The Y Factor

Cutting Out the Fat

by Christian McLean

Maybe this is me being completely superficial (it usually is) but I feel that if I expect a woman to be in great shape, then I have to hold up my end of the deal. And while I cling to this belief, there is only so far I will go to do it. I run, I lift weights, I watch what I eat (most of the time), but I will never go under the knife to improve my appearance.

With that bold and definitive statement made, I have to admit that I have absolutely no problem with other people doing it. If it is going to make someone feel better about themselves, who am I to squash that happiness? I’d hope that people didn’t have to be so scrutinizing and self-judging – that they could find happiness with themselves, knowing that they are doing the best they can and that looks don’t really count. But hey, we live in a very superficial world, where beauty isn’t just skin deep, but goes through the sucked-out subcutaneous fat, all the way down to the ass implants.

Cosmetic surgery is almost commonplace today and the idea of men going under the knife isn’t as taboo as it was ten years ago. Liposuction, tummy tucks and breast reductions (to get rid of the dreaded “man-boobs”) are at the top of the list of procedures men are getting done. Many men who admit to getting cosmetic surgery will also admit that it has been beneficial to their lives. They just weren’t as commanding in the boardroom with a double-chin or attractive as they were ten or twenty years ago with that paunch and love handles. After surgery, they gained much of that self-confidence back.

If you haven’t noticed, men and woman’s bodies are different – this is the case even on the cellular level. Men’s skin maintains its elasticity longer than women’s and many times liposuction will be all they need to “fix” their problem areas. Though sometimes more invasive procedures for men require more thought and consideration than they would if a woman were to undergo them.

While contemplating whether or not to have a facelift or necklift, a man and his doctor must discuss thinning hair, a receding hairline and baldness. While a facelift will not cause these things, hiding the incision becomes tricky or impossible if you are eventually going to lose all your hair. Facial hair also becomes an issue with these procedures because, depending on the span of the surgery, some of the skin from your upper neck may be pulled back and reattached behind your ears. If this is the case, you will probably have to start shaving behind your ears. Another situation arises when fixing flaws with the neck. Necklifts sometimes require the tightening of the platysma muscles, which are usually thicker in men than women and therefore take more time to heal. You will also have to avoid shaving the face (even behind your ears) for almost a month, depending on what surgery you undergo.

As for getting rid of the waistline, again, liposuction is the number one procedure performed, but some men are going the extra mile (not literally running it, mind you, otherwise they may not have to have surgery) by getting a tummy tuck (abdominoplasty).

“Tummy tuck” makes it seem like the surgery isn’t that big of a deal, it almost sounds cute, but it is actually quite intense and can take a month or more to recover. The surgeon will usually make an incision from hip to hip below the waistline, then separate the skin from the body and remove the excess fat. When the fat has been excised, the doctor will stitch abdominal muscles together running vertically (head to toe) to tighten the abdominal wall, which will pull in the waist. The excess skin is then cut away and attached at the line of the initial incision (leaving a scar), and a new bellybutton is created, because your original one will have been removed with the excess skin. Rehabilitation will follow. I’d also recommend not laughing for a few days.

While cosmetic surgery is on the rise, it isn’t something to enter into lightly. Most surgeries only come about after extensive counseling with surgeons and after other options (i.e. diet, exercise) are exhausted. The best way to avoid needing cosmetic surgery, or to heal after having it, is to live an active life. By the way, you should wear sunblock year-round to help reduce wrinkles and sun damage, which can also lead to premature facial aging, but that’s for another article.