As the economy rebounds and consumer confidence rises, we are seeing an increased interest in rejuvenation and anti-aging procedures.  According to statistics released this month by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), their member practitioners performed 13.1 million surgical and non-surgical cosmetic surgery procedures last year, up 5 percent from 2009.

The popularity of the reality TV shows, such as Real Housewives, The Kardashians and Bridalplasty, have created a heightened awareness about cosmetic procedures and a more wide spread acceptance of elective anti-aging.  However, I have also seen a trend that is directly tied to the aftermath of the recession.  Aging baby boomers – many who were only a few years ago anticipating retirement – are now forced to consider lengthier careers.

An ailing job market and an influx of people who find themselves competing for jobs in the ranks of much younger competitors, has pushed the trend for anti-aging remedies as increasing numbers of people – both men and women – are investigating their options to help stay competitive in the workplace.  With nearly 1.6 million surgical procedures performed by board certified ASPS physicians in 2010, the top five procedures were:

Breast augmentation (296,000)

Nose reshaping (252,000)

Eyelid surgery (209,000)

Liposuction (203,000)

Tummy Tuck (116,000)

Image is vital to success in this day and age, especially with constant media blitz and the American public’s obsession with beauty.  These 2010 statistics lend support to the fact that a large segment of our population believes image is, and should be, a priority.

I am pleased to provide image enhancing surgical and non-surgical procedures to my patients – procedures that dramatically impact their appearance, as well as their confidence, and I cannot stress enough how important it is for anyone of you who might be considering a cosmetic procedure to forge a relationship with a skilled, reputable plastic surgeon.  A botched procedure can be an image deflator and I would rather see you for a consultation before you choose to proceed rather than when you are attempting to fix a less than flattering outcome.

I have lost count of the many instances where women and men report back after their surgeries to advise they confidently interviewed and got hired or aced out a younger candidate for a promotion because they didn’t look or feel their age.  I’m sure a case could be made for the fact that these career veterans likely bring the skill set and knowledge to the mix that should be the first and foremost criteria for an interviewer’s decision to hire or a boss’ decision to promote, but a confident attitude and a youthful image goes a long way in standing up to the competition.

If you’ve considered putting your self-image at the forefront of your career options – with an image makeover – please feel free to contact me at 1-888-PSURGERY to schedule a consultation at my Manhattan, Westchester or Roslyn, Long Island offices or email me at scottmed5@psurgery.com. My practice website is www.psurgery.com.