I recently caught my beautiful wife cheating on me… She was staring longingly at Brad Pitt’s GQ cover, which, in theory, should be hard to understand because I’m 47 but Brad is 61. Yes, the golden god of Hollywood is 61 years old. But he doesn’t look that old. Sure, he’s got some wrinkles and salt and pepper sprinkles in his hair, but the man is fit and firm, with the sculpted jawline and refined complexion of a man at least ten years his junior.
To make matters worse, Juliana and I were recently stopped by a lady in the Waterfront who asked her if I was her father! If ever there was a sign that urgent action needed to be taken, this was it. Because while Brad might be aging like fine wine, it seems like I am aging like milk. And after years of spending long days in the sun without any sunscreen on, I’m finally paying the price for my laissez-faire attitude towards my skin.
Determined to discover the modern-day fountain of youth, I made an appointment with Dr. Zak Schabort – a facial aesthetics expert and founder of The Cosmetic and Dental Emporium in Cape Town. With a client list that includes Hollywood’s elite, political leaders, royalty, global influencers, as well as local celebrities, he knows everything there is to know about non-invasive facial rejuvenation.
My first question to the good doctor was: what does Brad have that I don’t? A celebrity-level makeover budget, was Zak’s honest answer. “Judging by how Brad’s profile has improved, the vertical restore deep plane facelift is very likely to have been performed on him. This has been well executed because his face is still mobile, he has normal expression around the eyes and he looks completely natural. Also, he probably has regular facial treatments like lasers, peels, and poly nucleotides, which is the DNA that’s isolated from salmon sperm.”
Although that sounds time-consuming, expensive, and, quite frankly, painful, it’s obviously working in Brad’s favour. Still, I’m not quite ready for anything more intense than a hug, so I asked Dr. Zak to give me the full rundown of what’s possible for normal guys like me to age better at every budget.
If your guy is secretly worrying about his wrinkly visage, and you’re not-so-secretly side-eyeing Brad in the GQ, share this article with him. It may be the nudge he needs to buy sunscreen and moisturiser or, even better, to book in with Dr. Zak for a spot of facial rejuvenation. Either way, you’re welcome. 😉
ZAK’S TOP TIPS FOR MEN TO AGE BETTER AT EVERY BUDGET:
BUDGET: ZERO, ZIP, NADA
These healthy skin hacks don’t cost a thing and will help you look younger and feel more vital than ever before.
- Improve your posture. People who move and sit with the correct posture generally appear younger and stronger than those who slouch or slump. Watch YouTube tutorials on how to do this via easy at-home exercises.
- Stop mouth breathing. By breathing correctly through your nose, you regulate the bony remodeling in the face, and will look so much better, even in a short period of time. Consult your doctor if you intend to try mouth taping as he’ll want to rule out sleep apnea first.
- Exercise your face. There are numerous free apps and online tutorials showing simple exercises to strengthen facial muscles. Dr. Zak likes Mewing – a technique developed by British orthodontists Dr. John Mew and his son Dr. Mike Mew – that involves resting the tongue on the roof of the mouth to help reshape facial structure by promoting proper tongue posture.
- Improve your lifestyle. Smoking, drinking, eating badly and not sleeping enough all contribute to how quickly you age, so consider what you can cut out to live better. “Create a life of balance,” Dr. Zak recommends. “Live well, travel well, eat well, and approach life with a positive attitude because at the end of the day, confidence is key. And it shows on your face.”
BUDGET: ENTRY LEVEL
Try these budget-friendly tips for fast and efficient results.
- Get a professional shave: A cheap little trick to shave (pardon the pun) years off a man’s face is to get a professional shave that contours the beard to the jawline, giving the face the appearance of better structure.
- Use high-factor SPF. It’s the only way to preserve what you have against sun damage.
- Develop a skin care routine: Daily care is not just for women. Men need to cleanse, moisturise and apply sunscreen, at the very least, every day. For the best results, Dr. Zak recommends using medical grade cosmeceutical products that have been scientifically proven to work on a cellular level.
- Use high-quality supplements: Peptides, NAD, and vitamin D3 with K2, in particular, all support and contribute healthy hormones, hair and skin.
BUDGET: MID LEVEL
These treatments are not one-offs so be prepared to commit time and money. On the plus side, results are instant and noticeable.
- Botulinum toxin: This works very well to treat an angry furrow (the 11 lines) between the eyebrows. Men are wary of Botox but Dr. Zak says it has “a broad safety margin when used by skilled professionals for cosmetic purposes”. Also, as the body metabolises it, there is no permanent alteration at the neuromuscular junction so when it wears off, the muscles more or less go back to where they were.
- Hyaluronic Acid Filler and skin boosters: For deep furrows on the forehead, this is a better option than Botox because it still allows mobility of the muscles without freezing the face, or inhibiting the forehead’s lifting capacity.
- Microneedling with exosomes and polynucleotides: Highly effective rejuvenating skin treatments that, when combined together, deliver stellar results. Think accelerated skin repair, increased collagen and elastin boosts for firmer skin, wrinkle and scar reduction, and improvements in overall skin tone, texture, and hydration.
- Biostimulation: This treatment is taking the aesthetic industry by storm thanks to its natural results. By injecting either Hyaluronic acid, PDLA, PLLA or Calcium Hydroxyapatite, the body is stimulated to produce its own collagen and elastin, which leads to long-term improvements in skin quality, firmness, and elasticity.
- Non-surgical Korean Lifting Threads: Avoid the puffy-faced fillers look by rather opting for threads: a non-surgical method to lift and tighten the skin and contour the face. Great for addressing mild to moderate sagging, wrinkles, and volume loss in mens’ faces.
BUDGET: NEXT LEVEL
Not for the faint-hearted when it comes to budget or recovery time: this is an investment in your future self.
- Vertical restore deep plane facelift aka The Brad: this revolutionary deep plane technique must be performed by a plastic surgeon under general anaesthesia or intravenous (IV) sedation. It lifts facial tissues vertically to rejuvenate jowls and neck laxity, restoring youthful contours and a natural expression in the face.
** Warning: Before signing up for any form of facial rejuvenation, Dr. Zak advises getting referrals from friends who have had the same treatments, and research your service provider’s reputation, and safety measures. “Remember, Before And After photographs can be altered. Also, if the doctor looks like Godzilla, generally their patients will look the same. So choose wisely.”
