More Moroccan men seek youth and a new look through plastic surgery

The popularity of plastic surgery among Moroccan men has reached unprecedented levels, say surgeons and cosmetic experts.

According to statistics issued by the Moroccan Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Cosmetic Surgery, the percentage of men frequenting cosmetic clinics and seeking plastic surgeries has risen from 5 percent to 25 percent over the past few years.

The procedures sought by male clients are not very different from those in which their female counterparts are interested.

According to Salah el-Din al-Salawi, one of Morocco’s most prominent cosmetic experts and head of the association, men basically seek liposuction, nose jobs, facelifts, and several procedures that ensure the disappearance of wrinkles from the face and fat from the body.

Salawi added that almost half the clients who request facelifts and nose jobs are men, yet the difference is that men are usually very discreet about those surgeries, while women are more open about them and always notify their families before going through the procedures.

The most common trait between men who seek cosmetic procedures is their financial situation, as most of them are wealthy enough to afford the costs of those operations, said plastic surgeon Saeid Farrag.

“The majority of male clients are also in professions that require a good appearance. They are mainly businessmen, politicians, and celebrities. All of them are in the limelight most of the time,” he said.

Some clients, he added, come to the clinic with pictures of their favorite celebrities and ask to look like them.

In addition to the face and body, hair has also become important for Moroccan men; 60 percent of them ask for hair implants, something for which Morocco is famous in the Arab world.

Sociologist Mustafa Zarrouk says the increasing numbers of men who undergo plastic surgeries reflect the spirit of the time and show how outer appearance has become of extreme importance.

Zarrouk explained that looks are now the capital of a large number of men, and that is why they invest in them with surgery and other procedures.

“Some jobs and political positions make it important for a man to remain good looking if he wants to have an influential presence in the community to which he belongs,” he said.

The psychological factor, Zarrouk added, is also very important, since at a certain age, particularly between the early forties and the mid-fifties, men notice physical changes happening to them.

“This affects their self-esteem and in order that they can feel good, they resort to procedures that make them look youthful once more.”

(Translated from Arabic by Sonia Farid)