Cosmetic Surgery & Age
Cosmetic surgery is heralded as a way to look younger. But how much younger does it make you look? Subtle cosmetic surgeries are becoming more common because they are more “realistic”. They don’t cause a drastic change in any features that come with the stigmas of plastic surgery. It could be as simple as getting rid of the bags under your eyes. A study was recently published in the JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery and is titled “Objective Assessment of Perceived Age Reversal and improvement in Attractiveness After Aging Face Surgery”. The primary reason individuals opt for plastic surgery is to become more attractive while looking younger at the same time. It answers the question of how effective cosmetic surgery truly is when evaluated by others.
50 raters were given photographs of 49 patients with preoperative and postoperative photographs and asked to estimate the age of each patient as well as the attractiveness of the patient on a scale of 1 to 10. The results of the raters showed that the overall years subtracted from an individual’s actual age showed a mean decrease of 3.1 years (Range -4.0 to 9.4 years) and a small/insignificant increase in the amount of attractiveness. So what do these results show? Some patients were actually estimated to be older than before their surgery while others were perceived to be 10 years younger. However, attractiveness did not increase nor decrease with the subtle changes.
Women in the business world are receiving these surgeries because they are perceived as being too old. They are looking tired and unhealthy. In the workplace people are judged by how they look versus what their ability to accomplish things are. These individuals are working well up into their 60’s, but they still want to command the respect of those underneath them without looking too old. They don’t want all their wrinkles removed, but just a few in order to still look middle aged.
These individuals are seeking cosmetic surgeries such as: Brow lifts, Facelifts, Chemical Peels, Neck Lifts, etc.
It is important to talk to your primary care physician as well as your cosmetic surgeon before considering any of these procedures. This way your doctor can help determine which procedure will best fit your lifestyle and desired results. In addition to this, the can help you become aware of certain risks that are involved with such procedures.