Cosmetic Surgery Etiquette
Last week, I spoke to a group of Canadian law clerks about the generations in the workplace—the different work expectations Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Millennials possess and how to bridge those differences. On my flight home, I came across a statistic about my own Baby Boomer generation. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, we’re flocking to cosmetic surgeons at a growing rate. Adults aged 40 to 54 accounted for 33% of all cosmetic surgeries in 2010, while adults aged 55 or more accounted for an additional 22% of such procedures.
It seems that, whenever I take a walk in my New York City neighborhood, I encounter more men and women, who have received one too many injections of botox,. They look unnatural, with puffed-out, waxy cheeks and cat-like eyes. I’m always slightly embarrassed that the attempted erasure of wrinkles has caught my attention.
What’s the etiquette here? Since so many are “doing it,” how should we react when we encounter someone who has had some “work done”?
Clearly, it’s inappropriate to pry. Asking, “Oh my gosh, what’s happened,” is unlikely to strengthen any friendship. Wait for the person who has gone under the knife to tell you about the procedure. If they don’t do so immediately, provide them with an opening by saying something along the lines of, “Gee, you look terrific. What’s your secret?”
If you’ve undergone a procedure, take control of any conversations. Without going into the details, let others know that you’ve undergone a nip or tuck, especially if it’s painfully obvious that you have. (People have a way of noticing major nose jobs and hair transplants.) Then, limit discussion to the amount of information you are willing to share.
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