90% of Young Men Fear Stress Impact on Looks

A previous study^[4] by SafeAP showed that whilst more than half of women cite fear of complications as a factor preventing them from seeking procedures such as wrinkle-relaxing or filler injections and non-surgical liposuction, only just over a third of men (36%) claim having this concern, and only 27% feel put off by horror stories they might see in the media. This has prompted the team behind SafeAP to warn that men could be particularly vulnerable to predatory marketing tactics – especially as the same research showed that more than twice the amount of men (21%) than women (9%) admit to having already had a negative experience with a cosmetic procedure.

Geographical Nuances

Geographical location emerged as a factor for concern, with over two in five (43%) of men living in the North East expressing a high level of concern with the impact of the cost of living on their appearance, compared to just one in five (21%) in Yorkshire and the Humber. 17% of men in Northern Ireland reported feeling not concerned, whereas 94% of Londoners reported feeling at least some level of worry.

A previous study^[4] by SafeAP showed that whilst more than half of women cite fear of complications as a factor preventing them from seeking procedures such as wrinkle-relaxing or filler injections and non-surgical liposuction, only just over a third of men (36%) claim having this concern, and only 27% feel put off by horror stories they might see in the media. This has prompted the team behind SafeAP to warn that men could be particularly vulnerable to predatory marketing tactics – especially as the same research showed that more than twice the amount of men (21%) than women (9%) admit to having already had a negative experience with a cosmetic procedure.

Geographical Nuances

Geographical location emerged as a factor for concern, with over two in five (43%) of men living in the North East expressing a high level of concern with the impact of the cost of living on their appearance, compared to just one in five (21%) in Yorkshire and the Humber. 17% of men in Northern Ireland reported feeling not concerned, whereas 94% of Londoners reported feeling at least some level of worry.

Age Concern

Weight was the biggest concern across the board, but mostly for 46 to 50-year-olds, with almost half (46%) reporting this as their top concern. A quarter (24%) of 25 to 31-year-olds worried about the effect on their muscle tone, presumably due to financial factors of paying for the gym, but this fear did not extend to 39 to 45-year-olds; fewer than one in ten cited this as a concern. 13% of younger men (18 to 24) worry about the effect on wrinkles, the same as those double their age (39 to 45).

Hair loss worried more men in the 39 to 45 age bracket, with a quarter (24%) outlining it as a concern, compared to just 15% of older males (46 to 50 years old), who may have become more accepting of fate. Interestingly, the 18 to 24 bracket also worried about it marginally more (19%) than their slightly older counterparts (v 13% of 25-31 age bracket and 18% of 32 to 38 year-olds.)

Maxillofacial surgeon Sieuming Ng who, along with Dr. Subha Punj, pioneered SafeAP to ensure that non-surgical aesthetic procedures are delivered by qualified healthcare professionals in a safe environment, says:

It is evident that the physical impact of the cost-of-living crisis is prompting significant worries, and the survey responses paint a vivid picture of some of the surprising fears men are having. What's particularly worrying is the potential for a rise in the uptake of unsafe non-surgical aesthetic treatments, prompted by cost-cutting measures.

We’ve already seen this happen across a wide range of aesthetic procedures, with people having to live with physical and emotional consequences of cheap treatments for many years to come. We want to do everything we can to ensure people seek non-surgical treatments in as safe a way as possible. In these challenging times, prioritising health and safety is paramount. While cheap, quick fixes may be tempting, they come with significant risks. We encourage men to make informed choices, seeking qualified practitioners to safeguard both their appearance and wellbeing.