Dr Sophie Couvet
Men have taken longer to take the first step and see an aesthetics doctor, but today we are seeing an ever-increasing number of male patients. Rejuvenating and beautifying men is a speciality in itself and is a rewarding challenge for aesthetics doctors.
A patient who feels good in their own skin is a healthy patient
I started out my medical career as a traumatologist, ultrasound technician and anatomist, and this led me to treat high-level athletes. They were the first patients to ask me to repair their face, particularly the marathon runners, as endurance sports hollow out the face due to lipoatrophy caused by the loss of deep fat, which is very difficult to restore and which makes them look much older than they actually are. This is why I gravitated towards collagen in-ducers, whose versatility and ability to stimulate the skin to repair itself won me over. In order to treat my marathon runners, I not only needed to restore the lost volumes, but also to repair their skin that had been damaged by heliodermia, which gives a dry and sick-looking, “leathery” appearance to the skin. As a general rule, since my patients are 30% men, I have noticed that they come to see me more from a pragmatic standpoint than a vain one.
These men are in distress: they do not like having wrinkles, being seen as “old” by their work colleagues and therefore being taken less seriously. They also tell me that they feel embarrassed about looking older than their wives, who take better care of their appearance. We are primarily dealing with requests to restore the skin’s health and youthful appearance, which these patients believe is necessary to improve their professional and personal life and to help them feel more fulfi lled. These are men who want to age well and who are highly active. During the clinical examination, I give them a mirror and ask them to tell me, in their own words, how they see themselves. I then give them a detailed explanation of the treatment I am suggesting by showing them the state of their skin which, with the andropause and the gradual drop in testosterone levels, is gradually getting thinner, drying out and regenerating itself less efficiently.
This is why we need to treat it with a biostimulator. I chose to work with Radiesse because it is an injectable that is able to create substance that thickens the dermis and tightens the skin. Calcium hydroxyapatite is a natural component that is found in the teeth and bones, and has been used by dentists and orthopaedists long before its collagen-inducing abilities were discovered in aesthetics. The scientific and histochemical studies show that, nine months after injection, the skin also produces elastin, which is required for elasticity, and collagen, which makes the skin thicker and denser.
Modifying its use according to the desired results
The thinner and more fragile the skin has become, the more I will dilute the product to a ratio of 1:1 with saline solution, and this is even more the case in men, who do not want to plump their face or cheekbones. So, in general, one syringe is enough. Injecting with a 22g cannula, I place the product in a vector pattern underneath the dermis in a retrotracing pattern. Since I want to break up the fibrosis that creates the nasolabial folds and expression lines, the cannula has to go through it in order to place the product, which I then massage to spread it evenly. Collagen induction starts to be visible after four months, which is when I see my patients again and we compare the photos. Men tend to touch their skin more than women because they shave, so they feel that their skin is denser and thicker. Since everyone is diff erent and everyone is in different shape, we sometimes need to repeat the treatment. It is important to take into account the patient’s satisfaction as well as their budget. This treatment often motivates them to protect their skin from the sun, use creams or stop smoking. I like combining different techniques such as peels and lasers for marks, with the viewpoint that the Radiesse treatment is the centrepiece around which the other techniques radiate. On its own, this product solves three-quarters of my patients’ problems, and my patients usually come back every 12 to 18 months.
It is a pleasure to treat men, because they are patient and respect the protocols, and they are very loyal. Their mo-tivation goes beyond aesthetics; they want healthy skin, rejuvenation, and they need to feel masculine and virile.
Dr. Sophie Couvet
Aesthetic and regenerative medicine. Medical studies at the Faculty of Medicine, Paris XIII. Diploma in Sports Traumatology, University of Paris VI. Doctor of Medicine, Bordeaux Segalen University. State diploma from the Biarritz College of Osteopathy. DU Ultrasound, Université Paris Descartes & Bordeaux Segalen. Sports doctor. Medical Director of the Clinique Esthétique de Corbiac
More informations: docteurcouvet.fr
