Plastic surgery for men is not as common as it is for women.

While it’s true that women undergo most of the procedures in a given year, we shouldn’t forget that a large and growing number of American men choose to undergo cosmetic enhancement. Including surgical and non-surgical procedures, the numbers break down like this:

  Women Men
Number of Procedures in 2013 13,140,225 1,249,039
Percentage of Total Procedures 91% 9%

That’s more than one million men in the U.S. who have taken action to reduce the effects of aging or improve their self-esteem. This makes for a 273% increase since 1997. Interesting though this is on its own, what’s more telling are the different procedures that men choose to have. Here are three of the most popular:

Breast Reduction

Gynecomastia—a condition in which men experience a benign swelling of breast tissue—is a relatively commonThe startling truth about male cosmetic surgery issue that will resolve for many men without treatment over time. Before that happens, though, you can imagine the shame and embarrassment felt by men with feminine breasts, especially those in high school and college. For those that don’t want to wait or for whom time won’t treat the problem, breast reduction is a popular choice to reduce the size of the breasts to appropriate masculine proportions.

Number of procedures for men in 2013: Nearly 25,000

RealSelf Rating: 86% Worth It

BlepharoplastyMore and more men are choosing to have eyelid surgery

If you’ve reached the age when your eyelids begin to droop, even to the point of obstructing your vision, then you can understand why blepharoplasty (also called an “eye lift”) is so popular. This procedure involves surgically improving the appearance of the eyelids, thus rejuvenating the eye and areas around it.

 

Number of procedures for men in 2013: 30,000

RealSelf Rating: 83% Worth It

Everyone feels better about themselves when they feel more attractive, men and women. As society becomes increasingly aware of this fact, and as our expectations about gender continue to shift, it’s likely that more and more men will feel free to get the plastic surgery they’ve been dreaming about.