People seek out cosmetic surgery for a variety of reasons: betterself–image, improved self–esteem, even plain old vanity.But how about the economic benefits of looking good? Studiesshow that, for men, looking good can give you a bigger paycheck.
Despite concerns about the economy, people continue tospend on cosmetic surgeries. The number of men having cosmeticprocedures has increased 17% in the last year—a total ofnearly 1.1 million procedures. While this pales in comparisonto women and their 10.6 million cosmetic procedures, it’s still avery strong trend. In 2007 alone, cosmetic surgery,including minimally invasive procedureslike wrinkle fillers, was a $13 billion business.
So why are more men choosing cosmeticsurgery? To stay looking younger, to better appealto the opposite sex, to maintain a positiveself–image, and to retain an edge in the workplaceare some of the many reasons.
Studies have shown that "better looking"individuals tend to get higher raises and aremoved up the ladder of success more quickly.In one study by Frieze, 737 male and femaleMBA graduates were evaluated for facial attractivenesson a scale of 1 to 5. Four years later,these students were surveyed regarding careerand income. The study showed that, for men,every notch higher on the "attractiveness scale"corresponded to an increase of about $2,600 in yearly salary.(For women, the figure is $2,150.) In other words the men whoranked lowest in attractiveness made $10,400 less per year thanthe best looking subjects.
In a classic study by Hellman and Sarawatari, attractive menwere more likely to be hired for both managerial and non–managerialpositions than less attractive men. Interestingly, attractivefemales were more likely to be hired than less attractive femalesfor non–managerial positions only.
Even a good smile can make a difference. In one study,people were shown a variety of photographs of smiles and wereasked to evaluate the owner of the smile on the basis of variouspersonality attributes. People felt that those with nicer–lookingsmiles were more intelligent, better looking, sexually attractiveand probably of a higher social class. That’s a lot of power in onefacial feature!
According to the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery,the top three surgical procedures for men are liposuction,eyelid surgery, and rhinoplasty. The top minimally–invasive proceduresare Botox, laser hair removal, skin treatment, injectedfillers, and laser skin care.
Today one of the most exciting facial cosmetic proceduresis Fraxel–a type of laser that can remove fine wrinkles, acnescars and hyper–pigmentation, and tighten pores. It can be usedon any part of the body––face, hands, neck, chest, etc. Uniqueamong laser treatments is the little–to–no "down time" for the patientpost–treatment. Most patients return to work the very nextday with a little redness––similar to a mild sunburn. This is a realboon for the working male or female who cannot afford to takeoff a week or two to recover from laser treatment. Furthermore,older–style lasers were only effective for people with lighter skin.The Fraxel can treat all skin types––fair to dark.
As mentioned, a good smile can go a longway. It is indicative of both attractiveness andgood health. Tooth wear, tooth loss, and the boneloss that results from chronic gum disease can allshorten the lower face. With less skeletal support,the skin around the mouth will sag. Thanks to thetechnology of dental implants, patients can havepoor teeth removed and dental implants placedthe same day. Replacing missing and non–restorableteeth and restoring the jaws to their originalposition can take years off one’s appearance—likea mini–facelift without the facelift scars.
Finding the cosmetic doctor right for you canbe difficult. Sometimes, the doctor you already seefor your eyes, skin or general health may offer various cosmetictreatments. Confirming that the doctor has plenty of experienceis crucial. A good question to ask is, what is the worst surgicalcomplication they have encountered and, even more important,how did they address the complication? As in many aspects oflife, risk is inherent and surgical complications do occur. As apatient, you want to know how your doctor will take care of youif that one–in–a–thousand is you. What additional costs will beincurred if there is a complication?
For surgical procedures, it’s also important to know whattype of anesthesia is provided. Is the person administering theanesthesia board–certified to do so? What emergency equipmentis available should a problem occur? What is the worstanesthetic complication they have had to manage?In an increasingly competitive workplace, maintaining an"edge" is important. Truly, it pays to look your best.
