In the interest of looking youthful or even just, as they say, “really good for my age,” I’m willing to do small things, but nothing Bradley Cooper-level drastic. Hit me with a little Botox to soften my fury lines without freezing my expression. Shoot me with a laser to zap an imperfection or brighten my overall complexion. I still want to look like me, not a rendition of me.
It’s safe to say that, for a long time, cosmetic treatments have been mostly the domain of women. The gender ratio is certainly shifting, and the taboo is lifting, as more men are investing in practices and procedures to improve their skin. My friend and former employer, Dr. Robert Anolik, a top New York cosmetic dermatologist, told me that his male patient base has grown to about 25 percent, with most doing laser treatments and Botox.
In my time working as a concierge for Dr. Anolik, I learned a lot about lasers. They’re impressive at treating and removing brown spots, red spots, broken blood vessels, unwanted hair, acne scars, and even tattoos. They can resurface the skin and rejuvenate collagen and elastin, proteins that give suppleness and elasticity. The strongest lasers can also improve precancerous keratoses.
The fractional resurfacing laser, known as Fraxel, is the big gun. It penetrates deeper into the skin tissue than the PicoSure laser or the popular Clear + Brilliant, which uses the same fractional technology at a much lower intensity. Patients who get PicoSure or Clear + Brilliant can join a dinner party or appear on camera within a few hours of treatment. The Fraxel has a five-day downtime, more or less, before the skin recovers. It’s something regular patients do around twice a year.
On a late October day, I had my first Fraxel treatment with Dr. Anolik. Since I had quit smoking a few years ago and just hit a milestone birthday (55), I figured it was time. I arrived clean-shaven an hour before my appointment to have my face frosted like a Magnolia cupcake with lidocaine cream, a topical anesthetic. Since the Fraxel is such a beast, the skin needs to be good and numb to endure the intensity of the laser. When I worked in Dr. Anolik’s office, I saw some seasoned patients endure various treatments—even lip filler—without numbing cream, but never a Fraxel. Some even confess to taking Percocet or Vicodin beforehand.
After an hour, the nurse scraped off the numbing cream, leaving my face laser-ready. Dr. Anolik fired up the Fraxel and went to work. Despite the numbing, I still felt … something. Almost like tiny hot rubber bands snapping on my skin as he swept the laser over my face in overlapping rows, like mowing the lawn. The only irritating bit was the blast of cold air coming from the laser tip when it hovered near the goggles that covered my eyes. The procedure was over in less than 10 minutes.
For the next three hours, my face felt as if it had been torched by a flamethrower. This is where many pull a Greta Garbo and go into hiding until their skin heals. But the agony of my hot pink skin did not stop this attention whore from recording a selfie video for Instagram as I was leaving Dr. Anolik’s office.
On the first night, my best friends were ice packs, Advil, water, and Malin + Goetz Niacinamide Restorative Cream to treat the pain and swelling. By the time I went to bed, the sunburned feeling had subsided, and the healing began. On days two and three, my face felt like low-grade sandpaper before the dead skin started to clear off in a process called “peppering,” giving way to a fresh, pristine layer. During the day, I applied Malin + Goetz Vitamin E Moisturizer and their SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen, doing my best to stay in the shade. I continued my daily ritual of live Instagram broadcasts, sharing the experience with my followers, who all seemed rather fascinated by the whole affair.
After a nice shave on day five, my skin looked noticeably clearer, fresher, and brighter. It looked fantastic, actually. And I’ve been getting a lot of compliments. “You look fabulous,” said my pal and Sex and the City author Candace Bushnell. Rave reviews all around. Most importantly, I feel fantastic about it.
Laser treatments have come a long way since Auric Goldfinger tried to emasculate James Bond with one in 1964. During my almost two years working for Dr. Anolik, I watched many men get a Fraxel, showing up later with impeccable skin. Now I know why. I only wish I’d done it sooner.
George Hahn is a humorist, entertainer, and writer living in New York
