Ethics in the Practice and Management of Male Aesthetic Patient

The number of aesthetic procedures in plastic surgery has grown exponentially and now accounts for more than half of all interventions in plastic surgery. A total of 13.5 million cosmetic procedures were performed in 2020 in the United States alone, of which only 8% were performed on male patients. In this chapter, we attempt to explore the ethical implications of male cosmetic surgery, provide an overview of its guiding principles, and discuss special population considerations. The second part of this chapter highlights the specific management of male cosmetic patients, examines cultural implications, and discusses management in different settings: the impact of social media on patients, body dysmorphic disorders, and a selection of hypothetical patients’ cases. Male cosmetic patients are a population that displays their own set of characteristics and requires specific consideration and approaches.