plastic surgery, plastic surgeons, eyelid lift, facelift

Being good-looking—but not particularly drop-dead-gorgeous—not only leads to personal pleasure.  According to several studies conducted over the past 20 years by researchers and economists, attractive individuals in general enjoy more economic opportunities than most homely-looking Janes and Joes.

One study even went further by stating that an American worker who was among the bottom rank in terms of looks—based on the assessment made by random observers—earned 10 to 15 percent less per year than someone with the same skills but happened to be in the top one-third.

Because of the advantages of looking good, especially in terms of employment, it is not surprising that many employees—particularly in the financial and corporate industry—are lured by cosmetic plastic surgery.  And no matter how much we deny our superficial side and claim that we are more than our instincts, one study has shown that if we see an attractive person look, or even take a quick glance at us, one area of our brain lights up under a CT scan.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons released a survey showing that in 2011, about 13.8 million cosmetic procedures, both surgical and minimally invasive, were performed in the US, an increased by 5 percent from previous year.  And for two years in a row, despite the decline in medical spending, aesthetic surgeries and non-surgical treatments have increased.

Because modern society is obsessed with youthful beauty, it is not surprising that eyelid lift and facelift were ranked in fourth and fifth place, respectively, in terms of the most commonly performed cosmetic surgeries in 2011.

The popularity of eyelid lift and facelift, along with other facial rejuvenation procedures, can be attributed to the new employment trend in which more workers postpone their retirement.  Many older workers who sought plastic surgery have cited job insecurity and their motivation to appear “competitive” to their superiors and younger workers.

Contrary to popular belief, the appearance of men—rather than women’s—has bigger impacts on their jobs.  On the other hand, beauty—or the lack of it—has more influenced on women’s opportunities in finding a mate.

However, improving one’s appearance does not necessarily entail that he or she should undergo plastic surgery.  There are non-invasive treatments such as laser skin resurfacing, Botox injection, dermal fillers, chemical peels which can also help people make themselves look and feel better.

But in some cases, a dash of confidence and good clothing—and perhaps huge sums of money and expensive cars—are enough to improve one’s appearance