Refining male injectables in aesthetics

Abstract

The number of men interested in nonsurgical cosmetic procedures has been increasing in recent years. Given the gender differences in cutaneous biology and anatomy, the aesthetic treatment of men requires certain nuances and modifications from the more frequently completed procedures in women. In addition, photoaging and sun protective practices can vary between gender, which may be a consequence of the stigma that surrounds skin care and its relation to traditional gender roles. We have reviewed pertinent biologic, anatomic, and behavioral aspects of men as they relate to cosmetic injectable treatments. Men may require higher doses of injectable neuromodulators due to their larger and stronger facial mimetic muscles. Injectable soft-tissue fillers should also accentuate the ideal facial shape of men, which includes a squared jawline and inferomedial projection of the cheeks. The approach to injectable treatments differs between men and women in the aesthetic setting, and this should be addressed by practitioners.