In a pioneering study led by plastic surgeons, men who underwent facial cosmetic procedures were rated significantly higher in attractiveness, likability, social skills, and trustworthiness. These benefits mirror those observed in women, though the research found no notable impact on perceived masculinity—unlike a 2015 study on women that boosted femininity scores.
Twenty-four men, who self-funded their procedures, participated by providing before-and-after photos. They received one or more of the following: upper eyelid lift, lower eyelid reduction, facelift, brow lift, neck lift, rhinoplasty, or chin implant.
Six surveys, each featuring eight photos (four pre-op and four post-op, with no matching pairs from the same individual), were evaluated by over 150 participants aged 25-34 holding university degrees. Unaware of the study's purpose, raters assessed traits including aggressiveness, extroversion, attractiveness, risk-taking, sociability, trustworthiness, niceness, and masculinity.
Using a sophisticated multivariate linear mixed model, researchers isolated effects of specific procedures while accounting for others. Chin implants showed no significant changes, likely due to the small sample size. Key findings included:
Upper eyelid lift: higher attractiveness and trustworthiness
Lower eyelid reduction: reduced risk-taking perception
Brow lift: enhanced extroversion and lower risk-taking
Facelift: increased attractiveness and trustworthiness
Neck lift: boosted extroversion and masculinity
Rhinoplasty: improved attractiveness
Overall, results highlighted gains in attractiveness, likability, social skills, and trustworthiness.
