Ageing lotharios cause male Botox boom

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More men in their 40s and 50s are opting for cosmetic surgery, with many citing a second marriage as the reason, according to figures released today.

The Harley Medical Group said it had seen over 5,200 men in the last six months alone for consultations on youth enhancing procedures, and a fifth of all its Botox patients are now men.

The men, who fall into the 35 to 55 age bracket, are opting for Botox to smooth fine lines as well as surgical procedures like face lifts and eyelid surgery.

The group compared figures from January to March this year with the same period last year and found that 17% more men had undergone facelifts this year.

There was a dramatic rise in Botox (up 57%) while 47% more men had breast reduction surgery.

Skin microdermabrasion was up 43%, eyelid surgery was up 25% and chin lifts were up 44% on the same period last year.

It said many of the men were embarking on second marriages, and said the marriages of French president Nicolas Sarkozy, who recently wed for the third time, and actor Michael Douglas were influential.

Liz Dale, director of The Harley Medical Group, said: "Dubbed the Sarkozy syndrome or Douglas effect, referring to a second marriage with a younger women whether they have one, two or more decades between them, surgeons are witnessing these patients citing their partner's youthful appearance as their motivation to investigate surgical and non-surgical rejuvenation procedures.

"Typically, a male patient will have been contemplating surgery for six months to 12 months before making an initial inquiry. Surgery is not something patients rush into."

She said the men could also be dubbed FAMs (forty or fifty-year-old alpha males).

"Second marriages and career opportunities are the most commonly cited reasons for FAMs undergoing rejuvenation treatments," she added.

Men in their 40s are more likely to opt for Botox while those in their 50s are more likely to choose eyelid surgery or face lifts, she said.

Dr Julian Northover from the group added: "Our patients are looking to gain an edge in their looks and take off a few years.

"The desire to have Botox treatments is driven by both business and social reasons.

"Quite regularly we treat patients who have a much younger partner.

"The results from a short treatment with Botox and possibly fillers can be dramatic and make them much more confident in their relationship.

"The main areas that men seek treatment for are excessive smile lines (or crow's feet) and the deep horizontal lines across their forehead associated with ageing."