Is There A Point Plastic Surgery Is Needed?

Written by Blake Gauthier

I used to be big. I mean REALLY BIG I mean I walked into a store once that had a huge sign out front that said, “We fit ALL sizes!!!” I walked in and the gentleman working there said “Sorry sir we fit all sizes, but we can’t fit you!” So, I did something about it. I started working out and eating right and through perseverance and consistency the weight came off.

Something I didn’t think about when I started my journey was my skin. My skin had been stretched out for many, many years. Stretched out over a few hundred pounds of fat.

As I began to realize how loose my skin was getting, I kept telling myself that it would regain its old elasticity. I’ll just keep training and I’ll add enough muscle to my body to fill in that loose skin. Looking back at that thought I laugh at how at that time I thought it would be so easy for a mid 40’s guy who was never really in great shape in his entire life to add all sorts of muscle.

As I progressed further and further along my fitness journey I started to think more and more about my loose skin. I was extremely proud of how far I had progressed but the loose skin that hung from my chest and stomach began to bother me more and more. I found when doing my weekly check ins with my coach that standing a certain way, facing the camera at a certain angle, and if I pulled my loose skin in certain ways, I looked a lot more defined than I would if I didn’t do these tricks. It was during this time that I started to think about what my options were regarding the loose skin I had.

I had now concluded that I wouldn’t be able to fill out all of the skin that now hung from my body. Was having the skin surgically removed the way for me to go? Was I actually considering plastic surgery? I couldn’t be… only celebrities got plastic surgery not a 44-year-old guy. Not to mention I had read the horror stories in the National Enquirer when I was a kid about how plastic surgery could go oh so very wrong.

So why in the world was I even contemplating this? The answer was quite simple. I no longer wanted to have that constant reminder of all of the BS I had dealt with in my life, the failed relationships, childhood trauma, never feeling like I was good enough so at those times I had turned to food, now I turned to the gym. It had become time for me to let go of the pain of my past and the final step in that was getting rid of the loose skin, that constant reminder that literally hung off my body.

Long story short, I researched what my options were, and I had several female friends who had procedures performed by Dr. Scott Barr in Sudbury about 90 minutes from where I live.

I had my initial consult with Dr Barr the beginning of 2020. He immediately put me at ease with his bedside manner and answered any of the questions I had and took the time to explain what the procedures were and what was involved with the surgery, expected recovery time and for me the most important question, how soon can I be back in the gym lifting? On March 12, 2020 I walked into Dr Barr’s office in Sudbury Ontario to have an abdominoplasty with vaser on my waist performed as well as a gynaecomastia (Male Brest reduction).

The surgery went very well, I had zero complications and most importantly I forced myself to wait until I was healed before getting back into the gym so I didn’t have a set back. It took almost 9 months before I was fully healed (aka the swelling fully subsided) and I could see the difference the surgery had truly made. I had abs! If I hadn’t had the surgery I never would have seen my abs as the loose skin I previously had would have prevented me.

I spent the next couple of years splitting my time between the gym and the kitchen. I had this picture in my head of how I wanted to look and I wasn’t there but NOTHING was going to stop me from achieving that “look”

During my initial consultation with Dr. Barr we had discussed different options for the loose skin on my chest. My goal of having the skin removed was to not have that constant reminder of how big I used to be so I didn’t want the scars from the equivalent of a breast reduction to show so Dr. Barr told me about a procedure called a Benelli Mastopexy.

The Benelli technique, also sometimes called a “donut lift,” involves an incision around the outside of the areola in a donut shape. As a result, the incision lines are not visible. Another advantage of the Benelli procedure is that it allows for reshaping of the areolas. My nipples were always quite large so having the size of them reduced was a definite perk of the procedure.

Dr. Barr advised me that a single Benelli procedure may not provide me with the final look I wanted because of the amount of loose skin I had on my chest and he was correct. I had my first Benelli procedure done on November 3, 2020 and my second one on January 12, 2023. I opted to have them both done under a local anesthetic so I could drive back home afterwards. It was during the procedure in January when Dr. Barr and I started chatting about the changes he’s seen in his practice over the years, client base wise and from there the idea for this article was born.

I’ve had the privilege of knowing Dr Barr for the past 3 years and was extremely excited when he agreed to be interviewed for this article.

Dr. Scott K.M. Barr, age 58, received his Plastic Surgery Specialty Designation in 1993 after training at both the University of Toronto and Western University. At that time, he had an interest in the area of Facial Surgery and Reconstruction, so he went on to complete an additional eighteen months of advanced training in Facial Reconstruction and Cranial Facial Trauma. Dr. Barr moved with his family to Sudbury ON in 1995 and quickly became focused on aesthetic surgery of both the face and body. His passion for aesthetics and its importance for the quality of life for people in this appearance-focused society guided his educational pursuits and practice development from that time on. This is a quickly evolving industry and it is truly his passion to be at the forefront of surgical aesthetics as it continues to evolve.

Blake Gauthier (BG): During your career what changes have you seen regarding who comes into your office for plastic surgery?

Dr. Scott Barr (DSB): My practice has expanded to include a much broader base of both clients and procedures. Early in my career, my patients were almost entirely females between 35 and 65, pursuing facelifts and rhinoplasties, breast surgeries such as augmentation, reduction and asymmetry and, of course, liposuction. Now, our patient population age range is 20 to 75, with a much higher percentage of men. Different procedures are pursued by different age ranges. Men present an ever-increasing proportion of my practice.

BG: What is the male-female ratio of your clientele?

DSB: My practice has experienced a huge increase in male patients over the past 15 years. When I opened my aesthetic practice back in 1995, males were about 3% of my patient base. That percentage has grown steadily over the years and in recent years especially. Now it is almost 15%, so with a patient base of over 60K, that is a significant number. Men usually pursue procedures to feel more competitive in their work environment or to address something that causes them to feel uncomfortable or insecure in various social situations.

BG: What type of procedures are becoming more common with men?

DSB: Really, almost all procedures that are not female-specific such as breast augmentation or labiaplasty, have become more popular among men. Facial surgery such as face lifts, upper and lower eyelid surgery and rhinoplasty are very popular, as well as male breast reduction, liposuction and abdominoplasties are increasing among the male population.

The most commonly sought procedures by men in my practice in the past five years is liposuction. We use VASER (ultrasonic liposuction) and SmartLipo (laser assisted lipo) all the time for both male and female patients. The most common areas for this procedure in males are the chin, chest, and waist (love handles). VASER allows me to refine the aesthetic outcome in the treatment area to provide sculpting and actually augment the appearance of musculature.

Treatment of gynaecomastia is also very common, which is the surgical removal of breast tissue. This procedure is done through a tiny incision hidden along the lower border of the areola. It allows the removal of the breast tissue and liposuction of the excess fat on the anterior and lateral chest. The incision disappears in a few weeks and the men appreciate being able to confidently remove their shirts at the beach/pool/change room or in intimate settings. This is a very common condition that affects many men.

Bariatric surgery after significant weight loss is also a growing area of my practice. This procedure removes the excess skin that remains after that journey. Significant weight loss typically dramatically reduces the abdominal size, but often, stretched skin and the changes to the underlying muscles that occurred during weight gain will not improve significantly without surgical intervention. This involves a male abdominoplasty among other possible procedures, and is different from the female abdominoplasty in terms of the incision location, the amount of muscle plication and location of liposuction. This has proven to be a transformative operation for men who have lost a great deal of weight and subsequently experience ongoing problematic skin and muscle issues.

Facelifts and eyelid surgery are very popular among men. In our competitive work environments and social environments, men want to look as young and energetic as they feel. Sometimes, a satisfying degree of improvement in facial aging can be achieved with non-surgical treatments offered in our medispa. Small, non-invasive treatments completed at the correct time can truly prevent the normal aging changes and patients report hearing comments such as “you look amazing for your age” or “you never seem to age”. When a male patient presents at an older age, however, it’s not possible to reach their desired goals with non-surgical treatments. This is when we present other options in facial surgery such as facelifts, eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) and facial liposuction.

BG: What procedures are becoming common with fitness/bodybuilding males?

DSB: This is another segment of patients that we’re seeing more of over recent years. Bodybuilders and fitness competitors come in seeking procedures to enhance their hard work, dedicated diet and fitness regimens.

The two most common surgical procedures in my practice sought by this patient population are the treatment of gynaecomastia (male breast reduction) and the removal of unwanted fat.

This population may have gynaecomastia due to genetics, the use of steroids or other causes. Regardless, the treatment is the same and, once treated surgically, it does not recur and allows patients to feel more confident in the gym and on stage.

VASER liposuction is also very popular in the bodybuilding population because, even with total devotion to the sport, there are typically some areas of fat that do not respond and therefore would benefit from surgical assistance. Liposuction of areas that have not responded to training, nutrition and/or diet modifications can assist fitness conscious individuals to make it to the “next level”.

BG: Are there any new procedures that are being developed that you think men would be interested in?

DSB: The world of medical aesthetic enhancement is an extremely exciting and constantly evolving space to work in. We provide many medical treatments that make men and women feel more confident and preserve or restore their youthful appearance, but I think one of the most effective but unrecognized treatment programs that men should take notice of is the Hair Rescue program to halt and reverse hair loss.

Hair Rescue is a single non-surgical treatment that reverses early hair loss. Hair loss is common in men and women. Preserving existing hair and reversing thinning with the Hair Rescue treatment, along with a home maintenance program, offers a beneficial alternative to the “aged” appearance related to hair loss, or having to undergo hair transplants later in life.

We have also seen a significant increase in non-surgical advancements in treatments to restore facial volume and a more youthful shape to give clients a younger looking facial shape and appearance. With dieting, sun exposure, and hours of training, an athlete’s face can become tired and aged looking over time. We are able to restore a more youthful facial appearance using a combination of medical aesthetic treatments involving neuromodulators such as Botox / Dysport and various injectable fillers, along with thread lifts and advanced technologies for skin rejuvenation. Each patient is assessed, and a detailed plan is created to address the issues that are of greatest interest for them.

Stay tuned. Next month we'll explore some other men's stories and personal journeys to fitness and how surgery helped them achieve their goals.