If you thought the use of Botox™ was a strictly female pastime, you’d be surprised to discover that it was men who accounted for more than 220 000 Botox™ shots last year in the US alone. Botox™ is now the most popular non-surgical procedure amongst men.

The reasons that men seek out Botox™ treatments are two-fold: the first is to increase social confidence, especially within the singles scene. Often, men who are approaching their 30s and 40s and have remained single, find that they require a confidence boost of the injected kind. Secondly, Botox™ is seen as a career investment. For men who want to look more relaxed and perhaps less intimidating during professional negotiations, Botox™ is a valuable tool in achieving this goal. If facial lines and wrinkles are deep, they can cause a person to look angry, and for men who have chosen careers in industries such as sales, where first impressions are highly valued, a more ‘approachable’ appearance is preferable.

Botox™ is a purified protein toxin produced by the Clostridium botulinum bacterium and for the purpose of beautifying and creating a more youthful appearance, it is used in extremely small quantities. Approved for both therapeutic and cosmetic use, Botox™ remains in the target muscle when applied and does not spread throughout the body. It penetrates the muscle that creates the wrinkle and then blocks the nerve impulse from reaching that specific area, and so the muscle relaxes and the wrinkle over the muscle is smoothed away.

When it comes to men, the application of Botox™ is different to women. For example, injecting too much Botox™ above the brow area can give the eyebrows an arched and immobile appearance. This can either make one look permanently startled or slightly feminine and should be avoided when applied to men. Men also generally require larger doses of Botox™, even as high as 50% more, because of their heavier and more active musculature.

Botox™ continues to prevent the re-emergence of facial lines and wrinkles for four to eight months, and so the professional man hardly has to sacrifice his demanding work schedule to maintain his youthful appearance. With extended treatment, results can last as long as eight months. In terms of safety, Botox™ has been approved for use on children as young as three years old to treat cerebral palsy symptoms. It is also commonly used to reduce sweating by up to 90% for a period of up to nine months and is thus a favourite among celebrities for red carpet events.

In the realm of non-invasive facial rejuvenation for socially active, professional men, Botox™ has proven both the most popular and the most effective. Provided a well trained physician is administering it, the recipient’s natural appearance is not compromised, though his youthful complexion is restored – essential for the masculine, yet aesthetically sensitive man of today.