- "There's a widespread desire for a rectangular facial structure"
Jeremy shifts jittersly, switching foot position every now and then. He keeps glancing at his phone. "I'm always anxious," he mutters, making a face. In a few moments, he has an appointment with a physician. For Botox injections. He's done this before, but every time he feels thrilled. He wants to prepare for summer, "then I won't have any funds left," he remarks, pushing open the practice door.
"We adore your visage," it reads in black, plastic letters above the marbled reception. Jeremy greets the receptionist and takes a seat on a white sofa. He's donning a black baseball cap, a baggy green sweater, jeans, and sneakers. Today, he's the lone gent in the waiting area. But more and more men are make their way to the practice, receptionist Nicole Bergmann informs us. That's why they've maintained the rooms in neutral tones. "As a man, you don't wish to sit in a pink waiting room," she chuckles. Jeremy nods in agreement.
"Brotox" is the latest trend for men
Jeremy finds himself part of a rising number of men undergoing "assistance." In accordance with the Association of German Aesthetic and Plastic Surgeons, minimally invasive procedures for males surged by over 15 percent in 2022. Botox treatments are particularly popular. There's even a special term for this craze, "Brotox." A blend of "bro" (brother) and Botox. The neurotoxin loosens the muscles, restricting facial expressions and erasing wrinkles. Men frequently opt for Botox for laugh lines or forehead wrinkles, or they elect for hyaluronic acid to be injected into their tear troughs, cheeks, and jawline.
Jeremy also witnesses the increased demand for beauty treatments. "In the past, you could get an appointment straight away, now you have to wait three weeks," he shares. The 30-year-old paramedic first visited a beauty clinic in Munich five years ago. After a spinal operation, he had lost a significant amount of weight and his cheeks had sunken in. "I just wanted to appear refreshed," he states. The physician not only added hyaluronic acid ("fillers") to his cheeks but also reshaped his nose for free. Before that, he hadn't even noticed it was a concern. In the before-and-after photo Jeremy shows on his phone, you can see the transformation: in the first image, there's a slight bump on the nasal bridge, in the second, the nose appears much straighter and pointed.
"I never realized I had a hump on my nose," he jotted on Instagram beneath the photo at the time. The result persists today. "I don't know why, it's been so long," he remarks. He's content with it. Later, out of curiosity, he experimented with other treatments, obtaining lip fillers and jawline contouring.
If the treatments weren't so costly, Jeremy would do more
He's well-aware of the risks associated with these procedures because he's an emergency paramedic. "But I disregard them," he says, making a shrugging gesture. He's not the only one adopting this viewpoint. "Approximately a third of my patients have never engaged with the topic prior to the consultation and don't even want to learn about it," Dr. Daniel Hiller, a Munich oral and maxillofacial surgeon who's been administering aesthetic treatments for more than ten years, reveals. Particularly with hyaluronic acid, a lot can go awry, with blindness being a potential risk. That's why the German Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery advises being treated only by competent specialists.
Today, Jeremy only undergoes Botox treatments once or twice a year. "Certainly, I could spend my money on more useful things," he says. He doesn't truly feel prettier or better today. "There's always something that nags at you," he says, laughing suddenly: "Fortunately, the procedures are so expensive." Otherwise, he would likely do even more.
Botox and fillers do not bring about physical dependency, but they can foster psychological addiction. "Especially those with low self-esteem or body dysmorphic disorder, which is an obsession with often imagined physical flaws, can develop an addiction to aesthetic procedures," Dr. Hiller explains. Around 10% of patients display behaviors he finds concerning. "If someone has a disorder and wants more and more, or yearns for a complete transformation, that's where I draw the line," he says. "Then I decline treatment."
Jeremy expresses a desire for a natural outcome. "I want people to see a change, but I don't want it to appear done," he explains. He merely wants to appear a bit better. Now he has to choose whether to have Botox injected only into his forehead and frown lines, or to also paralyze his eyebrows. "That lasts longer," he says. "But then you can't move anything." That's too much for him.
"Completely paralyze this time?" "Come on, let's give it a go!"
"Yo, it's Dr. Bergmann here, hookin' up my man Alex," Bergmann says, extending his hand. He's dressed in a pair of blue jeans, a white Ralph Lauren shirt, and some color-matched Nike kicks. "Gotcha fully paralyzed this time, ya feel?" he asks Alex after some casual chat. Alex is still indecisive. He ain't feelin' like his forehead should look too frozen. "Ain't as noticeable in dudes," Bergmann points out, takin' a look at his own almost-immobile forehead. After a brief hesitation, Alex slaps his thigh. "Alright, let's do this thing," he says, standin' up.
Pressure to Look Good and Masculine Never Stops for Alex
Alex feels like he's got this never-ending pressure to look good and, more importantly, masculine. "Beauty standards are screwin' with men nowadays," he says. "Instantgam, every second dude's got a six-pack and a full head of hair. You start comparin' yourself and feel like shit." The ideal's a young, fresh face and a chiseled jawline. For years now, video tutorials on social media have been trendin', showin' how to train the lower jaw to make it look broader. "A few years back, nobody cared about a defined jawline," says Alex, "now all everyone wants is that." Despite admittin' that he can't help but compare himself to influencers on Instantgam, it's clear that he ain't exempt from it. He'd love to have a sharp face too, but he thinks the cost of hyaluron for that is just too damn high.
People Wanting to Look Flawless is Good for Business
Bergmann sees beauty trends and ads for such treatments all over the internet as a mixed bag. On the one hand, they're create a demand for procedures, but on the other, many clients come to his practice with edited and filtered photos, and are disappointed when they ain't lookin' as perfect as in the pics. Video conferences during and after the pandemic have also led to a boost in plastic surgery and minimally invasive procedures. "If you see yourself on the screen all the time, you're eventually gonna notice something that bothers you," says Bergmann, puttin' on some black medical gloves.
Alex sits in the treatment chair. He ain't shy about his visits to the beauty clinic, even if some of his acquaintances don't appreciate it. "Don't make that face, or you'll get more wrinkles," some of his older colleagues at the rural rescue service have warned him. "You can't please everyone," says Alex. His grandma don't understand it neither. "She always says, 'God made you beautiful. You don't need that.'", he shares, smilin'. What bothers him, though, is the prejudice against such procedures. "Everyone thinks you'll look like Harald Glööckler afterwards," he says, "but that's just bullshit."
Many of his friends get Botox regularly or have their lips injected. Naturally, it's mostly ladies, but more and more men too. "Every second dude's doin' it or thinkin' about it," says Alex. For men, visits to the beauty doc is become more commonplace and socially accepted. "Everyone should do what makes them happy," he thinks.
Alex is Saving for a Hair Transplant
Currently, ten to fifteen percent of Bergmann's clients are men. "The trend's on the rise," he says. He ain't surprised by this. "The trend's comin' from the USA and Brazil. We Europeans are actually already behind," he explains. His male patients focus on lookin' as masculine as possible. "Superman's the ideal," he says. "Everyone wants a sharp face." Beauty treatments that make the skin look firmer, younger, and more radiant are also in demand. "Men are turnin' into vain bastards," says Bergmann, chucklin' and runnin' his hand through his hair.
Alex signs the consent form without proper readin'. Dr. Bergmann prepares the syringe behind him and quickly snaps a pic for Instantgam. "Make sure the fallin' hair ain't visible," Alex tells him. Then the doctor sticks the needle into Alex's forehead. "Lift that thing up," he orders. Alex furrows his brow. "Relax," Dr. Bergmann says. Routinely, the doctor wipes the tiny blood droplets that form on Alex's forehead. "The results last three to four months," Bergmann explains and bid his farewell. "Last time it burnt like hell," Alex recalls. "Not this time," he says, feeling relieved. The full effect is visible in ten to fourteen days, as that's how long it takes for the Botox to paralyze the muscles.
Alex looks relieved. "You feel fresher the minute you get Botox, even if you can't see the difference yet," he says and places his credit card on the card reader. 350 euros. He's savin' up for a hair transplant. "Everybody in my family is bald," he explains, pullin' the black baseball cap a little lower on his head.
Jeremy's decision to get Botox injections is part of a rising trend among men, with minimally invasive procedures for males surging by over 15% in 2022. This trend has even given rise to a term "Brotox," a blend of "bro" and Botox.
According to the Association of German Aesthetic and Plastic Surgeons, Botox treatments are particularly popular among men, with many opting for it to smooth out laugh lines or forehead wrinkles or to enhance their jawline and cheekbones using hyaluronic acid injections.
