While the techniques for performing cosmetic eyelid surgery on a man are fundamentally the same as those used on a woman, there are several caveats to consider when contemplating blepharoplasty.
Most men prefer to avoid a high and deep upper eyelid crease. This is in contrast with most women, who often seek blepharoplasty with specifically this intent. Why? Because women apply cosmetics around their eyes and without a well-defined and stable platform of skin above the upper eyelashes, any color tends to smear and rapidly disappear.
Most men wish to avoid any upward flare to the outer brow. The typical male brow conforms to a slightly different pattern than the female brow, which tends, at least stereotypically, to reach a peak at the junction of its middle and outer thirds and then remain relatively higher. Men, again stereotypically, sport a brow that follows a lower and more horizontal excursion. For this reason, brow or forehead lifting in men is probably best approached with restraint.
Most men are seeking a more conservative (that is, less obvious) change. While opinions regarding any "stigma" of having undergone cosmetic surgery have changed greatly in recent years, the ladies still outnumber the men five-to-one (a ratio that is rapidly shrinking). The "masculine look", however, remains more rugged and less manicured. Most men do not wish to be "beautified."
Most men insist on avoiding any visible evidence of lower eyelid scarring (which, in women, is more easily camouflaged with cosmetics). Transconjunctival lower blepharoplasty is, therefore, an ideal procedure.
Most men are less concerned about the presence of fine eyelid wrinkling. Procedures such as Botox injection and resurfacing skin peels are just not that popular with the men.
All men (and more and more women, for that matter) are adamant about the final result appear as natural as possible, even if this means accepting a certain degree of intentional undercorrection. The “done” look so proudly displayed in years past as a sort of "status symbol" of having undergone cosmetic surgery is most definitely out of vogue. Most men wish to look "refreshed" rather than "rejuvenated," or, in other words, more energetic rather than simply younger.
Are any of the above caveats hard to honor? No, not at all. Problems can arise, however, when blepharoplasty is approached as a "stock operation" by the "occasional" eyelid surgeon. As with all cosmetic surgery, achieving the natural look requires a skillful hand guided by a wealth of understanding and experience.
Finally, any so-called "guidelines" should never be taken as absolute rules but only generalized preferences to be evaluated at the time of each consultation and then applied as appropriate.
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