Signs of the times: Extreme facelift

Men in the UAE are increasingly opting for plastic surgery to look and feel better.

They have spent between Dh75 million and Dh100 million since 2005 in the UAE to fix bulging bellies, bat ears, ugly noses or get penile implants, according to one estimate.

Dr Luiz Toledo, an aesthetic surgeon and researcher, said the number of patients has jumped by 100 per cent in the last three years.

"Men do care about their looks and how they feel about themselves," Dr Toledo said, adding that about 5,000 men in the UAE have gone under the plastic surgeon’s scalpel since 2005.

Though no official statistics exist about plastic surgery in the UAE, he said the increase in the number of plastic surgeons in Dubai is an obvious evidence of the demand for aesthetic surgery.

"In 2005, there were about 35 plastic surgeons here. There are over a hundred now."

Nose reshaping, hair implantation and liposuction are the most popular surgeries among men.

"Men in the UAE are conscious about being presentable. Also, opting for aesthetic procedures is no longer looked down on."

However, he declines the requests of patients with unrealistic expectations.

"One guy came to me and said women didn’t like him because his nose looked ugly. He held up a picture of Michael Jackson, but I told him, ‘This nose is not for you’.

"Men come to me with the idea that I can change their life. Some men show up and complain their wives have left them and they need to have plastic surgery to make them come back.

"One guy came with a picture of George Clooney and wanted to have the same nose. Some men want to look like Brad Pitt – flat tummy with big muscles," he said.

"This [need to look good] is universal. Technically, you can look like someone you’re not. Some here, especially the Lebanese men, want to look like Lebanese TV personalities. So they may all end up looking the same."

Dr Sabet Salahiah, a plastic surgeon at CosmeSurge Centre in Dubai (with five other branches in the GCC), confirmed the trend.

"One in five cosmetic surgeries we do is done on men, the majority of whom are Emiratis," said the French-trained plastic surgeon. "Men now seek plastic surgery because they want to look younger for professional or personal reasons."

Social attitudes towards plastic surgery have changed and improved techniques have lessened the risks and side effects.

However, he added: "Surgery will not change their life. Only a changed outlook can."

The looks they are a-changing

Case 1

Abdullah, 34, a mid-level government executive, went for gastric band surgery last year to lose his extra pounds. The procedure had limited success initially, but was a total failure in the end.

Following the surgery, his 150kg frame went down to 110kg in just six months.

But something went terribly wrong. After doctors removed the band following complications – he regained double the weight he lost as a counter reaction.

Abdullah told XPRESS: "Although I’m still overweight, I would never ever go for another plastic surgery. I have had a terrible misadventure with this radical weight-loss treatment.

"Now, I am focusing on diet and exercise."

Case 2

Ahmad, 50, a high-ranking public sector official, underwent an otoplasty in 2007.

He said: "I was born with very big ears and they were a source of embarrassment. I made up my mind to have plastic surgery in order to feel better about myself.

"The surgery was done within an hour. I now feel more comfortable and confident. People don’t notice my ears any more than other features of my face."

Case 3

Mane’, 27, an entry-level telecommunications employee, blames his big nose for losing his girlfriend two years ago. He then went to a plastic surgeon to have the same nose as Michael Jackson’s – small and thin.

He recalls: "Every day when I looked in the mirror, I saw how big and ugly my nose was and I hated myself more and more for it. My friends always found it a funny subject and made it a butt of jokes."

CLEAN CUT

Procedures and cost:

Gastric band A form of restrictive weight loss surgery designed for obese patients. Cost ranges from Dh12,000-20,000

Hair transplant Involves transplanting bald-resistant hair follicles from the back and sides of the head to a person’s bald or thinning area. Cost ranges from Dh10,000-16,000

Nose reshaping (Rhinoplasty) Certain bone and cartilage are moved, added or rearranged to provide a newly-shaped structure. Cost ranges from Dh12,000-16,000

Bat ears (Otoplasty) Ear surgery is usually done to set prominent ears back closer to the head or to reduce the size of large ears. Cost ranges from Dh10,000-14,000

Eyelids (Blepharoplasty) Reshaping the upper eyelid or lower eyelid by the removal or repositioning of excess tissue as well as by reinforcement of surrounding muscles and tendons. Cost ranges from Dh10,000-16,000

Penile enlargement Technique alleged to make human penis larger. Cost: Dh15,000-20,000

Penile prosthesis An artificial support for the penis for getting normal erection. Cost: Dh20,000-50,000

Penile enlargement

A leading urologist and general surgeon in Dubai has said men who are unsure of their masculinity are increasingly coming to him for treatment.

"A good number of men come to my clinic asking for penile enlargement, seeking better orgasm," said Dr Esmail Abbara, member of several international societies of sexual medicine. His standard advice: your partner doesn’t care about your size.

"Magazines, internet and television make them think larger is better. This is completely untrue," said the German-trained Syrian doctor.

Penile enlargement surgery comes with dangerous side-effects, warned Dr Abbara, and the procedure should not be done for purely cosmetic reasons as it can damage the organ or cause erectile dysfunction.

"This surgery should not be done unless the man really has a micro-penis and is not able to have satisfactory sex and father children."

Meanwhile, penile prosthesis – implanting a pair of bendable rods within the erection chambers – is growing in popularity. It is advised for diabetic men with erectile dysfunction.

"Men seek this surgery when there is a clear medical reason and they have no other option. It is legal and more effective than enlargement procedures," he said.

He said: "Ninety per cent of diabetics in the UAE from ages 26 to 83 seek penile prosthesis." It allows men to have an erection similar to the natural one. "It doesn’t change the sensation on the skin of the penis or a man’s ability to reach orgasm. Satisfaction rates with the prosthesis are very high."

*YOU SPEAK

• Have you ever thought of enhancing your looks through plastic surgery?
• Do you know anyone who has had this done? Did it help the person in any way?
• Do you find anything wrong with the trend of men going for aesthetic surgery?