Stay Ahead of the Competition!

Right or wrong, looks do matter in the job market of 2013. With 12 million unemployed and over 35 million currently employed people competing for a finite number of jobs (CareerBuilder Employment Survey, Jan 24, 2013) more and more people are turning to medical aesthetics, a branch of medicine that deals with beautification of the body with the help of surgery and/or cosmeceuticals (the combination of cosmetics and pharmaceuticals), in the hopes that it will give them a competitive edge.
In a perfect world each of us would be judged solely on the content of our character and not on how we look on the “outside.” But obviously, we certainly don’t live in anything even approaching a perfect world, and looks do indeed matter to most people. That is particularly true—and definitely relevant—in the job market, where looks can (and do) influence not only IF you get the job, but also, how well you are likely to fare throughout a career.
The so-called “beauty premium”—the idea that “pretty” people, whatever their professions or aspirations, tend to do better than the rest of us mere mortals in nearly everything—has long been recognized as an important driving factor for success. Numerous studies have shown this to be true, and one of the more sweeping studies was conducted by Newsweek in 2010, right in the midst of the worst job market in over a generation. (Nothing I’ve seen during the last few years would seem to throw those survey findings into dispute, either.)
Here is just a sample of the Newsweek survey results*:
Fifty-seven percent of hiring managers participating in the survey said that qualified but unattractive candidates should expect to have a harder time landing a job.
More than half of the hiring managers advised job seekers to spend as much time and money on “making sure they look attractive” as on perfecting a résumé.
When asked to rank employee attributes in order of importance, managers placed looks above education. (Of nine character traits measured, looks came in third, with experience being number 1 and confidence being number 2. Education was number 4.)
Handsome men earn, on average, 5 percent more than their less-attractive counterparts (good-looking women earn 4 percent more). Over a career, these handsome men can expect to earn $250,000 more than less attractive men.
More Professionals Considering Medical Aesthetics
A growing numbers of both men and women are buying into just how important a role appearance (read: “good looks”) can (and does) play in the workplace these days. Even pre-recession, a 2007 survey of 700 people, conducted by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, nearly 8 out of 10 respondents said “appearance” is at least somewhat important when it comes to “getting ahead” in the workplace. And some of them are actually doing (or at least considering doing) something about it.
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons . . .
Come in to speak with one of our Board Certified Surgeons about the best combination of age changing approaches to freshen your "look". Cosmetic consultations are always complimentary at TruYou Plastic Surgery. Call today to schedule your appointment #904-638-5555.

Labiaplasty Improves Quality of Life and Satisfaction

Below is a recent article Published in MedScape about the safety and effectiveness of Labial reduction when performed by a trained, board certified plastic surgeon:
To learn more, visit our webpage: Labiaplasty and Vaginal Rejuvenation
Labiaplasty, a procedure done to reduce the size of the labia minora in women, is one of the most common female genital aesthetic surgeries, says Jennifer L. Walden, MD, a plastic surgeon with a private practice in Austin, Texas. Dr. Walden, who has performed 25-50 labiaplasties per year since opening her practice 9 years ago, says that although the procedure can be life-changing, it is too often done by physicians unfamiliar with the latest techniques and with little experience operating on female genitalia. In this interview with Medscape, she reveals what she considers to be best practices for this procedure.
Medscape: How exactly is labiaplasty done?
Dr. Walden: It involves an excisional procedure to make the labia smaller and more cosmetically appealing. There are several ways to treat labial hypertrophy that have been described in the literature. The excisional techniques involving a wedge excision, such as a V-wedge or W-plasty, are the preferred techniques nowadays. They put the incision line on either aspect of the labia minora. An older method, which has largely been abandoned, is trimming the outer edge of the labia minora.
The V-wedge and W-plasty lead to less scar burden and to fewer problems, such as itching, burning, and painful sex, which were more common with the older procedures. They also preserve the natural border of the labia because the incision is down along the inner aspect of it, and the incision crosses and goes down the outer aspect of the midline of the labia minora.
Medscape: Is this procedure growing in popularity?
Dr. Walden: I'd say that it's become more acceptable in the past decade, and that's because techniques have improved, more doctors are now marketing that they do the procedure, and more doctors who specialize in the procedure have emerged. All of these things combined have led to it becoming less taboo and more accepted because it is not only cosmetically appealing, it's functionally appealing, too. However, when anything gains in popularity, there are always going to be hangers-on who want to jump on the trend. There are people who are less qualified to do genital surgery who do it anyway, and that's what gives cosmetic procedures a bad name. But there are a lot of very well-qualified people who are trained to surgically address these issues who produce nice results and change the quality of life for a lot of women.
Medscape: What are the main reasons why women seek this procedure?
Dr. Walden: Usually they are seeking it because they're having local irritation of the area, problems with personal hygiene when going to the bathroom or during their menstrual cycle, interference with sex, and discomfort during cycling, sitting, or walking or with tight jeans or yoga pants. What we hope is for the labia minora to be housed within the labia majora because the labia majora have a different quality to the skin and are designed to protect the inner labia minora. When the labia minora protrude outside of the labia majora, it's essentially a part of the female anatomy that's not protected, and it can be very irritating. Therefore, one of the main benefits is just an improvement of discomfort.
Women can also have a general concern with the appearance of their labia, so they want it to look as nice as possible. And that's OK. It's not a bad thing for women to want to look as good as possible.
Medscape: Are these benefits documented in the medical literature?
Dr. Walden: There have been a lot of well-done studies on this procedure, and there also have been a lot of case reports and small series, not just in the plastic surgery literature but in the obstetrics and gynecology literature.[1-3] In many different specialties, this is a well-documented procedure.
My labiaplasty patients are some of my happiest patients because it's a relatively straightforward and short procedure that's done on an outpatient basis. Within about an hour, it can be kind of life-changing.

More Women Opt for Double Mastectomy

More women than ever are choosing to undergo bilateral mastectomies (both breasts removed) when discovering a diagnosis of breast cancer.  Last year, nearly 15% of newly diagnosed patient with breast cancer, around 30,000 yearly, chose to have both breasts removed. This is up from only 3% in the 1990's.
Why the increasing trend? Several reasons likely account for this:  There is more awareness of breast cancer and women are fearful of developing the disease and "just don't want to have to worry about the other breast."  Also, with the improvement in breast reconstruction and the approval of silicone tear-drop shaped implants, more women are comfortable with the cosmetic outcome after their surgery is complete. In fact, some women without current breast cancer, but with high risk of developing the disease in the future, are electing to undergo bilateral nipple sparing prophylactic mastectomies to ease their fears while keeping perky reconstructed breasts instead.
Women need to understand their choices, see a genetic counselor, and speak with a board certified plastic surgeon who can help them make a wise decision. We are happy to discuss all the options with you and your family. Give us a call and schedule an appointment.  Read more about breast reconstruction on our website.