Prague Post - 31 Oct 2007
Cosmetic surgery for men growing in choices, popularity
When 49-year-old Anthony Elflain got married almost two years ago, he was prepared to make some life adjustments. It wasn’t until he viewed photos of the wedding that he realized just how personal those adjustments would be.
“For three or four years, I’d been completely focused on my career,” says Elflain, a human resources consultant and native of Bedford, England. “I’d basically lost all interest in how I looked. But when I got the photos back, I was really shocked. It was obvious that it was time for me to have some work done.”With that, Elflain began researching cosmetic surgery, which led him to Beauty in Prague.
While Elflain originally wanted a nose job, his surgeon advised against it, and he decided on a face lift, neck lift and lower eyelid surgery instead.
Still in the recovery stages, Elflain says he can already feel the difference. “People told me that I looked really tired before,” he says. “Now, even the ones who advised me not to do it have changed their minds. I can’t think of anything that’s not been perfect about the experience.”
Elflain is one of many British and West European men who are researching Czech cosmetic surgeons in an effort to turn back the clock and boost their self-esteem, and the trend continues to grow annually. Male clients tend to be budget-conscious, and the cost of cosmetic surgery here is half or less of what the same procedure would cost in many Western countries.** Plus, the cost often includes post-surgical accommodations.
“The number of inquiries that we receive from men is increasing every month,” says Tamara Ždiňáková, managing director of Beauty in Prague. “Men are taking much better care of themselves these days compared to even a few years ago. They’ve already been going for facials, pedicures and massages. Cosmetic surgery is the next logical step.”
Cosmetic surgery is far from a new trend in the Czech Republic. In fact, the country was home to the first licensed plastic surgeons in the world. Experts cite local professor František Burian as the “founder” of modern-day cosmetic surgery, having established the first Czech Chair of Plastic Surgery at Charles University in 1938.
Currently, Ždiňáková estimates that men comprise 40 percent of her company’s clientele. By far, rhinoplasty (a.k.a. nose jobs) is the most popular surgical procedure for men but also the most drastic, requiring a week-long recovery stage, she says. The cost for a nose job here is about 55,000 Kč [$3,000].
Face and neck lifts along with eyelid surgery are popular among male professionals, Ždiňáková says, adding that many men seek this procedure in an effort to remain competitive in the corporate world. A face lift might set a client back 84,000 Kč, with a neck lift going for about 53,000 Kč and only 35,000 Kč for eyelid surgery. Liposuction and male breast reduction are both growing in popularity among Beauty in Prague’s male clientele as well. The procedures cost 55,000 Kč and 78,000 Kč, respectively.
By Curtis M. Wong, For The Prague Post, October 31st, 2007
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