A greater number of men are turning to botox in order to look better and remain competitive in the workplace, reports suggest.

Dr Alan Matarasso, a Manhattan-based cosmetic surgeon and clinical professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, told the New York Times that the pressures for ageing tend to be far greater for women than for men.

"However, when we see a blip in the economy and how many people are going to be laid off today, you now have a 40 or 50-year-old advertising or bank or media person looking for a job," he explained.

"People have a tendency to look for vibrancy and youth. At times of economic downturns you will often see greater interest. It really ranks up there with an expensive haircut."

According to Allergan, the company behind botox, the product is "certainly not just for women".

The company's Botox Cosmetic website notes that men with pronounced lines between their brows may be perceived as angry or stressed.

"That's why it's not surprising that men are also choosing Botox Cosmetic, a non-surgical, physician-administered treatment."