Fifteen years ago, Michael Hogg—author of The Age-Nostic Man—was going through a divorce and living well below peak condition. Though successful and a healthy eater, he was feeling the toll of aging and found himself increasingly pessimistic about life. Hogg’s life involved traveling eight months a year, caring for his young family, and grinding through a stressful career. “I put on weight, experienced depression, and was doing a lot of self medication.”
Fifteen years ago, Michael Hogg—author of The Age-Nostic Man—was going through a divorce and living well below peak condition. Though successful and a healthy eater, he was feeling the toll of aging and found himself increasingly pessimistic about life. Hogg’s life involved traveling eight months a year, caring for his young family, and grinding through a stressful career. “I put on weight, experienced depression, and was doing a lot of self medication.”Hogg, then 40, attended an educational anti-aging conference. “I became fascinated and started experimenting,” he says. “I’ve been doing growth hormone for 13 years, testosterone replacement for six years, and today—without any cosmetic surgery—I am the same weight as I was when I was 21.” The Age-Nostic Man chronicles Hogg’s dramatic $20,000 annual wellness journey.
While detractors call his extensive supplementation and hormone protocols extreme, Hogg insists that in 10 year’s time, his approach will be more commonplace than plastic surgery. “I haven’t had a cold in 14 years, and I’m in much better shape than when I was 30,” he says. “Any criticism is a result of fear, because this is new.”
A natural businessman, Hogg is translating his “age-nostic” journey into a full supplement line, an online pharmacy with a doctor consultation service, a skincare range, seminars, and men’s retreats. “These retreats are geared to promote holistic wellness,” Hogg says. “Those in attendance get educated, receive treatments, get their blood tested, learn about supplements, get an exercise regimen—and they can even have a glass of red wine at the end of the day.”
Now 53, Hogg’s story is attracting movie producers, and he’s enjoying the strength and optimism of a man half his age. The man’s onto something (genagenostic.org).
A LITTLE “ME-TIME”
“Winter is a good time to pay attention to the body,” says Dr. David Marks—celebrated author and longtime on-air physician for NBC and CBS. Marks is chief medical officer for InBalance Health, dedicated to helping adults through nutrition, fitness, and hormone and testosterone replacement therapies. “Many guys dread going to the doctor, thinking something horrible will come of it, but that’s not the case” he says. Dr. Marks encourages physical exams that include cholesterol and testosterone screenings. “Testosterone starts to drop when men are in their twenties—about one to two percent per year,” Marks says. In his eyes, there’s no end to the benefits of aerobic exercise, weight training, and healthy eating. “Lose five pounds and you’ll be amazed how optimistic you feel.”
These healthy habits have benefits beyond the physical, and he’s quick to point out the pressures absorbed by the modern man. “Set time aside just for you. A few small tweaks can yield big results” (inbalancehealth.net).
DEVELOP YOUR SKIN CARE ROUTINE
Dr. Sherwin Parikh, founder of Manhattan’s Tribeca Skin Center, is the creator of Smart Shave, a three-step system designed to eschew bumps, burn, and redness. “The exfoliating pads bring the hair out of the skin, while the shaving cream has a little antiseptic in it to stave off breakouts,” he says. “The calming balm reduces bumps and post-shave irritation.” “Beards are the new black,” he adds, noting that some scruff is probably healthier for the skin. “A lot of guys get razor burn, and products can aggravate that. If a man gets a few months break from shaving, it gives the face a rest” (smartshave.com).
FACE FIRST
A fellow who looks polished, fresh, and composed exudes confidence and self-respect. “Men need to clear out impurities—especially in cities where pollution causes free radicals to attack the skin,” says Regine Berthelot, treatment manager for Caudalie Vinotherapie Spa at New York’s Plaza Hotel. “Dead cells dull the skin, and a facial will make you look polished, without blemishes.” Caudalie’s signature men’s treatment employs a specially formulated cleanser, toner, and exfoliator; uses a Clarisonic brush to stimulate the skin; lets steam open pores; and involves gentle extraction. Technicians massage the face, chest, and limbs as warm and cool stones enliven skin. The treatment concludes with an enzymatic peel. In between seasonal facials, Berthelot suggests two steps: “You have to cleanse, particularly at night when the impurities of the day are absorbed into skin. Meanwhile, moisturizing in the morning will protect skin all day” (us.caudalie.com).
A fellow who looks polished, fresh, and composed exudes confidence and self-respect. “Men need to clear out impurities—especially in cities where pollution causes free radicals to attack the skin,” says Regine Berthelot, treatment manager for Caudalie Vinotherapie Spa at New York’s Plaza Hotel. “Dead cells dull the skin, and a facial will make you look polished, without blemishes.” Caudalie’s signature men’s treatment employs a specially formulated cleanser, toner, and exfoliator; uses a Clarisonic brush to stimulate the skin; lets steam open pores; and involves gentle extraction. Technicians massage the face, chest, and limbs as warm and cool stones enliven skin. The treatment concludes with an enzymatic peel. In between seasonal facials, Berthelot suggests two steps: “You have to cleanse, particularly at night when the impurities of the day are absorbed into skin. Meanwhile, moisturizing in the morning will protect skin all day” (HAIR RESTORATION ROBOTICS
Millions of men are candidates for hair restoration, yet few pursue the procedure due to treatment discomfort, long recovery times, and the potential for scarring. Enter the ARTAS Robotic System from Restoration Robotics for permanent, minimally invasive hair restoration. The device improves the process with imaging that maps the scalp and determines ideal locations from which to harvest groups of one to four hairs (follicular units). Automated extraction allows doctors to harvest follicular units with robotic precision for manual implantation. Discomfort, treatment, and healing times are reduced, and the donor area of the scalp is almost undetectable (restorationrobotics.com).
INCREASE TESTOSTERONE
According to the American Diabetes Association, low testosterone affects approximately 13 million men in the US. The FDA approved Axiron, a clear, colorless gel which—when properly applied—delivers a 30 milligram dose of testosterone through the underarm. It’s simple, convenient, and allows testosterone to be easily absorbed into the bloodstream. Studies have shown that it can restore normal testosterone levels after about two weeks of regular use (axiron.com).
