For years, the conversation around Botox and injectables has circled women. Big-screen names like Priyanka Chopra, Shruti Hassan, and Anushka Sharma, as well as social media stars like Komal Pandey and Uorfi Javed, have been relentlessly poked and prodded in the media for their aesthetic treatments. Offline too, evenings at posh restaurants prompt dinner-table suspicion of which ‘aunties’ around you got procedures done, based wholly on eagle-eyed glances. Interestingly, this conjecture stops before men, or at most, it extends to chisel-jawed actors and influencers, never the normies among us.
Turns out, the tides have turned. “I’ve been injecting since 2004, back then only 5 per cent of my clients were male,” shares Mumbai-based cosmetic dermatologist Dr Jaishree Sharad. “Today it’s risen to an equal 50-50 and it’s men of all professions: bankers, investors, giants from the corporate world who are coming in for Botox.” Like so much in the post-digital world, this shift can also be traced back to the pandemic. Since the lockdown, even men in traditional non-camera facing jobs have been placed before a screen on the daily. The unabating Zoom calls not only show them their fatigued face but also stacks it against the often youthful grins of their younger colleagues.
This weary confrontation is making more men conscious of their appearance, an overwhelming preoccupation that was previously reserved for seemingly vain women. (Hi patriarchy, welcome to the chat!) As per Mintel’s Global Consumer research, 35 per cent of Indian men are interested in elevating their facial skincare routine in comparison to 26 per cent of women. Although the men’s grooming and aesthetic market remains severely under researched, the injectables market on the whole in India is poised to grow at a CAGR of 5 per cent till 2030.
Clearly the look good, feel good ideology is gaining fame in the subcontinent. But you may wonder, how did Botox become the answer? Why not just invest in consistent products? In the words of Bollywood’s favourite finance bro, Arjun from Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, “Time is money”. C-Suite execs with high-functioning social lives and ever-changing routines just don’t have the minutes for weekly facials and under-eye creams. For them, annual appointments with the cosmetologist brings the results without the drama. “Look at the numbers. A facial for monthly upkeep at a good salon costs you at least ₹5,000, but I get my frown lines lightened every year for ₹8,000. I’m actually winning,” explains Sahej*, a CFO from Bengaluru.
The 37-year-old first dabbled in injectables back in 2022. Typical items in his cart include a drop of Botox to temper the crow’s feet around his outer eyes and another dollop for the 11 lines between his brows. As per Delhi-based cosmetic dermatologist Dr Reema Arora, both treatments are increasingly common among men between 30-50 years of age. “Indian skin tends to get heavy and makes older men’s faces look angry and unapproachable; these procedures help soften their expression,” says Arora, adding that this involuntary scowl is a concern for most male patients. Fillers to make the lip and chin fuller, Botox for a strong jawline, and non-surgical body contouring for muscle definition and fat reduction are other go-tos for aesthetically-inclined men.
However, new-age clients are understandably wary of overdone, frozen faces. Across the board, men insist that they don’t want to suddenly look two decades younger, but just want a natural-seeming glow. This is yet another reason why fillers are on the rise and bring in repeat customers. The calibrated injections help recreate the same effect on patients time after time, reassuring them of what to expect. Unlike surgical procedures, there are (usually) fewer surprises with injectables. But while more men are open to Botox, the aesthetics industry remains highly stigmatised and hush-hush.
In fact, confidentiality on the doctors’ part is almost as important as precision with their skill. Only a handful of patients include even their spouses in the decision; typically injectables are kept secret from close friends and family. Hyderabad-based cosmetic specialist Dr Praharsh Devraj agrees, “Even the male clients I have a great relationship with can never recommend me because they don’t want to be associated with Botox; it impacts how manly some people feel.” It’s not surprising then that word of mouth is limited, if at all it exists, in the cosmetic industry.
But in a time when people scour through reviews before going to a restaurant, how do they pick an aesthetics doctor without discussion? Well, that’s where the executive-level influence comes in. Nikunj*, a 42-year-old head of marketing, reveals, “Before I got my chin filler, my assistant spoke to eight or nine doctors across India to find the best person for me, of course, under an alias. He handles my calendar, ensuring utmost privacy; even my brother and co-founder doesn't know about these appointments.” Oh what it must feel like to be rich and a man…
