Once upon a time, men’s grooming was mainly limited to going to the local barbers, getting a splash of Brut aftershave, and nothing more. Nowadays, the beauty industry is just as accessible to men as to women and extends to aesthetics and skincare treatments. We spoke to award-winning aesthetics practitioner Amish Patel, Founder of Intrigue Cosmetic Clinic, a leading cosmetic clinic in the Southeast, to talk about male beauty in 2024.
” We’ve always had a solid male clientele at the clinic.” Explains Amish,
” The most significant shift we have seen is in the range of treatments men now have compared to post-COVID. I think the emergence of video calls, particularly during lockdown and now very much part of the office routine, has made us all look at our faces more than we would have done previously, and for many people, aesthetic treatments are their route to feeling more confident. ” Says Amish.
Are men more beauty-conscious in general?
“Yes, I think men are more beauty conscious, especially within the younger demographic—in their late twenties/thirties- who have grown up with social media and its impact on younger people. You’ve also got more mature men with subtle natural enhancements who want to look good for their age.”
What are the most popular procedures that men are coming in for?
” ‘Brotox’ is the most popular treatment for men, where we inject toxins into targeted areas to minimise movement and soften wrinkles. Jawline, chin, cheek and tear trough fillers are very popular for turning back the clock, and these involve injected dermal filler into the face to lift and restore lost facial volume. The liquid nose job can also be an excellent anti-ageing treatment, with a nose ‘tip lift’ being a simple but skilled tweak where we inject dermal filler to lift the ageing droop of the nose.”
Do men worry about looking ‘tweaked’?
“Because I specialise in natural-looking results, Many of our male clients travel from further afield for treatments like lip fillers, which require a particularly skilled hand to retain their masculinity and look natural. The only comments my clients ever get after their treatments are from friends or family who say how good they look and often ask if they’ve been on holiday or had a new haircut because the dermal filler work I do isn’t obvious.”
Is skin care important?
” Very important. Many of my male clients are on tailored professional skincare routines alongside their routine, so taking good care of their skin outside of their treatments. You don’t have to overcomplicate your skincare routine; a quality facial wash/scrub, serum or moisturiser with retinol/Vitamin C and a high SPF sunscreen to protect your skin from UV damage are all you need. ”
What treatments are growing in popularity with your male clients?
“Since we introduced PRP (platelet-rich plasma) facials, these, too, are proving popular with clients. This treatment involves taking the client’s blood, sending it to a lab to separate the layers, focusing on the platelets, and then injecting it back into the face to help reduce wrinkles, acne scaring and plump, sagging skin. Skin boosters are more popular than ever with our male clients and are an effective way to boost the skin’s texture and appearance. They involve injecting hyaluronic acid into the skin via staggered sessions spread over the course of weeks.”
