Tucson Men Seeking Plastic Surgery
Jenny Anchondo
In our continuing series "Beyond the Blade, Beneath the Surface" we look into the phenomenon of men seeking plastic surgery.
Men are stripping fat from their bodies, adding fat to their faces, nipping and tucking at a rapid pace.
Nine percent of all plastic surgery patients in 2006 were men, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
Tony Gebhardt is one of those men. He said his facelift is helping him in the business world and now he is among the 1.1 million American men who went under the knife last year.
Tony's clients at his financial consulting business started asking him about retirement. He didn't like that.
"I think it is a terrible disadvantage to look old," Tony said.
I had a turkey neck, Tony said.
"I was not interested in minor, I wanted something dramatic," Tony said.
So, he got a full face lift.
He thinks other men should follow, and consider it a business move.
"As I look at people in my business, they should because clients want to deal with people they think will be around after they die," Tony said.
His plastic surgeon, Dr. Gwen Maxwell said more men in Tucson want to withstand the test of time.
Most Tucson men want to modify, lift and tuck via eyelid surgery, facelifts and liposuction, Maxwell said.
"I'm starting to see a few more men and believe it or not, a lot of times I see it after I finish their wives face lifts," Maxwell said.
She said men are great patients. They heal well, follow instructions and aren't as narcissistic as women, Maxwell said.
"Some of the procedures are generated by their wives complaints, (they say) look at how baggy his eyes are, can't you do something about that," Maxwell said.
Tony said plastic surgery is all worth it, when people find out his age.
"They're shocked, they're absolutely shocked," he said.
Tony turned 65 this month.
He has noticed that since surgery, people give him a double take.
It feels great, Tony said.
To watch the first two in this series and read plastic surgery warnings & guidelines, visit the other stories in the "Beyond the Blade Beneath the Surface section.
Click on the above link to read the "Five Essential Steps Before Plastic Surgery" guide from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.