Think Plastic

Chris Curle has made her living face-first for more than 30 years. As a former news anchor for CNN and several local TV markets and current host of WGCU-TV's Health Sense program, she's

conscious that her appearance is an integral part of her job.

That's the main reason Curle decided to undergo various plastic surgery procedures several months ago, conducted by Dr. Kriston J. Kent of

Naples Facial Plastic Surgery. "I could tell that lighting me was becoming something of a challenge for the studio crews," Curle jokes. "My goal was to diminish the obvious and distracting signs of aging."

Curle isn't alone in her quest to look younger. Advances in laparoscopic and other surgical techniques mean fewer and less visible scars; and recovery times are shorter than ever, meaning less time away from the office. And with the mainstream popularity of shows like Extreme Makeover and

Nip/Tuck removing some of the stigma associated with such procedures, plastic surgery has become part of the medical mainstream.

Especially in Florida, where the workforce includes older members and those embarking on second careers, cosmetic surgery is becoming one more tool in workers' quest to stay competitive. But some procedures can run into thousands of dollars-not covered by insurance-and surgery and other invasive procedures do involve some risks. That's not stopping many people, who want all the edge they can get.

"Frankly, businesses are based on sales, and customers often make decisions based on what they see," says Dr. Elizabeth Fox of the Fox Plastic Surgery Center in Naples. "There is an age prejudice, definitely."

"First impressions are made in the first 30 seconds or so," says Dr. Alexia Marciano of the Center for Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery. And generalizations, fair or not, are made about people who appear older, she adds, ticking off some of the most common: "They're slower, they're not as bright, not as aggressive, not interested in a long-term career."

Dr. Ralph Garramone, who has operated a practice in Fort Myers for more than four years, has seen a growing trend in surgeries in general, and among businesspeople particularly. "Not only do they do it because they need to feel competitive, but also some feel the people they're dealing with are younger and might feel more comfortable with someone their age."

And how we look also affects how we feel. A trimmer, younger, more polished appearance can build confidence and self-esteem, which can contribute to efficacy and competence at work. "Just like when you put on a nice suit, you feel empowered; you feel confident," says Marciano. "That's really what it's all about. Everyone wants to feel eager and alert."

While someone like Curle, who makes a living in front of a camera, may be an obvious candidate for this type of procedure, the growing trend of career-motivated surgeries isn't limited to those in media. Area doctors report seeing patients who are in the fields of real estate, fitness, medicine and many others.

Who's Doing It?

Many people begin thinking about having work done in their mid-40s, reports Marciano, when the face people see in their mirror begins to show signs of aging, though the person may feel no different from his or her younger self.

Adds Fox: "I think people want to match their face with their inside."

This is also the time when women decide to do something about the post-baby weight they may not have been able to shed, or when men realize they can't exercise away persistent love handles.

But doctors also see patients in their 30s coming in for minor procedures, to start slowing the aging process early; and many candidates are baby boomers in their 50s and 60s who are ready to address more apparent signs of aging.

"When I mentioned my pending surgery to some of my women friends, I learned that I was the only one among them who hadn't had any work done!" says Curle, who is in her 50s.

And while more women than men are electing to have cosmetic procedures done, the gents are catching up. "There are definitely more men [having plastic surgery] than there used to be even five years ago," says Marciano.

Best Face Forward

"For career reasons, most people are concerned about their face," says Garramone. Crow's-feet around the eyes can make a person look tired, for example. Wrinkles in the forehead can create an angry, unpleasant impression. "That may put people off from dealing with you," Garramone says.

A number of procedures, both surgical and nonsurgical, help address issues of facial aging. For those noticing just the beginnings of fine lines and wrinkles, injectable substances, like Botox or the newly FDA-approved Restylane, may provide enough improvement.

Botox injections in the forehead, for example, can help smooth wrinkles that may make a person appear angry, stressed, or frustrated by relaxing the muscles underneath. The injections take only five minutes in a doctor's office, with the full effects visible in just three to seven days, and the effects last anywhere from three to six months.

Radiance is a tissue filler that can be injected into the nasal-labial fold-the common lines around the mouth-in a doctor's office within 15 minutes, and the effects last up to two years. Fox often performs these two procedures together on patients with excellent results. "This is no exaggeration: you can look five to 10 years younger," she says.

Lip augmentation can aid in returning patients-particularly females, whose lips tend to thin as estrogen levels decline-to a fresher, more youthful look.

Laser or chemical peels also can help "hold back age," as Dr. Fox puts it. Though these procedures typically involve more downtime for recovery (around three to nine days), effects can be dramatic. "It will virtually eliminate fine lines and wrinkles-primarily around the eyes and mouth," says Garramone. Such procedures don't involve much bruising and swelling, so they can be done with very little missed work, yet still offer the results patients are looking for without being obvious. "I think it's difficult for people to put their finger on what's been done. But the person will look better, somehow," says Garramone.

Some patients elect to have more involved procedures, like blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery on the upper and/or lower lids) for a more alert, awake look; or a full or partial face-lift. These surgeries may require more time away from work for recovery-up to a couple of weeks in some instances-involve bruising and swelling, and leave some telltale scarring, but they also give more dramatic results: "Sort of like taking your face off, smoothing it out, then putting it back on again," says Curle with a laugh.

A Body for Work

Though the face is often the first thing people see-and judge-many professionals are finding that improved techniques in body sculpting allow them to feel trimmer, more polished and more youthful in the business world.

"Body sculpting makes a big difference," says Marciano. "If someone looks fit and trim, it gives the impression they're in shape, they exercise, they're more energetic."

Even those who are in very good shape may find it hard to lose those last 10 or 15 pounds, or find themselves carrying weight in areas that are unaffected by diet and exercise. With a form of liposuction she calls a tumescent technique, Marciano uses saline to facilitate fat removal from the entire area over a certain muscle group-abdomen, thighs or hips, for example. "Removed fat cells never come back, so it's a permanent change," Marciano says-so long as patients maintain their weight.

Patients can be back at work the next day, and there are no stitches, so "people don't have to tell anyone-it's not visible," she says. Swelling goes down gradually in the second week postoperatively, so "it sort of looks like they're just losing weight," Marciano adds.

More involved procedures include abdomenoplasty ("tummy tuck") and gastric bypass ("stomach stapling"), with an attendant longer recovery time.

It's important, Marciano stresses, to evaluate patients' physical conditions and willingness to follow directions before undergoing such complicated procedures. These surgeries also involve several weeks of recovery.

For many patients, the lost work time is worth it. One of Marciano's patients who works in the medical field had liposuction done on her arms, abdomen, back, and hips, which required her to take a two-week leave from work. "It made me feel better about myself and gave me more self-esteem so I could do my job more efficiently," says the patient.

The Best Look Money Can Buy

Surgeries typically begin at $5,000 and can go up far beyond that, especially if patients opt to have several procedures-say, a face lift and eyelid surgery-done at the same time.

For Curle, the time and expense of her surgeries have more than paid off. "Professionally, the cosmetic surgery will surely increase my on-camera opportunities," she says. But she feels the benefits every day in her personal life, too: "Not too long ago, my husband and I saw some friends we hadn't seen for quite a while," she relates. "One woman was very complimentary about my new haircut and perceived weight loss. Finally I laughed and admitted, 'It's amazing what thousands of dollars will do!'"