Confidence, beauty and money often go hand in hand, according to Dr. Jeffrey Rosenthal, a plastic surgeon with a practice in Fairfield, Conn.
The recession has challenged both confidence and finances ”“ as evidenced by corporate and consumer behaviors from Wall Street to Main Street. Less obvious, however, is its mark on beauty on the individual and industry levels.
While residents aren”™t necessarily reducing wrinkles to reduce stress, it turns out cosmetic surgery, a business built on excess ”“ extra cash, extra time and extra-full lips ”“ is a useful status indicator in Westchester and Fairfield counties. The business creates a timeline of residents”™ comfort spending again. It also reveals job-hunters”™ creative approaches and clientele growth, recruiting patients from celebrities to correctional officers thanks in part to new ways to finance new features on one- to three-year plans, according to Dr. Fredric Newman of Darien, Conn.
“Cosmetic work doesn”™t change your personality,” said Rosenthal, chief of plastic surgery at Bridgeport Hospital, “but it does change a stigma of something you might be worried about.”
Robert Valley is an artist and visual display professional who works in the region. Several years ago, he decided he wanted to “correct flaws I”™d had issues with for a while.” The procedure yielded “great results, just as I expected.” For Valley, the experience “was like re-stretching the canvas ”“ it didn”™t change the scenery, just made the painting look ”˜right”™ again.”
Shoppers have more disposable income
Similarly, most local “shoppers” are educated and focused on specific areas, and timing is everything, according to Dr. Andrew Kleinman, a Rye Brook-based surgeon and president of the New York State Society of Plastic Surgeons.
He said unemployment “has actually given patients the time to have surgery.” Procedures coinciding with stressful periods don”™t expose coping mechanisms: there”™s a reason behind the season.
Steven Lanza, editor of The Connecticut Economy, said while stress-indexes aren”™t scientific, traditional indicators show, “Economic output is barely back to its 2008 peak. We have a long way to go to find, switch or get back jobs. At best it”™s anecdotal that things are maybe bottoming out.”
Stress can be measured on a different scale, too. Ardsley-based psychologist Dr. Lauren Saler said, “I”™ve absolutely seen an increase in patients coming for stress-related issues ”¦ I”™m seeing more people without jobs being a stressor, or those unhappy with jobs.”
Concurrently, the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery reported a 9 percent increase this past year, with nearly 9.5 million procedures done. “The business is in upswing mode in terms of people having more disposable income to treat themselves to unnecessary things that add to quality of life,” said Dr. Michael Suzman, director of plastic surgery at Westchester Medical Group in Rye.
Patients are also making choices. “It”™s kind of funny over the years how priorities change,” said Kleinman. One patient”™s husband worked for an investment bank that recently went under. He asked if she wanted to reconsider her procedure. Confidently she answered, “I”™m not gonna give this up ”“ I”™ll sacrifice other things first!”
That means skipping vacation, maximizing months between Botox refills or settling for fillers over facelifts. “During the Depression era, people were able to buy candy bars and little treats, and felt really good about it,” Rosenthal said. “When the quantity of big surgeries decrease, these small procedures we do actually increase significantly.”
Job-hunters seek an edge
Cosmetic treats tempt the employed and unemployed, hungry for edge. “Male executives come for facelifts, wanting to remain useful-looking in the workplace, fresh and awake. This work for men has increased,” said Newman. “They are, as Mr. Valley noted, “different clients because they don”™t rely on makeup to maintain a polished, groomed look.”
While image won”™t land interviews, Lanza observed, “Once you”™re there, if they”™re looking at two qualified 50-year-olds, and you look more vital and energetic, I”™m certain that will subconsciously affect a decision.”
Eyelid surgery is in demand. Valley is glad he fixed his “always looked like I hadn”™t slept” look. “(It) allows patients to look more rested and confident,” said Kleinman. This shows in an interview.
Rosenthal”™s patient was “nervous during interviews, would frown and wrinkle her face.” He suggested Botox and, “a couple weeks later she called saying, ”˜The confidence you gave me allowed me to put my best foot forward.”™” She got the job.
However, Saler reminded job-hunters, “Inner vitality is a powerful message to prospective employers.” Its effects are longer lasting and “much more compelling than a surgical tweak of the eyelids.”
In this trend-driven field, patients”™ motivations for change require evaluation. “I don”™t have many unrealistic patients, thinking surgery will get them a job or if their husband”™s having an affair, get him back,” said Kleinman. “That”™s not a good reason to have plastic surgery. You do it because you want to look and feel better about yourself.”
“We can get rid of wrinkles,” said Suzman, “but that cannot take away external stress.”
Meanwhile, Newman offered, “There are far better ways of reducing stress like taking walks on the beach or riding bikes.”
Yet with the local cosmetic surgery business growing, he doesn”™t have much to worry about.
