Facial Stimulators and Lip Enhancers

In the United States, there are more than fifty types of facial stimulators sold over-the-counter and on the Internet. HealthDay News reports that “the fountain of youth can't be found in a facial simulator. A recent study cited in the Journal Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery concluded that over-the-counter mechanisms that claim to get the results that mirror a facelift, actually do little or nothing to revitalize aging skin. The research was conducted by a team from the University of Washington Medical Center's Cosmetic Surgery Center. They examined two of these tools that claim that their products use electrical stimulation to facial muscles and, thereby, improve facial tone and reduce the signs of aging. The team studied the results on participants who used the devices for four months. The “results” were assessed by facial plastic surgeons. The surgeons and the team concluded that there were no signs of improvement in facial aging as a result of using the devices. The participants concluded that there were minimal results at best and all of them reported mild discomfort with the process.

A subsequent study by the same research team, found that “lip enhancement” products also resulted in no positive results.

Men and Cosmetic Surgery

Statistic show that the best jobs and promotions, go to the young and good looking. In an environment where youth is an advantage, cosmetic surgery, once almost exclusively the domain of women, is being “discovered” by men.

HealthDay News provided the following statics. 1.2 million procedures were performed on men in 2004, a 16% increase since 2000.

It appears that men also want to improve their appearance, and are choosing many of the same body parts to be “worked” on, as women. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons report that the top five male cosmetic surgeries in 2004 were nose reshaping, hair transplantation, eyelid surgery, liposuction and breast reduction. The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery lists the same top five procedures, while reporting that women tend to choose nose reshaping, eyelid surgery and liposuction, followed by breast augmentation and facelifts.

Botox injections, chemical peels, collagen injections and micro-dermabrasion are also finding their way into the male domain.

A major difference between men and women, the organizations report, is that men tend to wait longer until they visit a plastic surgeon and their “body parts,” by that time, need more extensive treatment. They also are more likely to choose less invasive surgeries that have less associated down time. However, like their female counterparts, they are concerned about dramatic change and want subtle, not startling, results.

As always, the best advice for both men and women who are contemplating cosmetic surgery, it is important to be well educated and clear about the results they can and cannot expect and it is of critical importance to choose a board certified surgeon.