Men’s Use of Cosmetic Surgery and the Role of Traditional Masculinity Ideologies
July 2023
TLDR Men who strongly follow traditional masculinity are more likely to have cosmetic surgery to feel powerful and successful.
The study examines the rising trend of cosmetic surgery among men in Western countries, particularly focusing on the link between traditional masculinity ideologies (TMI) and male-specific procedures like hair transplants. Conducted with 241 men from the German-speaking part of Europe, it found that 19.5% had undergone cosmetic surgery, with wrinkle treatment, eyelid correction, and hair transplants being the most common. The main motivations were to feel better (72.3%) and look better (55.3%). The study highlights a significant association between higher conformity to TMI and the likelihood of undergoing cosmetic surgery, indicating that such procedures are increasingly used by men to assert power, success, and dominance.
