaneous tissues,” Linkov notes. “IPL energy is absorbed only by specific cells responsible for the hyperpigmentation.”

For even more power, “a q-switched Ruby laser targets skin chromophores such as hemoglobin and melanin.  Q-switched lasers can remove ink particles in tattoos and/or melanin or pigment cells in birthmarks,” he says. “IPL cannot generate the same powerful energy, but is useful in treating age spots, sun damage, and freckles.”

For Fine Lines and Sagging Skin: Botox, Lifts, and Filler

Men in their 30s start to experience deepening wrinkles around the face. These wrinkles are often “dynamic” to start, meaning that they appear only with animating the face. But eventually some of these lines become “static,” appearing at rest. “Botox and other neurotoxins (like Dysport or Xeomin) are meant to address the dynamic wrinkles by paralyzing targeted muscle, but I recommend that patients start on preventative Botox once there are some signs of lines persisting at rest,” says Linkov. 

As for non-surgical lifting and tightening methods, the most common for the face are filler, radiofrequency (with or without microneedling), and threads. “Filler primarily builds volume rather than lifts, but it can smooth out pesky wrinkles and make the face appear tightened,” Linkov says. “The key to keeping it natural is not over-injecting too much volume and to augment areas that naturally have volume instead of indiscriminately adding it in.”

Thread lifting is when dissolvable sutures are placed under the skin, and upwards on either sides of the eyes to produce a light lifting effect. “This can help tighten the face—but it is a temporary solution, lasting one year max,” Linkov explains. 


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