Attractiveness

Business and politics can be superficial, even judgmental. Studies show that those with youthful, symmetrical faces are three times more likely to bag an interview or close a deal as compared to those with lopsided, aging faces. A survey conducted by Forbes magazine confirmed that attractive people enjoy a five percent earnings advantage over those deemed unattractive. Making matters worse for unattractive people is that their earning capacity diminishes at an accelerated rate over time while that of attractive people diminishes at a remarkably slower pace.
In politics, a Finnish study found that male and female political candidates who look better than their opponents enjoy a 20% advantage in approval ratings (so long as their opponent is a non-incumbent). In other words, unattractive candidates must work and spend 20% more to equalize the advantage of their better looking political foes.
In a perfect world, looks should not matter. However, we are wired, on a primal level, to favor people who look healthier, younger and better proportioned.
Unfortunately, not all of us have won the genetic lottery. Some are blessed with good looks while others are challenged. We are born with the face we have and we must make the most of it. There are many ways we can increase our level of attractiveness — grooming and appropriate dressing is one way. Good posture and a confident stride is another. Eye contact and a pleasant facial expression help too. But what happens when these are not enough? What are the options available for those born with unfavorable genes and those whose faces are marred with the creases of time?
OLD REMEDIES
I grew up in the 1980s, when facelifts and facial augmentations were becoming increasingly popular. Many of my aunts and uncles were early adaptors, having had numerous procedures done. As a child, I personally witnessed how bloody and painful the process can be. Back then, a facelift involved multiple lacerations on the scalp and around the ears. The skin would be pulled back and held in place by sutures. It took months to heal. If one was lucky, the sutures would fade away over time and appear only as light scars. The unlucky ones would have to live the rest of their lives with keloids or scars that look like centipedes.
I am now the age of my aunts and uncles and my face shows it. Although I am at peace with having jowls like saddlebags and more creases on my face than the fenders of a Lamborghini, I know it is within my power to get rid of them through a medical procedure.
I have ruled out a surgical facelift since I have seen how the scarring can be worse than the jowls and facial lines it sought to remove. It is also invasive, painful and would require too much time to heal. Like most businessmen, I cannot afford to be incapacitated for more than a couple of days.
I was resigned to live with my aging face until a good friend of mine, Melanie Lantin, told me about the latest technologies in aesthetic science. Melanie is the owner of Medicomm Pacific, Inc., the country’s foremost publisher of medical books, magazines and online medical applications. They are the company behind the highly successful Philippine Pharmaceutical Directory, The Filipino Doctor and, soon, the eRX mobile application. This makes her privy to the latest developments in the medical field.
Melanie suggested I look into the Happy Lift and Skinfill technologies.
HAPPY LIFT TECHNOLOGY
I spoke to Riza Magallon, the Marketing Manager of the Menarini Pharmaceutical Group. Menarini is a 130-year-old Italian pharmaceutical company with a footprint in more than 100 countries. Riza recently briefed me about Happy Lift and Skinfill technologies.
In the last thirty years, the advances made in face lift and facial features augmentations have been phenomenal, explained Riza. Cuts and sutures on the scalp and ears are no longer done, making pain, trauma and scarring a non-issue. The technology of today allows you to enjoy the benefits of a full facelift without down time. Best of all, the procedure is so simple that it only takes 30 minutes to do, using local aesthesia while sitting on a chair.
At the heart of the technology is the use of lifting threads. These threads are inserted by a physician near the ear and made to run under the cheeks and/or jowls through slits on the skin no bigger than an injection needle. The slits are virtually invisible. The threads have tiny barbs that latch on to fat and tissue inside the cheeks. The physician pulls the threads to the desired tautness, just enough to get rid of creases and sagging skin. The skin keeps its form and stays in shape as the barbs hold them firmly in place. The threads are cut and made to retract under the skin. That’s it. The procedure is done.
The lifting threads are made of poly-L-lactic acid and caprolactone (p(LA-CL)) which is a compound naturally produced by our bodies. It disintegrates like water after about eighteen months. Hence, the efficacy of this procedure is between 18 months to two years only. After that, the face falls back to its original form. It is more natural this way, especially for maturing people.
The advantage of using the (p(LA-CL)) threads is that they are elastic and can be stretched and retracted. This means, you can make wide, dramatic facial gestures without being constricted. Over time, the threads also stimulate the production of collagen which makes the face appear more youthful.
Experts agree that the Italian developed (p(LA-CL)) threads are superior to their Korean alternatives.
Those who go through the procedure can expect some bruising, swelling and dimpling in the cheeks and ears but it should dissipate after two weeks.
I was shown some before-and-after pictures and the results are compelling.
SKINFILL TECHNOLOGY
Another option available to aesthetically challenged people is Skinfill Technology. Skinfill is a liquid filler that can solve lopsided cheeks, weak chins and deep wrinkles.
The filler is made of Hyaluronic Acid, a compound also produced by our bodies.
It is simply injected in the area needing augmentation. For me, Riza suggested that I consider some fillers on my chin to achieve a stronger appearance.
The procedure involves no cutting, slits or sutures. All the physician does is inject the Hyaluronic Acid in the target area. A dull ache is to be expected, but many say it is tolerable without anesthesia. The procedure takes around 15 minutes and you can walk away with a stronger chin, more prominent cheeks and no more deep depressions on the face. It’s great for people who have lost facial volume due to sagging and those who wish to restore (or improve) the shape of their faces
The filler uses a patented technology called COESIX Plus. This allows the filled area to have full mobility, not like a silicone implant that can be rigid. Again, since it is made of a material produced by our bodies, it will be naturally absorbed in two years.
The Happy Lift and Skinfill procedures are available in numerous cosmetic or aesthetic clinics around the country, but I was told that Doctor Cyril Agan of the Lift Clinic is among the more experienced medical practitioners in this field.
The advances made in aesthetic technologies are astounding. They have become easy, unintrusive, quick and inexpensive.
As professionals, we should always be on the path towards improvement — and this includes the physical aspect. It’s all about being the best version of ourselves. Beyond the many advantages that being attractive brings to our careers, more importantly, it can also do wonders to our self esteem and confidence. This is priceless.
 
Andrew J. Masigan is an economist.