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homme qui a peur en pensant à la chirurgie esthétique
Question of the month

Men and plastic surgery: what do they fear most?

At Concept Clinic, men make up around 30% of our patients. While their fears are largely the same as those of female patients, when it comes to the question of cosmetic surgery, men have a few concerns that are different from women. These relate to two key moments: the operation itself and the post-operative period.

Surgery, pain and anesthesia

Like everyone else, men fear surgery. Few patients, regardless of gender, are entirely without apprehension. But our male patients sometimes have other fears than women.

A first experience of surgery

The people with the most concerns are generally those with the least experience of the medical environment and surgery. Women, on the other hand, are often more used to medical check-ups and treatments. Some of them have also experienced anesthesia, for example during childbirth. Men, on the other hand, are generally less experienced or, in some cases, have negative memories of illness or surgery following an accident.

Pain and fear of having anesthesia

Pain and anesthesia are two fears shared by most patients, women and men alike, when faced with plastic surgery. But here too, the intensity is a little different. Men are often more afraid of being in pain after the operation and of suffering a long recovery. They may also feel uncomfortable about the anesthesia. The fear of being put to sleep, of losing control and of experiencing a late awakening phase are all reasons that sometimes even lead them to question their project.

The social perception of men

A real difference between male and female patients is the importance of how society and those around them view them. Male patients fear being “discovered” and judged as being too preoccupied with their appearance, so much so that they often keep their aesthetic projects secret.

Scars that may reveal their secret

While all patients worry about potential scars following surgery, men, in particular, tend to fear those stigmata that would reveal, in the eyes of those around them, the fact that they’ve had cosmetic surgery.

Recovering from plastic surgery as quickly as possible

When can they return to a normal life or to sport? With what limitations? The idea of being restricted in their professional and family life or sporting activities is a source of major anxiety for male patients. Once the operation has been carried out, they are eager to resume their lives, as if nothing had happened, with their friends, sports partners or colleagues.

Managing our patients’ fears

All fears need to be heard and considered. That’s why, at Concept Clinic, we give them an important place in the care of our male and female patients.

Listening to their fears

Listening and dialogue are essential aspects of care. Especially for our male patients, who often have no other opportunity to share their feelings and concerns, since they communicate little or not at all with those around them about their aesthetic project. It’s an opportunity to provide objective answers to fears that are often fuelled by false beliefs.

Technical and practical solutions

In addition to communication and human support, Dr. Schlaudraff and his team have put in place two reassuring and effective technical solutions for anesthesia and post-operative recovery.

Firstly, Concept Clinic anesthetists use short-acting drugs, enabling patients to wake up very quickly and without nausea or vomiting. In addition, Dr. Schlaudraff has created the “ Superdry Surgery ” technique, to provide a concrete and effective response to another legitimate fear of his patients. It minimizes bleeding during the surgical procedure, eliminating the need for a drain, avoiding hematomas and reducing post-operative inflammation and pain. In most cases, these two methods show very effective results. Routinely, patients are able to eat and drink within 30 to 45 minutes after the end of surgery. Furthermore, the only pain treatments they use in the post-operative period are basic pain killers like Paracetamol or Brufen.