Transform, a provider of Medical Aesthetics and Cosmetic Surgery in the UK, investigates the rise in male cosmetic procedures
- Enquiries about certain procedures have risen by up to 100% over the last two years
- Google search trends data also shows huge increases in UK searches for ‘male rhinoplasty’ (up 128% YOY), ‘Gynaecomastia’ (88%) and ‘hair transplant’ (84%)
- Hair/Hairline, nose, and stomach three most popular areas men would be interested in changing with cosmetic surgery
The three most popular cosmetic surgery treatments for men in the UK are rhinoplasty, Gynaecomastia (male breast reduction), and liposuction, with almost half (47%) of men claiming they would be interested in some form of cosmetic surgery, according to new research by Transform.
The research, consisting of analysis of Transform’s own procedure data alongside a survey of 1,000 men, investigated the growing demand for male cosmetic procedures, the nation’s opinions of male plastic surgery, and popular surgery trends.
It found that although almost two in ten men (18%) claimed to be against cosmetic surgery for themselves and others, two in ten (19%) claimed they would not get cosmetic surgery now, but would consider it in the future. More than one in ten men (11%) had already had a procedure done.
A further two in 100 men (2%) were planning to get cosmetic surgery soon, and one in twenty (5.5%) would get a cosmetic procedure if they could afford it, and one in 10 (10%) said they would ‘never say never’ to cosmetic surgery.
Interestingly, half of the men who have had plastic surgery opted to keep it quiet, (51%), while the other half (49%) feel comfortable telling people about it.
So, why do so many men who go ‘under the knife’ feel the need to keep it a secret? One in twenty men (5%) believe cosmetic surgery is fine for women but not men.
The procedure data shows the top five cosmetic procedures Transform performed on men over the past two years are:
| Procedure | Percentage of all male procedures done by Transform |
| Rhinoplasty (nose Job) | 18% |
| Gynaecomastia (male breast reduction) | 11% |
| Liposuction (body fat removal) | 9% |
| Mole/Blemish/Cyst Removal | 7% |
| Otoplasty (ear surgery) | 5% |
Transform procedure data also shows that certain procedures have seen massive growth in popularity over the past two years, with enquiries about Gynecomastia rising 101%, Otoplasty enquiries rising 100% and Abdominoplasty enquiries rising by 101%.
There has also been a 96% increase in enquiries about Mole/Blemish/Cyst Removal, an 82% increase in enquiries about Upper and/or Lower Blephs (eyelids), a 38% increase in Liposuction enquiries and 30% increase in enquiries about Rhinoplasty.
Good Search Trends data also showed increased interest in cosmetic procedures for men, with monthly searches for “male rhinoplasty” up 182% from July 2018 to July 2020. Gynaecomastia searches have seen a 88% increase, and hair transplant searches seeing a 84% increase.
Although 53% of men claimed that they were not interested in getting cosmetic surgery, for the remaining 47% who have/intend to, it was their hair/hairline (8%), followed by their nose (7%), and their stomach (5.9%) that they would be most keen to change.
| What area of your body would be most interested in changing with cosmetic surgery? | Percentage |
| Hairline | 8% |
| Nose | 7% |
| Stomach | 6% |
| Eyes | 4% |
| Mole/Blemish/cyst removal | 4% |
| Weight Loss surgery | 4% |
| Neck | 3% |
| Face | 3% |
| Legs | 2% |
| Chest reduction | 2% |
| Jaw | 2% |
| Arms | 1% |
| Cheeks | 1% |
| Ears | 1% |
| Lips | 1% |
According to Transforms procedure data, male cosmetic procedures popularity vary across the country:
Rhinoplasty is the most popular male procedure in:
- Birmingham
- Manchester
- Sheffield
- Bristol
- Leeds
- East London
- Norwich
- Liverpool
- Stockport
- Northampton
Gynaecomastia is the most popular male procedure in:
- Nottingham
- Glasgow
- Cardiff
Mole/blemish/cyst removal is the most popular male procedure in:
- Newcastle Upon Tyn
- Milton Keynes
Liposuction is the most popular male procedure in:
- South West London
- South East London
Jon, 53, from Solihull in the West Midlands, had abdominoplasty and a chest reduction. He said:
“I first considered having treatment in 2013 after losing 25 kilos of body weight, but I wasn’t achieving the body shape that I’d hoped for, despite following a healthy diet and doing regular exercise. I researched cosmetic surgery on the Internet and found Transform.
“If anybody is in my position where they’ve put the hard work in, and lost the weight that they wanted to lose but can’t achieve the body shape that they want, I would advise them to go and see an expert and see what they can do. The results for me have been amazing.
“The biggest difference since having the operation is that it’s given me more self-esteem and more confidence. Instead of being the person who stands at the back of a photograph, you now want to stand at the front and show off what you’ve achieved over the four years it’s taken me to reach where I am today.”
XX, XX at Transform, commented on the rise in male cosmetic procedures:
“It’s not surprising to us that we’re seeing these high numbers of men expressing interest in cosmetic surgery. Procedures as a whole are moving towards less invasive, minor treatments, designed to enhance what we already have – this is attractive to men with busy lives who are invested in how they look. It has become perfectly acceptable for men to take real pride in their appearance, whereas historically this was something that many men were more cautious or nervous about.
“Surgery related to weight loss is also popular with men, as there are certain types of fat and possible skin sagging that diet and exercise can’t shift as you get older.
“Rhinoplasty and Otoplasty are also popular amongst men – particularly those who have had their nose or ears injured in accidents – and as we move towards a more image-conscious society, I can see why this is increasing in popularity.”
