The latest trend in med spas is men! As the male clientele continues to grow, the industry is responding to address their unique needs and concerns within a comfortable, welcoming environment. Image: iStock
They’ve been secretly sneaking our shower scrubs and facial creams for years, but now men are making moves into the world of cosmetic enhancements, and local med spas are here for it. Offering private lounges, comprehensive menus of services, and workstations that allow for multitasking while “toxing,” clinics are rolling out the red carpet to make the men feel more at ease in what has typically been a female-dominated industry.
PinThe Skin Lounge’s new men’s lounge offers male patients privacy in a comfortable, relaxing environment. Image: Evane Stoner Photography
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“When we opened our practice, our goal from the beginning was to create a relaxing, beautiful environment that felt like an exhale,” says Susan Griffin, who, along with her husband, board-certified plastic surgeon Don, is the founder of Nashville Cosmetic Surgery and their body med spa, The Skin Lounge. “We achieved that for women, but our growing number of male constituents is just as important, and they value different things.”
To accommodate those values, Susan designed a men’s lounge, within The Skin Lounge, complete with a private entrance for those who desire anonymity. Defined by a warm, dark color palette, the cozy den offers plush leather chairs, a big screen television, and a work portal for the CEO on the go. “We recognize that the men are coming into a place that feels a little uncomfortable anyway, and we want to make sure they feel welcome,” Susan explains.
One male medspa-goer who appreciates the effort tells us, “I think the idea of the men’s lounge is incredible, especially for men who are new to the world of medical aesthetics. A comfortable and discreet environment just levels up the experience.”
The Men Have Entered the Med Spa Chat
While they may not actually “chat” about it as often as women (or at all), men have been dipping their pedicured toes into the self-care industry for a while. The industry has responded with men’s salons that offer a shave and a haircut in a setting more akin to a cigar lounge than your grandpa’s barber shop. That increasing comfort in upscale grooming may have been the gateway drug for men to venture into the more advanced world of injectables and cosmetic procedures typically favored by the women in their lives.
Susan points out that, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), male aesthetic procedures have increased a whopping 325% since 1997, a fact she attributes to something women have felt for years: youth equates to relevance.
“Men are beginning to experience something women have dealt with their entire lives,” she says. “It’s the pressure to look younger than they are to stay relevant — not just in the workforce, but also in the world.”
“I felt as I approached my thirties that I wanted to mitigate the signs of aging with noninvasive and nonsurgical procedures,” says one 50-year-old man who regularly gets Botox injections, laser treatments, and microneedling procedures. “I feel my results have been exactly what I wanted. I’m comfortable in my own skin and I’m happy with what I see when I look in the mirror.”
There may also be an unspoken pressure to keep up with the women who have embraced medical advances to keep them looking decades younger, especially when it comes to dating in today’s high-tech world.
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“Online dating has made men more aware of how they look,” says Susan. “Women have more choices today. We are more independent, and we are more particular because we are taking better care of ourselves.”
Nashville Cosmetic Surgery nurse practitioner Lori Lankford says that men often take that first tentative step into the world of quality skincare, lasers, needles, and even scalpels at the gentle (and sometimes not-so-gentle) nudging of their significant others.
“Unlike women, men may not talk to their friends about their aging concerns, but they might talk to their wives or girlfriends who then get them in the door,” she says.
Putting the “Men” in the Menu of Services
Once they’re in the door, then what? The menu of male services is not that different from those offered to women, but the men’s priorities might be. When it comes to Botox, for example, Lori says women request a completely smooth, “glazed donut” appearance, while men typically just want to address the frown, or “11” lines, between their brows.
“The goal with men is usually not to erase lines, just soften them,” she says, and adds that men need a little more rugged wear on their faces. “They don’t want to look angry,” she laughs.
Where women might turn to fillers to address sagging skin on the cheeks, men might be more likely to use them to sculpt a strong chin or jawline. Some even turn to more invasive procedures like liposuction for a sagging neck or jowls.
“This is a big concern for men because a strong jawline and chin traditionally signal vitality, masculinity, and strength,” Lori observes.
Both Lori and Susan agree that hair loss is one of the most significant issues for men (and one of the most sensitive). Through services like PRP treatments to the scalp, men can visit the clinic during their lunch hours for a hair growth-stimulating treatment and return to work without anyone noticing. That’s important for many men who would rather fess up to a facelift than admit to addressing hair loss.
“Men feel more comfortable talking about skin treatments than thinning hair, yet they are using those services more than anyone else,” says Lori.
PinA short, effective skincare routine using professional-grade products helps men maintain results at home. Image: Evane Stoner Photography
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Mansplaining the Options
Manning up to med spas shows no signs of slowing down, but there are still those guys who feel a stigma surrounding cosmetic enhancements, and a private, luxury man cave alone won’t change that. That’s where providers must effectively include an educational component for their male clientele.
“Men usually don’t realize the outcomes they can get because no one is really setting it out for them,” says Susan. “Men are visual, so showing them before and after photos with great outcomes can help them understand and remove some of the discomfort or embarrassment.”
Men are also all about instant gratification. Once they see the results for themselves, most of them become hooked and want to know more about maintenance, including skincare. They become open to simple routines with quality products that offer big benefits.
“I try to always send men home with at least an exfoliating wash or pad that delivers pretty immediate results so that they can see how easy it is to improve their skin,” says Susan, adding that even her surgeon husband won’t do more than a four-step skincare routine.
Another Nashville Cosmetic Surgery patient is a big believer in good products and credits a nearly decade-long daily skincare routine, along with a healthy diet, exercise, and the use of filler and Botox for keeping him looking and feeling his best. “Most men do not have a skincare routine, likely due to a lack of awareness and therefore a doubt in its effectiveness,” he tells us.
Neither Lori nor Susan sees men outnumbering women in the clinic over the next ten years. Still, they do predict a continued uptick as men continue to take better care of themselves overall. “I think it will become less stigmatized and more openly discussed among men,” Susan says.
She points out that regardless of age, sexual orientation, or occupation, most men share common concerns about the way they look, and that as more med spas seek to accommodate this growing demographic of patients, they will feel more comfortable addressing them.
The tides are turning. One patient even tells us, “I feel like there is much less judgment and stigma surrounding men’s treatments now than when I first started 20 years ago. I have zero regrets.”
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Bonny Osterhage is a professional journalist with more than 25 years of experience in both print and digital media. An avid fitness fanatic, when she isn't exploring the next trending topic, Bonny can be found cycling, running, and leading classes at SolidCore. Find more of her work at Mind Body Green, The List, Business Insider, and more.
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