How men's care differs
The medicine is the same, but the plan often is not. Male facial skin is generally thicker, with a denser dermis and more active oil glands. The beard area affects how lasers and energy devices are planned. Muscles are often stronger, so botulinum toxin doses are set for each person.
Goals can differ too. Men often want a defined contour, with a flatter brow, a squarer jaw and less cheek projection. Many come in later, when jowling and under-eye hollowing are established, so descended tissue has to be told apart from lost volume. Results vary between men.
Aesthetic treatments for men, by concern
| Concern | Usual route | When it will not help |
|---|---|---|
| Hair thinning | Norwood staging, trichoscopy, then prescribed medical therapy | Zones where follicles have gone |
| Wide or square jaw | Botulinum toxin in the masseter, if muscle is the cause | Width from bone |
| Double chin | Fat-targeted energy, focused ultrasound, radiofrequency or chin augmentation, by cause | Treating a recessed chin as fat |
| Acne scars | Matched to scar type, after active acne is controlled | Treating scars while acne is active |
| Back and chest acne | Diagnosis first, then the right medicine | Washes alone for deep follicular acne |
| Beard and razor bumps | Laser hair removal, with 1064 nm Nd:YAG for darker skin | Grey or white hairs |
| Eye bags | Find the cause. Filler suits only a hollow | Filler for a true fat bag |
| Excessive sweating | A stepwise ladder of options | Generalised or night sweating, until a cause is checked |
| Shoulder bulk | Botulinum toxin in the upper trapezius | Posture, bone or fat |
Hair loss
Assessment includes staging on the Norwood scale and trichoscopy, with blood tests where needed. Prescribed medical therapy is the foundation. Low-level laser, regenerative scalp treatment and nutritional support can sit alongside it. Male pattern hair loss is progressive, so maintenance is usually needed. In male pattern loss, follicles in certain zones respond to dihydrotestosterone by shortening their growth phase, so hairs grow finer and shorter until they stop. Hair treatment works on living follicles. A miniaturised follicle can respond, but one that has stopped producing cannot be reopened. Where follicles have been lost, a transplant assessment is offered instead, and you would be referred to a surgical specialist if it fits. See hair restoration.
Jaw, chin and contour
A clench test and a profile assessment separate muscle from bone and fat. Masseter botulinum toxin treats muscle bulk only, and it is temporary, so it needs repeat visits. A surgical opinion is the route for width that comes from bone. Fillers and biostimulators may be placed for jaw and chin structure, with restraint in the cheeks. A double chin has four common causes: fat under the chin, loss of skin elasticity, the position of the platysma muscle, and chin and jaw projection. They look alike, so the treatment follows the cause. See chin enhancement.
Skin, scars and razor bumps
Acne that is still active comes first, since inflammation is what creates scars. Scars are then treated by type, as our 4D Scar Reconstruction page explains. On the back and chest, true acne and fungal folliculitis look alike and need different medicines, so diagnosis comes before treatment. Marks and scars are treated once the skin is quiet. For beard concerns, laser hair removal needs pigment in the hair, which is why grey or white hairs cannot be targeted.
Eye bags and sagging
Men often present later, so eye bags and jowls may already be established. The first job is to find the cause. Filler suits only a hollow, and a true fat bag is referred for surgical assessment. With sagging, descended tissue has to be told apart from lost volume, because each needs a different approach. See VF Lift, HIFU and volume restoration. Marked skin excess is a surgical matter.
Sweating and shoulders
Steps run from clinical-strength antiperspirants, through iontophoresis and botulinum toxin, to energy-based options and oral medicines.
Sweating that is generalised or happens at night needs a check for an underlying cause before treatment.
Botulinum toxin can reduce muscle bulk. It cannot change posture, bone or fat.
What these treatments cannot do
No outcome length can be promised, because it depends on the treatment, the area and your response. Botulinum toxin wears off, and potency units are not interchangeable between products. Some concerns have no non-surgical answer, such as skeletal jaw width or a large true eye bag. Non-surgical treatment also cannot replace lost follicles. If a plan does not explain why it fits your cause, ask before you agree. Beard and contour goals also vary from man to man, so a treatment that suits one face may be wrong for another.
Who should wait or avoid treatment
Scar work waits for quiet skin, and treatment waits with an infection at the site.
Jaw toxin for bone, filler for a fat bag, and hair therapy for bare zones are not suitable.
Generalised sweating or an unclear skin problem needs a cause found first.
Please mention medicines, past reactions and earlier treatments, since these can change the advice.
Risks
Bruising, swelling and redness are common. Rarer problems depend on the treatment. Masseter botulinum toxin can leave cheeks looking sunken, particularly in a thin face or with over-treatment. Filler carries a rare risk of vascular occlusion, and laser can leave dark marks. Risks are explained before consent. Our complication care page lists the signs that need same-day review or A&E. Treatment in the beard area is planned around that hair, since it affects how lasers and energy devices are used. If you have had a reaction before, please say so at your first visit.