Traditionally, grooming and personal care were considered the domain of females. Today, attitudes have shifted, with many men now viewing these activities as essential, said Fatimah Al-Satouf, a cosmetic doctor at Panthera clinic in Riyadh.

Al-Satouf’s view is borne out by a study published by the National Library of Medicine in 2019 that found 47.6 percent of respondents willing to undergo minor cosmetic procedures, while 60.9 percent agreed that cosmetic surgery was good because it could help people feel better about themselves.

In an interview with Arab News recently, Al-Satouf said she believes demand has risen because of the proliferation of information online.

“The influence of social media and celebrity culture is a significant factor driving men’s demand for cosmetic procedures in Saudi Arabia. Social media platforms have made it easier for individuals to access information about cosmetic procedures, and they are increasingly using these platforms to research and share information about their experiences with cosmetic procedures,” Al-Satouf said.

She said social media influencers and celebrities have a significant impact on the popularity of cosmetic procedures. The desire to emulate their favorite celebrities and influencers has led many men to seek cosmetic procedures to enhance their appearance, but they do have some reservations.

“Other than social media, men usually fear looking so fake, so they hate to do (just) any cosmetic procedure. They see that girls look alike, and this is a thing that men don’t like. They don’t want to look like someone else usually, but then they discover through the publicity of social media that there is something that they can do that won’t make them look so fake, but it will only enhance a particular area and will keep their (facial) features the same,” Al-Satouf explained.

Al-Satouf said most of her patients are couples and that the pressure is usually from the wife for the husband to visit. In addition, procedures are now cheaper and more widely available.

“The majority of men don’t like losing their hair, so there is a cosmetic procedure we frequently perform.

“Some men who regularly work out at the gym also enjoy getting armpit Botox to prevent sweating, and some men want to look or have more manly features, so they get Texas fillers, which is filler injection in the jawline to achieve this.

“Most men experience acne and scarring, so they request facial treatments that lighten their skin and remove these marks,” Al-Satouf explained.

Faisal Sulaiman, who underwent some treatments, said: “Gynecomastia, which is an increase in the amount of breast gland tissue, caused me to feel anxious about my chest, so I went to a plastic surgeon who helped me with this issue. I also had Botox for my forehead and a carbon laser to eliminate my acne scars,” he said.