Fantasia Salon / Spa and Wig Specialists

For those who think the weight loss obsession thing is just with the females, think again.  It’s not uncommon these days to have weight loss surgeons chatting on sports shows.  Terry Simpson is a Lap-Band surgeon and does a radio ad to be aired for mostly-male audiences.  In one recent commercial on an Arizona radio station, he finished the commerical by stressing that losing weight through diet and exercise is harder than “kicking heroin”.

That will get your attention, harder to beat than heroin addiction?  Really? No wonder I’ve had so much trouble over the years!

Misleading or not, the Lap-Band advertisement illustrates a dramatic cultural trend.  Male cosmetic surgery and weight-loss services are booming and men are being targeted more aggressively than ever.

The Lap-band is not the only shrewdly marketed elective medical procedure aimed at appearance-sensitive men.  There has been great success offering laser -based hair regrowth systems of follicle-challenged clients.  One enterprising entrepreneur appeals to their collective sense of indignation by implying - a thick head of hair is no longer a genetic crap shoot — it’s an inalienable male right.

Plastic surgeons now advertise male-oriented procedures such as body-hair removal proudly in magazines and newspapers.  There was a hefty 44 percent increase in minimally invasive cosmetic procedures among men between 2000 and 2005, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

Men’s liposuction went up 10 percent between 2004 and 2005.  There has been a doubling of men getting the Lap-Band in the last few years.  According to the above mentioned Lap-Band surgeon, men used to account for 10-20 per cent of his business.  Today it’s 20-40 percent.

As women have closed the wage gap with men over the last three decades, men have closed the appearance-anxiety gap.  More attention is being paid to the body shape and physical appearance of males than ever before in this country.  And, the ideal of physical male beauty is more defined than ever before.

In days gone by, if a man carried his weight well, it was OK.  Now you have more men seeking out a permanent solution for weight loss as a matter of health and competitive advantage.

Why the heightened male obsession with appearance?  Well, we can thank the media who recently laid the blame for America’s anabolic fixation squarely at the feet of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone.  Even todays GI Joe dolls are a lot buffer than those of 40 years ago!

Media is a factor and relationships are a factor.  And  don’t discount the economic factor. Men are a largely untapped market and represent the last proven reserves for the cosmetic surgery and weight-control industries.  No wonder they’ve been targeted with somewhat alarmist ads like the one for the Lap-Band.  In defense of his ad, the surgeon says that his statement was not based on an actual weight loss/heroin study, but a simple comparison of recidivism rates.  According to the good doctor, 98 percent of obese people who lose a significant amount of weight regain it, higher than the percentage of heroin addicts who slide back into use.

He also clarifies the ad’s implied bias against dieting and exercising, suggesting that overweight people “should do that as a first line.”

After all, perhaps we don’t want to kill an ant with a cannon.

Hair serves a purpose far greater than it’s biological function of keeping the head protected and warm. It’s about who we are; it makes a statement and allows us to express our personality. We can have fun with it, and knowing our hair looks good allows us to feel good about ourselves.

Women in particular enjoy their hair! They can change it by coloring it, and cutting and styling it differently from time to time. If a woman’s mood changes, she can simply change her hair. If a woman’s self esteem is in the tank, she can head to the salon, get a new “do” and feel ready to conquer the world! Let’s face it, having great hair just makes you feel great!

Hair styles can be mesmerizing. Whether it’s long, short and spiky, bouncy, dark and sleek, blond, each can be beautiful hair. It’s not simply hair, it’s art and expression. Celebrities such as Cher, Madonna, and Jennifer Anniston know this. Their hairstyles helped to make and keep them stars. Even sports figures impress us with with their hairstyles. Remember the “Dorthy Hamil” look? Dorthy was an Olympic figure skater in the 1970’s who made the “wedge” hair style very popular.

Worldwide, women realize the effect of hair. Hair is not just an accessory; it’s a working tool for women. No other accessory says so much about who we are. Our hair must look good for us to “feel” good. Women have a need to know that we have a tool that can be our best in every situation.

What is is about beautiful hair that drives women into salons? What do we notice about hair? It’s shine-healthy hair gleams when the light catches it. Color, and not just one color, but many colors blended together to create a beautiful head of hair- exciting colors such as reds, blonds, rich brunettes and others. The texture of the hair encompassing the the movement, body and density is something we notice that speaks of beautiful hair. Is the hair straight, wavy, curly or kinky? Hair runs the gamut which is probably just one more reason we are so enamored with it.

Hair frames the face and when properly cut and styled, complements bone structure and features. Coloring the hair can totally transform ones appearance. Trained professionals can help enhance the facial features by employing different color techniques. A hair style is most effective when it does not take over the beauty it surrounds, the face.

Healthy, beautiful hair is due to many things. Good genes, good circulation which delivers the nutrients to the scalp, a healthy diet providing the building blocks and a hair care regimen that incorporates good products, tools and techniques. A good hair professional does so much more than simply cut and style hair as they realize it’s a very complex issue and affects a woman’s total self image.

In many cases, our hair stylist is our best friend. When someone tells us how great we look and our hair is wonderful, we have only our best friend to thank!