The daddy-do-over is a harmless spin on the well-established mommy makeover. Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, the reasons behind more men seeking cosmetic procedures couldn’t be more serious.
The male species may not have the physical strain placed on their bodies that women do in childbirth, but they suffer as well from stress-related problems. These ‘new parent’ stresses manifest themselves as wrinkles and lines, premature hair loss, and sleep-deprived dark circles.
Disrupted sleep patterns and comfort eating can also contribute to the daddy dilemma. Daddy- do-over procedures often involve liposuction, fillers, blood plasma injections for hair growth and Botox, all in an attempt to stop Dad blending in with the wallpaper.
Male Stress Levels
Pandemic USA has catapulted male stress levels through the roof. More and more male white-collar workers face job insecurity or fear short-term future working from home via virtual meetings.
With over 80% of white-collar workers believing they achieve more in face-to-face meetings, physical shortcomings were compensated with a firm handshake and an amiable character. Today an on screen facial appearance plays more prominently, and there’s no place to hide.
“From an evolutionary perspective, a male with a strong brow, chin, and cheekbones at a selective advantage to bringing home a meal,” says Chicago-based Dr. Steven Dayan, a Double Board Certified Facial Plastic Surgeon.
Even today, we subconsciously value as did our paleolithic ancestors, the physical signs of resource gathering competency. The facts supported in the scientific literature are there for all to see, believes the award-winning doctor. In a frequently mentioned 2008 article from Psychologic Science, “Profits of the top 25 companies on the Forbes 1000 correlate with the facial appearances of their CEOs, and further research has indicated that better-looking attorneys are likely to make more money.”
Cosmetic Procedures for a Competitive Edge
Once the strict domain of Hollywood A-listers, male plastic surgery has now filtered down to street level. For this reason, says Dr. Dayan, “a man looking for a competitive edge in the workplace may be more open to undergoing a chin, cheek, or jawline augmentation if he knew it contributed to an improvement in his employment status.”
These facts are backed up by research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. A recent study showed that men who choose facial plastic surgery are perceived as more attractive, likable, socially skilled, and trustworthy.
Rather than pure vanity, increasing numbers of men are turning to cosmetic procedures. Many men admit to feeling as if they’re losing their competitive edge, underselling themselves, or not putting their best face forward on the small screen.
Today, major companies are aggressively maneuvering for a more youthful workforce, and tech industries are notorious for pushing a fresh face over experience.
The recent $11m payouts by Google for engaging in a systematic pattern of age discrimination (for people over 40!) proves the point, and they’re not the only ones. Tech giant IBM swept away 20,000 employees aged 40 years and over.
A Cure for Job Insecurity
“My job is a combination of backroom conferencing and meeting new clients online,” says Adam E, a 43-year-old tech worker from California. “Everywhere I looked, I’d see a screen full of younger faces. On a video conference, I felt like people were looking at me and assuming that I wasn’t dynamic enough or wouldn’t be able to cope with the 14-hour days and stressful deadlines. “
“Worse still,” he adds. After seeing myself online, I started to believe it too.
“I got rid of the dark circles, had my face filled out a little, and had some work on my forehead, just to keep my hat in the ring.” I was good at my job before, but now I have the looks and confidence to back it up, and that’s a weight off my mind.”
“In the past, plastic surgery used to focus on one-dimensional beauty,” says Dr. Steven Dayan, “but for men wanting procedures today, yes, they want to look younger, but it’s the mind, mood, and confidence these bring that make a huge difference.”