Growing older is inevitable. But actually looking your age has become more of a choice than an unalterable reality with increasing numbers of men seeking out professional help to keep themselves looking the right side of 50.
But is anyone buying what these blokes are putting down?
Earlier this year, Tom Cruise set tongues and Twitter wagging when he appeared on the red carpet at the BAFTAs. The Mission: Impossible star was looking decidedly puffy in the face.
While Cruise has not confirmed any nips or tucks, rumours abound that the 54-year-old-actor (who is arguably in better shape than myself and many of my peers) had undergone a round of 'fillers' – injectables that help reduce the sign of wrinkles by literally filling them in from underneath.
Quick fixes
The fact that Cruise may have succumbed to cultural pressures to look younger than he is wasn't the issue. What was so shocking was the drastic difference in his appearance, with one commentator describing him as "a hamster in a tuxedo".
According to Dr Bryan Mendelson from the Centre for Facial Plastic Surgery in Melbourne, part of this is because men tend to wait until the damage is already done before they try to address it.
"It is generally said ... that male attractiveness peaks at a much later age than it does for women," Mendelson says.
"This may explain why men seem to worry less about the aging process until it is well established, which presumably explains why in general they have surgery performed at a later age."
Cathriona Flanagan, head dermal therapist at Sydney's Face of Man, says that Cruise's mistake is a common one made by many men opting for a tune up.
"Older men are looking for a fast fix rather than a slower, more subtle approach to getting that fresh faced look," she says.
The uncanny valley
Another reason that Cruise, and many other men trying to turn back the clock, fail to be praised for looking so surprisingly fresh and young is just that – it's a little too fresh, a little too young and a little too sudden.
There's a term in the world of technology and robotics called the uncanny valley. It's a term used to describe the point where a robot becomes so realistic it causes a sense of revulsion in humans.
It's a similar experience when we encounter someone who's gone from looking like a healthy bloke in his mid-50s to, well, a hamster in a tuxedo overnight.
Aged, like whiskey
Another reason is that we've been culturally hard-wired to prefer men who a look a little more weathered and tested by time. In comparison to women, who unfairly suffer from a ridiculous pressure to remain ever youthful, men are actually encouraged and celebrated as they look older.
A quick look at those men who consistently appear on "world's sexiest" lists would prove this theory, with most of the gents taking out top spot sporting more than just a smattering of silver in the hair.
Men like George Clooney, Matt Damon, Idris Elba and even Russell Crowe regularly position quite high in the hierarchy.
"We prefer our men to keep their masculine features, which is what some of these cosmetic procedures tend to alter," explains Flanagan.
"For example, an over use of filler in the cheekbone area. This is considered a beauty trait in females but something we are seeing more of in men."
So is there a happy medium?
Choosing to take the edge of the aging process isn't a bad thing - who doesn't want to look their best until the very end? But there are ways to do this that won't leave you looking like you're cosplaying Benjamin Button.
"The best advice I can offer someone would be to start doing skin rejuvenation treatments such as fractional laser or skin needling and good quality homecare (including sunscreen) as a means for preventive," says Flanagan.
"You don't develop permanent wrinkles until your mid to late 30s or even early 40s, so I wouldn't recommend Botox earlier than this."
"Most patients in Australia are just wanting to 'look good for their age'," explains Dr Mendelson. "This means looking healthy and vital. There is a phenomena we call the 'Melbourne look'. That is, natural and subtle, not obvious.
"Get good advice, which may require visiting a couple of recommended prospective surgeons to find the surgeon who specialises in surgery of the face and who you feel comfortable with; and prepare yourself for the surgery with good health, fitness, and especially weight control."
Think men should avoid getting work done? Tell us what you think below.
Article Sources:
http://www.executivestyle.com.au/should-men-ever-get-cosmetic-surgery-gs07eh
http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/beauty/85365989/filler-fail-why-do-men-get-cosmetic-surgery-so-wrong
