STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. — “Age is a question of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter,” said Satchel Paige… but, if you ask the men that frequent cosmetic surgeon Mark Berkowitz’s office (Accents Cosmetic Surgery and Medical Spa) they will explain how powerful the mind can be. In our society that values youthful beauty, men no longer have the option of aging with grace as they compete for jobs and women.
In 1960, these men had long hair and now they long for hair. They wanted to look like Marlon Brando and now they want to look like anyone but Brando. They were fighting the establishment and now wish to be mainstream – fit, younger and more competitive with college graduates and 30-somethings.
Ken, a 61-year-old graphic designer from Sterling Heights, competes regularly with younger designers and fears their technology-savvy upbringings outshine his experience. Coupled with his baggy eyelids and tired looking appearance, he knew this must be corrected before it affected his peers’ perception of his ability to perform his job.
After his cosmetic transformation, Ken states, “I was most impressed seeing my before and after photos! My wife was impressed as well, she said Dr. Berkowitz took at least 20 years off my face… and I couldn’t agree more.”
Dan, a retired Chippewa Valley school teacher, couldn’t agree more and has joined the more than 1,000,000 men strong age-defying revolution being seen in the US. “Every morning I would go to my school and hear ‘why do you look so tired’ or something similar. I wasn’t tired but I felt people were thinking I couldn’t keep up. It starts to get to you,” states Dan, who has since corrected his aging appearance.
Berkowitz reports a trend he sees of everyday-folks fear losing their jobs more and more in these threatening times. He states men may want to keep pace with younger-looking second wives or to get back on the dating market, but more commonly he hears male patients wishing to turn back time to get promoted or keep a position that is defenseless against a younger candidate willing to work for lower wages.
In 2007, the American Society Plastic Surgeons reported that men elected to have 1,116,591 cosmetic enhancement procedures to correct sagging eyelids, tired-looking eyes, receding hairlines, unwanted wrinkles, sun damage, and more. An interesting sign of the times?
Berkowitz has been performing cosmetic enhancing procedures for more than a decade and welcomes the opportunity to educate Detroiters interested in enhancing social interactions limited by frown lines, smokers lips, flawed skin or looking old. Being both knowledgeable and entertaining, Berkowitz interviews well and welcomes questions from the media, listeners and readers alike. His interviews have been featured in The Detroit Free Press, The Macomb Daily, on Today’s Health and on WDIV.
