Not long ago, Botox was considered almost exclusively a treatment for women.

In my practice, however, men have long been part of the picture.

Now, a recently published report by the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute (GDI), The Feelgood Revolution, suggests that aesthetic medicine is becoming increasingly relevant for men across Switzerland, Germany, and Austria. According to the survey, men in the region now report using Botox slightly more often than women, while women continue to lead when it comes to fillers and cosmetic surgery.

As a plastic surgeon, I find the phenomenon of «Brotox» interesting.

Not because it surprises me, but because it confirms something I have been observing in my practice for many years.

Why more men are choosing Botox

Around one third of my patients who come for Botox treatment are men.

Most of these men are over the age of 45, and many return regularly because they appreciate the subtle, natural-looking results.

Men usually ask for subtle results

Men usually ask for subtle results

Interestingly, their motivation often differs from that of female patients.

Women are frequently exposed to strong influences from social media, beauty trends and constantly changing ideals of appearance. Men, in my experience, tend to be more reserved.

Many come after a major change in their personal lives.

Sometimes a long-term relationship has ended. Sometimes they have lost a partner. Sometimes they have fallen in love again and simply want their appearance to reflect how energetic and confident they feel.

Very few men ask to look younger.

Most simply men tell me they look permanently tired, stressed or stern, even when they are not.

Their goal is not a different face, but a more rested one.

More than just Botox

The GDI report The Feelgood Revolution is based on a representative survey of more than 3,000 people in Germany, Austria and German-speaking Switzerland and explores how our understanding of health, wellbeing and beauty is changing. It concludes that aesthetic treatments are becoming increasingly normalised, particularly among younger generations, and that the boundaries between healthcare, wellbeing and appearance continue to blur.

Good Botox should not be obvious

Yet growing acceptance should never make us forget one important fact: Wrinkle treatment with botulinum toxin-A (or fillers) remains a medical treatment.

I discussed this in more detail in an earlier blog post: wrinkle treatments may be minimally invasive, but they remain medical procedures that belong in the hands of an experienced doctor. That has not changed simply because more men are choosing them.

Botox remains a medical treatment

Botox remains a medical treatment

Good Botox is about preserving expression while softening selected lines. It requires detailed anatomical knowledge, precise technique and restraint.

The best treatment is often the one nobody notices.

Men and women are different – medically, too

Treating men is not simply a matter of using the same technique on a different patient.

Male facial muscles are generally stronger, facial proportions differ, and aesthetic goals are often different as well.

These differences influence both the dose and the injection pattern.

Most male patients do not want to look «treated». They want colleagues to think they have had a good holiday, are sleeping better or simply look more refreshed.

That subtlety requires experience.

…but the same treatment philosophy applies

I welcome the fact that aesthetic medicine is becoming less of a taboo for men.

Seeking treatment should be a personal decision, based on realistic expectations and professional medical advice.

And whether my patients are women or men, my philosophy remains the same.

Every treatment begins with a conversation, not with a syringe.

My role is not to persuade, but to inform. Not to follow trends, but to practise good medicine. And not to change people, but to achieve results that look natural and feel authentic.

If you would like to discuss Botox treatment or arrange a consultation in my practice in Bern, I would be pleased to advise you personally.

Dr. med. Borut Banič

Board-certified Specialist in Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery (FMH)

Fellow of The European Board of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery (FEBOPRAS)

Related Posts