MEN wanting a better body are turning to aesthetic surgeons.
Especially popular with them are operations that sculpt their abdomen to give them washboard abs or those that reduce the size of their man-boobs.
In some cases, the men were so embarrassed by their bodies that they were hesitant to take off their clothes - even in front of the surgeons.
Aesthetic surgeons told my paper that more men are now opting for a more athletic look by reducing their man-boobs and/or sculpting their abdominals.
Abdominal sculpting, a technique introduced in 2001, uses ultrasound rather than laser to create a sculpted, athletic appearance.
The procedure superficially removes the fat around different muscle groups and leaves some behind in order to enhance the visibility of the underlying musculature, surgeons said.
It can cost between $3,000 and $5,000 to reduce man-boobs and up to $20,000 for abdominal sculpting, depending on the difficulty and duration of the surgery.
Dr Gerard Tan, medical director of NeuGlow The Aesthetic Doctors, said the number of men turning up for aesthetic surgery using ultrasound has doubled in just a year.
In 2007, he saw only one in 10 patients for such a procedure. Last year, the proportion jumped to one in five. Dr Tan has about 10 patients a month. The downturn probably has a role to play.
Dr Wong Wen Hong, a managing director of Healthway Medical Corporation, said: 'The reason we are seeing more men is that they feel that having youthful looks can boost their self-confidence, which helps them to be more confident and competitive among peers and colleagues.'
