In today’s economy looking good is something that can’t be dismissed as frivolous, according to the article.

“Economists have long recognized what’s been dubbed the ‘beauty premium’—the idea that pretty people, whatever their aspirations, tend to do better in, well, almost everything,” writes Jessica Bennett in the online article. Economist Daniel Hamermesh says a good-looking man will make some $250,000 more during his career than his least-attractive counterpart.

Here are a few other statistics the article cites to make this point:

• Handsome men earn, on average, 5 percent more than their less-attractive counterparts (good-looking women earn 4 percent more)
• Attractive people get more attention from teachers, bosses, and mentors
• Babies stare longer at good-looking faces

It’s not a surprise then that some may turn to plastic surgery. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 13 percent of women (and 10 percent of men, in a Newsweek survey), say they’d consider cosmetic surgery if it made them more competitive at work.

Newsweek also surveyed 202 corporate hiring managers and found that 56 percent of them said that qualified but unattractive candidates are likely to have a harder time getting a job. Over 50 percent advised spending as much time and money on “making sure they look attractive” as on perfecting a résumé.

Hiring managers also rated nine character attributes from one to 10 (with 10 being the most important). The results? Looks came in third, below experience and confidence, but above where an applicant went to school and five other attributes.

You can find a variety of online essays, photo galleries, and interactive features on the “beauty advantage” at Newsweek.com.

The new consumer website will be inclusive about all things beauty and not just focus on cosmetic surgery. It will cover a variety of topics, including hair, makeup, staying fit, fashion trends, and plastic surgery.

Billing itself as a “video news magazine,” Project Beauty will be updated on a weekly basis and features experts on topics such as fashion and skin care as well as news and first person accounts on all things related to aesthetic surgery.

To celebrate the launch, the site is holding a month-long giveaway contest called “30 Days of Beauty.” Each day from July 6, 2010 to August 4, 2010, Project Beauty will offer one prize—such as a Sonicare toothbrush, Mederma Stretch Marks Therapy, or SmashBox cosmetics—per day. To win, you must join the Project Beauty Community and enter daily to win the prize of the day.

Videos on the site include a teenager who shares her reasons for getting rhinoplasty at fifteen; a step-by-step guide to applying makeup for daytime; summer fashion ‘must-haves’ for men; and a young professional on her decision to have a breast augmentation.

Project Beauty also launched a social media campaign on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to promote the website and share videos from ProjectBeauty.com.

To join the Project Beauty community, sign up at www.projectbeauty.com.

Beware if you’re looking for discounted plastic surgery—there is usually a catch, according to a recent posting on AOL’s Stylelist website. The article warns consumers of bargain plastic surgery, citing everything from billboards advertising “bargain boob jobs” in California to an ad near Clearwater, Florida touting “$8 Botox” injections.

While some are just marketing ploys other “bargains” could be at the cost of safety. “To get the cost down, they could be cutting back on things like general anesthesia. They make you feel like the procedure must be easier and not so serious if you’re just getting local sedation. Nothing could be further from the truth,” says Long Beach, Calif., plastic surgeon Dr. Marcel Daniels.

Another cosmetic surgery trend, according to Stylelist, is that doctors who studied a different branch of medicine, such as gynecology, are performing plastic surgery procedures.

“Many physicians not trained as plastic surgeons can legally perform a surgical procedure in their office. These people often claim that they can do the same procedure as a plastic surgeon under local anesthesia and may even claim they are more scientifically advanced,” says Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. John Anastasatos. “The truth is that they don’t have surgical privileges at hospitals and surgery centers because they simply are not surgeons and never trained as surgeons.”

How do you avoid these plastic surgery pitfalls? Research your doctor to make sure he or she has plastic surgery training. Consumers can check any doctor’s board certification for free at the American Board of Plastic Surgery website. Another red flag, according to the article: a lack of before-and-after photos.

Dr. Leff is a board certified plastic surgeon who practices in the Bellevue, Washington area. His website contains a before and after photo portfolio of his work.

The full article, “‘Free’ Plastic Surgery: The Dangers of Bargain Breasts and Botox” is available on Stylelist.com. (Photo by Aaron Gruenert, courtesy of Stylelist.com)

Over 8,000 U.S. teenagers aged 18 and 19 had breast enlargements last year—more than triple the number in 2001, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. The increase came during the height of the recession, at a time when there was a dip in the overall number of plastic surgeries.

Teens now make up just 2 percent of all cosmetic surgery patients in the country, but their numbers are growing, most likely in part because of plastic surgery reality shows and more openness about plastic surgery in the U.S. culture.

“In the past few years, I’ve seen more younger people doing more plastic surgery than ever before,” says Dr. Andrew Jacono, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon in New York City. “There’s a lot of pressure on young people to look a certain way, and when kids go away to college, it’s a chance to start all over.”

Some of the most popular procedures for teens are nose jobs, liposuction treatments, and breast augmentations. “Breast surgery is at the top of the list for graduates now,” says Dr. Mauro Romita, a plastic surgeon in Manhattan.

Stephanie Michelle, who just graduated from the University of Buffalo, wanted a nose job for her high school graduation present, but her parents said no. Now that she’s finished college they’ve agreed, and the family has begun to research doctors.

“This is the perfect time to do it,” says Ms. Michelle. “I am going to be on my own and moving to the city and becoming an adult.” To view the full story on this trend, go to Crain’s New York Business.

“There are subtle things that we can do to make a change in the profile, in the definition of the nose, without changing their ethnicity, without intrinsically changing their appearance,” said Charles M. Boyd M.D.

For the cosmetic surgeon, managing the patient’s expectations is important.  Likewise for the rhinoplasty patient, communicating desires and aesthetic goals is critical.  Each surgeon-patient relationship will go through this process in a different way.  One emerging trend facilitating this communication process is the use of 3-dimensional imaging to visually approximate the results that can be achieved.

“I use computer imaging and this is very helpful in pinpointing what patients are trying to achieve, and it enables them to see what’s in my mind as well,” said Steven B. Hopping M.D.

When it comes down to operating, there are also anatomical considerations for the ethnic patient.  View the article on modernmedicine.com to read how these surgeons approach rhinoplasty in patients of Asian, African American, and Middle Eastern descent.

Plastic surgeons in Lithuania recently studied the success rate of different suture types used in Otoplasty.  A 3-year study was conducted with 100 patients.  They were divided into these groups based on the suture materials chosen:

• PDS
• Monocryl
• Mersilene

Patients (48 men and 52 women) had a median age of 20 years.  After analyzing the data for each group, the doctors found that 3 patients in the PDS group and 3 patients in the Monocryl group had unsatisfactory aesthetic outcomes requiring revision surgery.  Patients in the Mersilene suture group had the lowest rate of recurrence.

Read more about this study online on PubMed: “Comparison of otoplasty outcomes using different types of suture materials”

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons just released their 2009 statistics.  In collaboration with Seattle-based company RealSelf.com, the society says that plastic surgery is up 69 percent for the decade and “consumer interest continues to rise.”

Given the economic situation and the fact that elective surgery is typically considered a luxury purchase, these are strongly positive statements by both parties.

Minimally invasive procedures appear to be the driving force behind the 10-year trend.  Procedures like Botox, Injectable Fillers, and Laser Skin Resurfacing have increased 99 percent since the year 2000.  People have many reasons to visit their plastic surgeon these days.  One of the biggest reasons is skin renewal.  “Skin is in,” says ASPS President Michael McGuire.

Read more from the ASPS on PlasticSurgery.org and check out the RealSelf blog for more information on this story.

Some men may even feel embarrassed to ask about a tummy tuck. One man who documented his surgery on a blog writes that he felt a “stigma or shame was associated with male tummy tucks,” that caused him to be “embarrassed” when he first made inquiries about the operation.  If you’re one of those men researching the procedure, know that plastic surgeons should be able to give you gender-specific advice.

A man on the realself.com forum asks about skin laxity on his abdomen due to weight loss:

I’m dealing with loose skin after a 50 lbs weight loss in my teens. I’ve totally transformed and I’m very athletic with well-defined abs, but have laxity mostly below the navel and around the lower back. The problem areas are very localized and I hide it under the belt line with no one suspecting I was obese. But I feel “unfinished.” The front skin is very thin and hangs, the back is mostly smooth. Is there a tummy tuck technique that would excise the abdominal skin and provide modest tightening in the lower back?

Christopher Hess MD, a plastic surgeon in Fairfax, Virginia, answers: “Even though we tend to have better skin tone than women, we can still end up with excess skin due to skin memory. It sounds like you could undergo a mild excision of the excess tissue– less than a mini tummy tuck.”

Some cases aren’t that simple. When a man has experienced a greater weight reduction, the full tummy tuck may be recommended. Dr. Angelo Cuzalina in Tulsa advises other surgeons:  “Do not hesitate to use a full abdominoplasty for a male patient with extreme skin laxity. Men tend to heal better than women after abdominoplasty.”

The comprehensive approach he recommends may be necessary to provide satisfactory results. Dr. Alan Matarasso, scientific editor of Aesthetic Surgery Journal agrees. He says in Cosmetic Surgery Times, “you really need to treat [men] circumferentially, all the way around, because if you ask most men what bothers them, it’s the ‘love handles,’ and that goes all the way around to the back.”

Clearly, many plastic and cosmetic surgeons can offer specific advice for men considering a tummy tuck. So if you think you might benefit from the procedure, ignore any perceived “stigma” and ask a qualified surgeon for more details.

A: Surgeons are trying to set themselves apart with more advanced liposuction methods. You might hear about “reduced downtime” or “reduced trauma to surrounding tissues” in the ads for these procedures. Just know that any proven liposuction technique will utilize the same basic tools as the standard tumescent liposuction technique.

Q: What is the best type of liposuction?

A: Several new liposuction platforms have been introduced in recent years, but the operator is always the most important factor. There is no best method because each platform has particular benefits. For example, water assisted liposuction is great for removing a large volume of fat, while laser liposuction is good for precise body contouring.

Q: Can I get liposuction anywhere on my body? What is the most common area to treat?

A: Many people aren’t aware that liposuction can be done on so many areas of the body. While the abdomen and thighs are probably most common, you can also get liposuction below your chin or even on the ankles.

Q: What type of doctor is most qualified to perform liposuction?

A: See a board-certified plastic surgeon for your liposuction.

Q: Is liposuction “minimally-invasive” like some of the advertising says?

A: The techniques have improved over time, making recovery quicker and incisions smaller, but liposuction is still cosmetic surgery. It’s not like getting a quick Botox injection.

• Click here to read more about liposuction in Bellevue, Washington.

Do.

1. Ask about your plastic surgeon’s experience, credentials and hospital privileges.

As ASPS president Phil Haeck says, “Good surgeons expect you to research them and won’t be afraid to answer personal or tough questions.”

2. Ask about board certification.

Find out what board has certified your surgeon and what standards must be met to receive that certification.

3. Find out if your surgeon has a prevention plan for complications such as DVT.

Deep vein thrombosis is a possible plastic surgery complication. Your doctor should take steps to minimize the risk and be prepared to see early signs of its occurrence.

4. Research your procedure thoroughly.

Yes, your doctor should be a trustworthy, knowledgeable authority, but you still need to seek out more than one resource for information. Research will help you protect yourself and help you decide if elective cosmetic surgery is truly in line with your personal values.

5. Find out if the facility is accredited/certified.

If the surgery isn’t done in a hospital, your plastic surgeon is using an outpatient facility. Find out if that facility is considered safe by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care.

Don’t.

6. Don’t seek out unapproved cosmetic procedures.

If a board certified plastic surgeon or the FDA tells you to forgo a procedure, that’s advice you should heed. According to sources for CNN, Argentine beauty queen Solange Magnano, who died of complications from cosmetic surgery, requested (and was denied by one surgeon) silicone injections for a buttock augmentation – a procedure that is not approved here in the U.S. nor in Argentina.

7. Don’t be careless or take the process lightly.

When you walk into a plastic or cosmetic surgeon’s office, it won’t feel like a hospital, but it’s definitely not a spa. This is real surgery, with real risks you need to consider.