If you were a man in college in the 90’s, you’ll remember that the grunge era was all about eschewing personal appearance. The shabbier and scruffier you were, the better. Then in 2007/2008 the financial crisis hit and scruffy men everywhere were starting to look more like homeless men. Think Kurt Cobain. Men that no one would a give a job to.
Suddenly with the economic crash, the tides began to turn. Just when you would think people would be tightening their purse strings a surprising thing happened. Men everywhere began shaving, getting facials, grooming their nails; anything they could do to look put-together, powerful, and professional. Suddenly it had become more important than ever to make a good impression in the workplace and while action may speak louder than words, appearance doesn’t have to speak at all.
This rise in interest for male grooming has spread into the medical industry as well, with more men than ever opting for injectables, photo-facials, fat-loss procedures, hair removal and chin and jawline enhancements. What’s interesting about this is that despite the obvious rise in interest in med spa treatments for men, many men still find it taboo to talk about. A recent study revealed that the majority of web searches for terms like “hormone therapy for men”, “jawline enhancement for men” and “hair replacement therapy” happen between 12 and 2am. It’s an unfortunate taboo that comes from a mistaken idea that taking care of your appearance is somehow equated with ideas of self-importance or weakness. The reality is that a man who looks good exudes confidence and has an air of self-respect.
We here at Advanced Skin Fitness would like to do our part to banish the stigma around men taking a positive interest in their appearance. We see the industry moving in a good direction with more men coming through our doors owning their right to look younger and take advantage of everything that medical science can do for them. It’s likely that as this trend continues to grow, men will continue to become more and more comfortable with the idea of caring for their appearance. After all, as American Entrepreneur, investor and motivational speaker Daymond John says, “Good grooming is integral, and impeccable style is a must. If you don’t look the part, no one will want to give you time or money”.
