Cosmetic Plastic Surgery As a Career Boost?

Over the past couple of years, plastic surgeons have noticed an increasing number of workers turning to cosmetic procedures such as facelift, breast augmentation, and liposuction to enhance their appearance.  Sociology professor Anthony Elliott from Flinders University said the trend is pushed by “acute job insecurity.”

Western culture puts too much emphasis on youthful beauty compared with other societies, which is why facelift surgery, Botox injection, and dermal fillers are particularly popular in the US.  And with the aging baby boomers, it is not surprising that facial rejuvenations will continue their popularity in the next couple of years.

Elliot, who has conducted his research for five years, said that many companies today are grooming their staff to boost productivity and sales, while many older workers feel the tight job competition with younger people.

Meanwhile, his research is not the only one that proves the impact of physical attractiveness—or the lack of it.  According to book Looks: Why They Matter More Than You Ever Imagined, the advantages of being attractive are countless; for instance, attractive bosses are perceived more credible and trustworthy by their subordinates.

However, what is more alarming is that people are not aware that they subconsciously prefer attractive individuals than plain-looking ones.  In fact, it would be hard to find someone who will admit to the fact that our brains are hardwired to appreciate beautiful faces.

And perhaps to repress the subconscious preference over good looks, some states have passed personal discrimination law that prohibits employers from discriminating workers based on appearance.

What is more surprising is that physical appearance has more impact on a man’s employment than women, well that is according to one study.  But whether this may be accurate or not, surveys have suggested that more male patients are seeking plastic surgery over the past few years; in fact, facelift surgery for men increased by 14 percent in 2010.

By contrast, women’s appearance has more impact on the dating market, according to one study.

Going back to Elliot, he said that many workers aged 50 may start to “feel old, or at least they are presented as pretty old by their competitors” and are persuaded to have cosmetic surgery that would “give their appearance a makeover as a way to ensure their next contract job.”

Because of the importance of physical attractiveness, some experts have even suggested that it is almost as valuable as education and professional skills.