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British men turn to Botox to keep jobs
November 4 2002
Worried British men are increasingly using wrinkle-reducing Botox
injections to hide signs of ageing which they fear will be a handicap
in the jobs market.
The Harley Medical Group said the number of men treated at its
clinics had doubled in the past year.
The trend is strongest in London, but has also become apparent
in cities such as Manchester, Birmingham and Bristol.
The group's development director Louise Braham said: "Many
patients have expressed concerns about how they are perceived
by their bosses and colleagues. "It is an increasingly competitive
workplace and market conditions have resulted in many redundancies
over the last year." She said men often wanted Botox to remove
lines that they believed could be seen as 'worry lines'. "Men
want to look fresh faced, young and able to cope with a high-powered
job," she said.
Helen McAlpine, clinic manager, added: "Many male City patients
see Botox as a career investment."
She said the stars such as David Beckham also improved the acceptability
of male grooming generally. Male patients now account for 30 per
cent more procedures carried out at the group's 11 clinics than
they did five years ago. "Guys are looking for glamour and
are well-read on the effects of different procedures," said
Ms McAlpine.
Botox treatment involves people having the botulism toxin injected
around the forehead, lips and eyes.
It restricts the movement of the facial muscles to help reduce
the appearance of wrinkles and lines.
The effect usually lasts about three to five months after the
first treatment but by the third procedure this can extend to
six months. Harley Medical Group said is now the
fastest growing procedure at all its clinics. In the year up to
July 31 2002, 78 per cent of the patients who went to one of its
clinics for Botox were female and 22 per cent were male.
During the previous 12 months, just 9 per cent were men compared
with the 91 per cent who were female.
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