The Joe Jonas Effect: Younger Men Say Yes to Cosmetic Injectables
Celebrities typically prefer to err on the side of discretion when undergoing cosmetic procedures. You usually hear them attribute refreshed appearances to time away from the slog of stardom…or perhaps a juice detox. So fans might have been surprised when Joe Jonas was announced as the face of the cosmetic injectable Xeomin in August 2022. Xeomin is based on the medicine incobotulinumtoxinA and is a competitor of onabotulinumtoxinA, better known by the brand name Botox.
The 33-year-old singer, known for his youthful good looks, isn't shy about wanting to preserve them.
"There were all these talks at one point, like, 'Oh, men can't do this or it's weird for guys to do that,' and I think there's a stigma that's fading, and I like that," Jonas told People in a recent interview.
Getting an early start on premature balding
Board-certified plastic surgeon Carl Truesdale, M.D., founder of Truesdale Facial Plastic Surgery in Los Angeles, said there's been a significant increase in male appointments at his practice.
"I have seen more younger male patients coming in for noninvasive procedures, including face-lifts, dermal fillers, lip-lifts and hair transplants," he said. "My patients are paying attention to the revitalized looks of their favorite celebrities. Seeing celebrities like Jamie Foxx, Elon Musk or LeBron James with newly refreshed hairlines inspires male patients to take notice."
Adriana Pinedo, a registered nurse and co-owner of Toronto's Bodyful Aesthetics and Academy, has also noticed an increase in younger men coming in to treat hair loss. One of her youngest patients, a 23-year-old man, comes regularly for platelet-rich plasma treatments to promote hair growth and neurotoxin wrinkle treatments for his frown and forehead lines.
Pinedo also mentioned that many of her male patients aren't as comfortable as Jonas and don't usually come in on their own. She explained it's typically their wife or partner who introduces them to her services.
How young is too young for cosmetic treatments?
Mariano Busso, M.D., P.A., a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist with offices in Miami and Beverly Hills, California, confirmed that more millennials, regardless of gender, are seeking his services than in previous years.
"Millennials are more image-conscious than other generations and are very aware that if there is a physical characteristic that they are not happy about, they can change it without feeling guilty or being labeled 'vain,'" Busso explained.
Busso also noted that lines and wrinkles can occur in younger patients. Thus, conversations on cosmetic procedures aren't age-exclusive.
"If there is a condition that justifies the procedure, then it is reasonable at any age," he said. "My youngest male patient was 15 years old when he received Botox. He had very deep forehead wrinkles and other kids were making fun of him at school. We performed two treatments, got the wrinkles under control and broke his habit of raising his eyebrows unnecessarily."
More now, less later
Michael Shahin, a Los Angeles native and one of Busso's patients, started receiving Botox when he was 30 years old, a decade ago. He first turned to Botox as a way to help prevent aging, targeting his forehead and the areas around his eyes. Throughout the past 10 years, he's undergone treatments every four to six months. After realizing how much his care team could achieve, and under their advice, he lowered the amount of Botox he gets per session.
"I was really surprised and persistent on getting the same amount, but after a long discussion with the physician, I listened to their recommendation," Shahin explained.
Initially, he was reluctant to share with people that he was being treated.
"I was hesitant because I didn't want to give away my beauty secrets, but now I'm open and transparent about it," he said.
Shahin is excited that Jonas has brought such a positive light to people getting injectables.
"I'm a fan of people who are open and honest," he explained. "I really admire Joe Jonas more for his transparency and advocacy of something that makes you feel beautiful."
Jonas is just one of many people who are coming clean about their procedures.
"I don't think it's necessarily something that we have to shy away from," Jonas said in his interview with People. "We can be open and honest about it and be confident and not really shy away from speaking our truth."
