More Boomer Men Are Getting Botox

Older men in fear for their jobs are turning to cosmetic surgery, MarketWatch says.

“Total cosmetic procedures for men rose 22 percent from 2000 through 2012, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons,” it says. Just from 2011 to 2012, the number of minimally invasive procedures involving things such as Botox increased 6 percent.

As we’ve written, joblessness lasts longer when you’re older. The number of people 45 and older who have been without work for more than a year has quadrupled since 2007, The Boston Globe says. Some fear it’s because of the way they look.

“Appearance matters in a job search,” John Challenger, CEO of job placement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, told MarketWatch. He recommends projecting energy in an interview, but doesn’t encourage or discourage cosmetic surgery.

Botox and wrinkle fillers are expensive, and definitely not permanent, solutions. “Areas [such as laugh lines around the eyes] might cost $200 or more to treat,” MarketWatch says. “Fillers are sold by the syringe and typically run $500 to $600 per vial, with a usual minimum of two shots per treatment.” Botox lasts about three months, and fillers about a year.

Things can also go wrong in less-than-expert hands. Bad Botox can produce a “frozen look,” and too much filler can cause “duck lips,” MarketWatch says. If cosmetic surgery sounds like an extreme solution, check out the video below for other tips on finding work when you’re past your 40s.