The Next Rung on Your Corporate Ladder: A Boob Job?
With the unemployment rate up and salaries down, many are seeking a special edge over the competition from their aesthetic providers or medical spa.
People all over the country are having a hard time in the current economy. Many have been laid off and are looking for a special edge in finding a new job. The answer for some can be a self confidence boost from a cosmetic procedure, usually not the surgical kind, but one that gives the most bang for the buck.
Cosmetic fillers such as Sculptra, which is popular for use in non-surgical face lifts, are fairly inexpensive. The cost varies depending on the amount of filler needed and the number of sessions required to achieve the desired result. Some patients need only one visit while others may need more. Multiple visits are typically spread out over a couple of weeks. The cost of one syringe can cost around $700.
Fractional laser treatments are also a popular solution now. With the ability to take years off the face in only a few minutes, and with the benefits of minimal discomfort and downtime, laser treatments such as Fraxel are being put to use by those wishing to take a few years off of their face. The cost varies widely depending on the severity of treatment needed, and the location. One office in Georgia is offering it’s patients what they call the “Cash for Crows Feet” special, where patients pay $1750 for ActiveFX, half of what is usually charged.
Other countries are also seeing a similar surge in cosmetic procedure popularity. In China it is estimated that 1/4 of this year’s college and vocational school graduates will not have secured a job within one year from graduation. Many students are having cosmetic work done during their senior year to assist in finding work sooner. White collar workers who’ve been laid off are also a large part of the recent cosmetic surgery rush. With no real anti-discrimination laws to stop them, employers post ads specifying weight and height requirements, prompting some Chinese citizens to go so far as to have painful leg lengthening procedures.
Joan Rivers recently wrote a book titled “Men Are Stupid . . . And They Like Big Boobs: A Woman’s Guide to Beauty Through Plastic Surgery”. Obviously a breast augmentation or liposuction procedure doesn’t sound like something you would do in America in the 21st century to improve your desirability to a prospective employer, but some are doing it to improve their self esteem. Others feel that physical appearance is a variable in career success that employers consider during the interview and hiring process.
Is it legal in this day and age to choose the better looking candidate?
“Federal law generally only protects employees from discrimination based on age, gender, national origin, religion, disability and taking qualified medical leave. Physical appearance could be a factor in any of these types of discrimination but it is not a separately protected category. Some states have additional discrimination laws, but I’m not aware of any that specifically cover physical appearance,” explains Amy DeBrota of The DeBrota Law Firm LLC, a lawyer who concentrates her practice on employment discrimination and wage cases in Indianapolis, Indiana.
For those who are in a money pinch, it would likely not be advisable to undergo an expensive surgical procedure. While it may seem like the ticket to help get the job to recover the cost of the surgery, you should seriously consider your financial solvency and the capabilities of surviving such a change economically.
Whether it’s a filler like Juvederm or a toxin like Botox or Dysport, these quick fixes don’t last forever. They require touch ups and come with side effects. Make sure to take the big picture into account when deciding on any procedure. These are not procedures to be taken lightly – they are medical in nature and should be treated as such. Whatever the situation behind a decision to undergo any cosmetic procedure, whether it be a self esteem boost or an edge in the job market, it should be a thoughtfully researched and planned decision looked at from all angles, especially the long term.
By: Staff Writer for American Health and Beauty
9/22/2009
