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Age-Fighting Skin Treatments for Men

Skin treatments that can help you look younger without surgery.

By Colette Bouchez
WebMD Feature

Reviewed by Norman Levine, MD

Could a skin treatment that helps you look younger and more relaxed be right for you?

Maybe you've finally got the experience and confidence to be at the top of your career game. But if you're like many men over 50, you might feel like you're starting to lose some ground.

One reason: Younger men whose careers are also on the rise. And while they may have nothing on you in terms of knowledge, experience, or even energy, by Friday afternoon, you look like you need a vacation -- and they don't.

"A man's fear of being phased out of the marketplace because he doesn't look as young as his colleagues is very real. Today, more than ever, there is competition with the younger guys, and a lot of men are beginning to feel it," says dermatologic surgeon David Goldberg, MD, director of Skin Laser and Surgery Specialists of New York and New Jersey. "It's not about looking younger so much as it is about looking well-rested, like you have the energy to go the distance."

While diet and exercise can help put that bounce back in a man's step, you can also help level the playing field with skin treatments -- nonsurgical medical procedures designed to give your appearance that rested, relaxed look.

"For quite some time, cosmetic surgery generally has been thought of as a female-oriented area -- and while this may still be true to an extent, the percentages of male patients desiring cosmetic surgery now keeps pace with the increased numbers of procedures performed each year," says Joel Schlessinger, MD, president of the American Society of Cosmetic Dermatology and Aesthetic Surgery.

But unlike many women who want treatments that help them look as young as possible, Schlessinger says men typically want a look that is "rested, relaxed, and comfortable."

Goldberg agrees: "Men want to maintain their rugged looks -- they don't want to eliminate lines, just soften the look of aging and revitalize their skin."

And just how many men are seeking that "year-round vacation" look? According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, more than 1 million men sought skin treatments in 2005. There was a 44% increase in minimally invasive procedures alone between 2000 and 2005.

The American Society of Plastic Surgery, along with three top dermatologists, offered WebMD the following guide to the top five nonsurgical cosmetic facial treatments for men:

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