Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on May 2011

Dr. Hidemi Akai cuts a genial figure sitting at his desk with the warm afternoon sunlight percolating into the room through the blind. “Everything,” is his prompt answer to what his Medical Clinic—a longtime leader in the field in Tokyo—can provide. But we’re here to talk about men’s grooming, and he consents to expand for Metropolis on what his male clients are generally after. Dr. Akai notes that his percentage of male customers has grown to some 30-40% of all clients over the last few years, as cosmetic surgery becomes more common among the testosterone-fueled members of our species.

Perhaps the most popular male request is for unwanted hair removal, especially on the back—though the clinic will gladly remove hair from any part of the body you like. Back hair laser removal costs around ¥40,000-¥90,000 per session (depending on the area), with approximately five to seven sessions needed.

Paradoxically, while some wish to remove hair, there are others keen to do the opposite.

“There are many ways to fight baldness,” explains Dr. Akai, seasoned at explaining complex procedures to complete novices—such as this writer. “Most baldness is caused by a certain type of hormone, and this can be treated by inhibiting it.” Simple, eh? Treatments range from topical use of lotions and intraoral treatment to injections and—if your pate is totally bereft—transplantation.

Akai’s passion for his work powered through as he explained the transplantation procedure. A clump is removed from the donor site, the back of the head, which is usually resistant to the baldness hormone. The hairs are painstakingly separated into individual strands, and then inserted one by one into the subject’s head. Akai giggles at our surprise and shows us some fascinating pictures, which will probably stick in my mind forever. The operation costs ¥200,000 and a further ¥500 per hair (usually 2-3,000 are needed)—but the good news is that 97% of grafted hair sticks.

Liposuction is offered everywhere—“from face to ankle,” adds Akai—with this one-time surgical procedure costing ¥250,000 per area. For general aging treatment such as removal of bags under the eyes or tear troughs, you can get a course of non-surgical growth factor injections. Taken from your blood, the growth factor comes from your own platelets and tells the skin to repair itself. This is definitely the biggest craze in cosmetic surgery of recent years, as it uses the body’s own natural elements to reverse the processes of aging.

Surgery to correct nose and chin shape is also typical, along with a straightforward technique to pin recalcitrant ears back using sutures woven into the cartilage. Male clients often plump for a reduction of fat around the breast area, which sets you back ¥400,000. As far as the nether regions go, a variety of options are available for “upgrading.” Some go for a simple aesthetic job down there to remove unnecessary skin, while those in favor of a proportional increase should note that a simple elongation procedure costs ¥500,000. For erectile dysfunction matters, all the top brands of medication from across the market are available from Akai Medical Clinic.

If you want to take a leaf out of the US President’s book, try a treatment famously employed by recent holders of the post to maintain their youthful vigor in the face of a rather stressful job: the growth hormone treatment. This is a course of self-applied injections—though to be eligible you must previously be in good shape with no trace of debilitating diseases. This costs about ¥300,000-¥500,000 per month, which is worked out with your medical doctor to suit your particular physical profile. This will go some way to making you feel generally stronger, faster and rejuvenated—and putting a new youthful spring in your step.
These are just a few of the services on offer at Akai Medical Clinic, but they go some way to showing the range of solutions on offer. The staff offer consultations in English and are accustomed to dealing with people from around the world. In fact, as Dr. Akai tells me, a third of his male clients are foreign nationals. He’s happy with this growing trend, and keen to appeal to more and more. The procedures are fast, effective and increasingly sought-after among both women and men, both Japanese and international alike.

• Omotesando: 3F KNK Bldg, 3-5-17 Kita-Aoyama, Minato-ku. Tel: 03-5771-4114. Email: amc@akaiclinic.com. Open daily 11am-8pm. Nearest stn: Omotesando.
• Yokohama: 4F Katsukou Bldg, 1-2-8 Horai-cho, Naka-ku. Tel: 045-252-9455. Email: amc-skincare@akaiclinic.com. Open Tue-Fri 11am-7pm, Sat 11am-5pm, closed Sun-Mon. Nearest stn: Kannai.
• www.akaiclinic.com/en