British comedian Ricky Gervais kicked off his hosting gig at Sunday's Golden Globe awards with this wisecrack: 'Just looking at all the faces here reminds me of the great work that's been done this year... by cosmetic surgeons.'

The joke elicited a wave of mumured giggles from the assembled stars and it was not just the women who have faced plastic surgery rumours either.

Actor Mickey Rourke, for instance, is well-known for having had extensive plastic surgery on his face to repair damage sustained during his brief boxing career.

The likes of Al Pacino, Robert Redford, Michael Douglas and Sylvester Stallone have been linked to plastic surgery rumours as well.

Then there are American Idol judge Simon Cowell and British celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, who have openly admitted to having had Botox jabs.

It is not just showbiz types who are getting in on the fantastic plastic action either. Those climbing the corporate ladder - and those perched atop it - are jumping on board.

A hot topic here in recent weeks was the Dec 30 death of property firm chief executive Franklin Heng, 44, who had liposuction before he was rushed to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

British newspaper Daily Mail reported earlier this month that almost one in five Botox patients in Britain are now male, with bankers leading the pack.

Dubbing them 'Boytoxers', the report said: 'Britain's males are recognising (that) the increasingly tough job market means personal appearance is more important than ever and are prepared to emulate women by turning to cosmetic surgeons for help in slowing down the ageing process.'

A JUMP IN NUMBERS

Plastic surgeons and aesthetic doctors here that Urban spoke to also reported a corresponding jump in the number of high-profile men among their growing group of male patients.

Dr Marco Faria Correa, a plastic surgeon at East Shore Hospital, says that about 30 per cent of his patients are men, up from less than 20 per cent a few years ago. Of these, half are high-profile types from the corporate and entertainment sectors.

'Vanity is not exclusive to women,' he says. 'Looking young and fresh helps boost self-esteem and self-confidence and is also something that many people look for in a leader.'

For aesthetic doctor Amal Dass, male patients have formed 30 per cent of his clientele since he started his practice in Orchard Building in 2008.

Of these, high fliers from the business, entertainment and fashion world form about half.

This is a jump compared to the numbers he saw when he was undergoing training in aesthetic medicine and surgery in Japan and England in 2006 and 2007.

Then, men typically formed about 5 to 10per cent of total cosmetic surgery patients, he says.

'Nowadays, there are many TV shows that expose people to aesthetic medicine and surgery, which is also mentioned regularly in magazines and newspapers,' he says. 'So it's not surprising that more men have become more well-informed about and receptive towards such procedures.'

What men want when they seek a few nips and tucks usually depends on their age.

Says plastic surgeon Dr J. J. Chua, whose number of male patients has jumped 20 per cent in the past three years: 'Those who are in their 20s and beginning to make some money tend to want double eyelids or a sharper chin - procedures that will make them look more handsome and attractive.

'Those in their 40s to 60s want to look younger, so they ask for procedures that will get rid of wrinkles, blemishes like age spots and droopy eyelids.'

GOING FOR LESS DOWNTIME

Dr Chua adds that his male patients also tend to be more sure about what they want.

'Usually, my male patients would have done their homework and decided what they want when they come in for consultations. Women tend to be less sure and are still shopping around, so they tend to ask more questions about the different procedures.'

High-profile patients share one characteristic, notes Dr Woffles Wu, who counts celebrities and corporate honchos among his clientele. Men have made up 40 per cent of his patients since the 1990s.

'These are very busy people who want to get back to their lives as quickly as possible, so they tend to be concerned about how much downtime is needed after a procedure.'

To cater to these needs, he perfected ways of doing facelifts that require a week of downtime instead of the usual three weeks for traditional facelifts.

hxinyi@sph.com.sg

#1: Take note

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