In the fourth and final feature in our series on cosmetic procedures, we list the top five nonsurgical cosmetic procedures performed on men in 2007 – the most recent year for which data are available. In that year, nearly 10 million nonsurgical cosmetic procedures were performed in the United States, nearly five times the number of cosmetic surgery procedures performed during this time. The most common surgical cosmetic procedure in men is liposuction and this procedure only ranks sixth on the overall list of most common cosmetic procedures in men: all five procedures listed below were performed more often in 2007.

Not surprisingly, more women than men undergo nonsurgical cosmetic procedures by a large margin. However, it may surprise some to learn that botox injections top the list of cosmetic procedures for men. In fact, the same five procedures appear in the lists of the top five nonsurgical cosmetic procedures for both men and women, only in somewhat different order. Each procedure in the list below is followed by the number of men in the U.S. who underwent that procedure in the year 2007 in parentheses. For comparison purposes, the number of women who underwent that same procedure is also provided.

The top 5 nonsurgical cosmetic procedures among American men are:

1. Botox (329,519 men, 2,445,656 women)
2. Laser hair removal (185,684 men, 1,226,974 women)
3. Microdermabrasion (85,910 men, 743,748 women)
4. Hyaluronic Acid (wrinkle smoothing; 84,184 men, 1,364,533 women)
5. IPL laser treatment (removal of skin imperfections; 63,177 men, 584,530 women)

Cosmetic procedures are, by definition, elective and are therefore not required for your health. While the overall risks of such procedures are relatively low, serious and life-threatening complications can occur such as allergic reactions and clotting problems.

If you are thinking about undergoing any cosmetic procedure, make sure that you find a surgeon is certified in his or her specialty by an appropriate board recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties. It may also be a good idea to be evaluated by your regular physician for any predisposing characteristics that might increase your risk of complications during a cosmetic procedure.

For more information on cosmetic procedures, join the Healia Health Community for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. If you have a question about a cosmetic procedure, Ask The Experts at Healia Health Communities.

Related Blog Posts: The Top 5 Cosmetic Surgery Procedures among American Women
The Top 5 Cosmetic Surgery Procedures among American Men
The Top 5 Nonsurgical Cosmetic Procedures among American Women

_{Source: The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2007 Cosmetic Surgery National Data Bank-Statistics, 2/07. http://www.surgery.org/download/2007stats.pdf}

_{Photo: ZaldyImg, Flickr, Creative Commons}