The Fastest Growing Segment of the Cosmetic Surgery Industry - Men and Their Hair Transplants

While men may have initially been more reluctant than women to embrace the cosmetic surgery trend, that trend is narrowing. And, while women's focus is mainly on breast enlargement or reductions and liposuction, men opt for hair transplants.

According to David Zinczenko, the editor of Men's Health Magazine and author of Men, Love & Sex: The Complete User's Guide for Women, nine out often men aren't satisfied with their appearance. According to Zinczenko, American men spend more than $300 million on toupées and $800 million on hair transplants. So, while women still hold the record for cosmetic procedures, there is evidence that men are becoming ever more concerned with their looks, and are in fact the fastest-growing segment of the spa and salon industry.

Our society has always been focused on looks and especially now in a competitive economic environment, more men are feeling the pressure to stay fit, be healthy and look younger. Working out in the gym, staying fit - many men work hard to stay in shape. Taking care of their looks is an extension of physical fitness. If you feel good, you want to look good as well.

Looking good can pave the way for social and professional success. While looking good has no gender bias one way for men to improve their youthful appearance and boost their self-confidence is with a hair transplant. Once you decide to opt for this cosmetic procedure, how do you choose a hair transplant surgeon that will meet your cosmetic, financial and aesthetic needs?

Do your research and find a physician with whom you feel comfortable. Make an appointment to discuss your options and see if you are a good candidate for a hair transplant. Discuss your medical history with the doctor and determine if there are any health risks involved for you. If you smoke, stop smoking. Ask about what to expect during the procedure - how long will it last? How should you prepare? What is the recovery time? What is the time frame for new hair growth? Ask what you can reasonably expect in the short and long-term run from the surgery.

Look for a physician who specializes in the field of hair transplant and has a minimum of 5 years experience doing hands-on surgery. The aesthetic goal of the surgery should be appropriate to the age of the patient and not try to duplicate the hairline of a 20-year old, but rather to minimize the patient's overall appearance of balding. A good surgeon will focus on creating a natural looking hair-line and mixing a combination of micro-grafts and larger grafts to create an appearance of fullness.

Important Facts About Cosmetic Surgery

Types of cosmetic surgery

Surgery can pertain to any part of the body that is medically modified into a different, more desirable shape or size. Types and procedures are many when it comes to the surgery, for instance, facial cosmetic surgery alone comprises many sub-areas like rhinoplasty (surgically altering the nose structure), lip enhancement, skin grafts, etc. Breast augmentation and liposuction also come under the same category.

How to choose the best clinic for cosmetic surgery

A surgery like this one is a complicated procedure and can't be performed adeptly by just anyone. To get best results you must always ensure that you're in safe hands. For this going to a reputed hospital or clinic is advisable. You must also check for the surgeon's background. Only a well-qualified and experienced surgeon should be trusted for something as major as a surgery. Any local clinic would just not do! The best way to gather genuine information about a clinic is to read online reviews about it and to enquire personally from as many people as possible. Getting people who've been treated at that particular place to share their experience can give you a good insight into weather it would suit your needs or not. Never ever go for a particular treatment just because it's cheap. This is one thing where you can't compromise at any costs!

Cosmetic Surgery Costs and Loans

The cost of such a surgery can vary according the procedure you are undergoing. Costs usually begin at $1000. If you cannot shell so much out all at once, there are cosmetic surgery loans to help pay for the procedure. These loans are generally easy to obtain. Bad credit scores won't hinder you from getting one. However you need to consult your doctor for the type of loan you want to obtain- the one for secure surgery or unsecure surgery. Loan amount allowed for secure surgery is generally higher.

Cosmetic Surgery Hubs in Asia

This is very good news, especially coming from the very dismal state of the cosmetic surgery industry in 2008 during the height of the recession. Experts are even saying that this could be an indicator of a slowly recovering economy. Adding that more people are getting comfortable spending money on what otherwise would be considered indulgent during the recession.

And it's not just happening in the United States, Asia is also fast capitalizing in this very recent upturn. Currently, there are several rising cosmetic surgery hubs in Asia which boasts of cheaper rates, US Certified Doctors, and technologically advanced facilities, all in a tropical paradise with warm weather all-year round.

So whether you're looking for cheap liposuction, breast augmentation or scar revision, here are some of the cosmetic surgery hubs in Asia you should check out.

THAILAND. More than 15 million tourists visit Thailand every year and not all of them are there for the beaches. The Tourism Authority of Thailand is very aggressive in promoting their 700 government and 300 private hospitals that more or less carries cosmetic surgery procedures. They efficiently combine cost-effect health care services and a luxurious travel experience.

INDIA. Although India is much better known for more serious surgeries such as heart bypass surgery, this mystical land is slowly beefing up their cosmetic surgery industry to cater to the ever growing patients coming in from the United States or Europe seeking for a cheaper alternative. In fact according to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS), it has performed 5.2 percent of all procedures done worldwide or 894, 700 cases of surgical and non-surgical procedures.

KOREA. Even though, Korea is starting late in the cosmetic surgery game, it is very hopeful. The country is expecting its current 80,000 medical tourists to blow up to 1 million in 2020. Health experts in Korea says that the recent "Korea Wave" is also helping in boost this market in foreign countries.