When most people think of medical spa clients, the picture that tends to come to mind is groups of women of varying age groups gathering for facials or a Botox fix. Little do such folks realize that women are actually not the only gender making good use of medical spas. These days, more and more members of the male persuasion are beginning to enjoy the benefits of medical spa services. If this notion sounds unlikely to you, then consider the fact that plenty of modern men have standing weekly manicure appointments at their local nail salon. So why should spa treatments be much different? In fact, some medical spas even offer their own unique packages that specifically cater towards their male clientele.
Not only is Santo Criscuolo is the owner of Kirkland, Washington’s Ambrosia Medspa, he is also an avid customer as well. His penchant for personal maintenance recently inspired him to unroll what he likes to refer to as the “manly makeover,” a collection of spa treatments that are specifically geared towards men. The question is: Does he have any takers? The answer, believe it or not, is a resounding “yes.” According to Criscuolo, that old saying about chicks digging tough guys with scars might apply to females in their twenties. But as women get older, they tend to prefer men who pay attention to their health. And men, to their credit, are actually growing more and more aware of this not so sudden trend.
The thing about most men is that they usually find protective moisturizing lotions too feminine for their tastes. But at the same time, they don’t always think to simply put on sunscreen before leaving the house. Even worse, they don’t wear sunscreen while skiing, biking, or working outdoors. As a result, most men have sun-damaged skin and are in desperate need of professional rejuvenation. Fortunately, as part of its manly makeover, Ambrosia Medspa offers FotoFacial treatments for men suffering from uneven skin tone and sun spots. FotoFacial treatments are safe, effective and require no down time. They can significantly improve a man’s skin texture and appearance by reducing redness, sun damage, broken capillaries, fine lines, and uneven pigmentation. The treatment is especially effective on the face, neck, chest, and hands. Regular microdermabrasion treatments can also help men keep their skin fresh and healthy-looking by exfoliating dead skin cells and unclogging pores filled with dirt and dust.
As men age, their collagen starts to break down, causing pores to grow larger. Part of Ambrosia’s manly makeover includes ReFirme laser treatment, which works to stimulate collagen growth, shrink pores, and reduce fine lines. Of course, sometimes it’s the fine lines and wrinkles - especially those around the eyes - that can help give a man’s face its character. Instead of removing wrinkles completely, a Botox tune-up treatment can help relax those lines and give men the perfect eyes to complement their smiles. Botox can also help men by removing the vertical lines (“11’s”) that tend to run from their foreheads down between their eyes towards their noses to eliminate that perpetually-peeved look that maturing men can start to develop. As for those horizontal forehead lines, a filler like Juvederm can smooth wrinkles while allowing men to retain movement in the forehead, a fact that plays a significant role in highlighting their facial characteristics.
Finally, dark circles can make men look tired and weary just as they have a similar effect on women. A filler like Radiesse can fix this problem by filling in the trough of the eye and creating greater depth between blood vessels and the surface of the skin. At the same time, products such as Neocutis Lumiere restorative eye cream can stimulate blood flow and shrink blood vessels for a healthier, more wide-awake look.
Even if some men out there can’t quite get hip to the idea of spending hours at a medical spa, they still have the option of visiting the spa for the purpose of purchasing quality skin-care products. Men, just as much so as women, need to moisturize regularly - especially after shaving - in order to keep their skin from looking dry and flaky. Since many over-the-counter products contain bacteria and components that can actually end up harming the skin, men should look to medical spas for skin care products of the highest quality.
While it’s great that some medical spas are able to cater to men, men can do plenty of things to take care of their bodies outside of a medical spa. Buying a nose hair trimmer can work wonders for those pesky (and extremely unsexy) nasal hairs, and thanks to a nifty little invention known as tweezers, men can actually walk around sporting two distinctly separate eyebrows instead of the unibrow. Of course, all this doesn’t mean that men have to spend every waking hour focusing on their looks, and their medical spa visits don’t have to become a weekly affair. In fact, guys, go ahead - have your poker nights, drink your beer, watch your football, and fire up your grills. Because after all is said and done, women do still want their men to be men.
The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.
