5/19/06

More and more business professionals are turning to aesthetic procedures that have no downtime to get an edge over their competition by looking younger and gaining confidence. According to the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, since 1997, the number of aesthetic procedures performed in the US has increased by 222%, and one in four of these procedures is requested by men.

“Americans put a lot of value on appearance,” says Deborah Sherman, MD, an ophthalmic plastic surgeon and a clinical professor at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. “Our face becomes our calling card in competitive interviews.”

Sherman says that the reason people might be perceived as overly tired or angry is due to the lines that form on the forehead between the eyebrows that are caused by the dominant frown muscles on the face.

Sherman says that plastic surgeons should give to their patients the following tips to stay alert and healthy, and have a good “face day” every day:

• Never rub the eyes. The skin under the eye stretches and just like an elastic waistband, it can only take so much stretching before the elasticity wears out.

• Avoid tanning beds.

• Wear SPF 25 or higher sunscreen.

Sherman says that before performing any treatment, physicians should have a candid discussion with their patients about whether they are a good candidate for the procedure and should discuss the pros and cons, the side effects, and the patients’ expectations.

[www.courierpostonline.com, May 17, 2006]