Plastic Surgery’s New Wave

Los Angeles-based plastic surgeon Dr. Chia Chi Kao (KaoPlasticSurgery.com) has seen many stars enter his office, but now he's noticing an influx of a different type of clientele. "A lot of corporate executives in their 40s and 50s are coming in," he says. "They want to compete against the younger guys and relate to them, too. In some companies, you might have a 30-year-old boss, so the way you portray yourself can affect the upward mobility of your job." In other words, it's hard to command and conquer with heavy bags under your eyes.

Here, Kao outlines the most coveted procedures and the latest technology to keep you on top of your game.

Brow
Got a saggy one? An endoscopic temporal brow rotation involves making a small incision behind the hairline to lift the skin and removing a sliver of flesh from the upper eyelid. Be sure your surgeon doesn't extract too much--you might end up Clockwork Orange-ing it, unable to shut your eyes.
Cost: $15,000-$20,000
Recovery time: 10-14 days

Under-eye bags
To fix them, a little skin under the eye is pinched, the lower
lid's muscle is tightened, and fat from the bag is repositioned.
Cost: $5,000-$8,000
Recovery time: 2-3 weeks

Chin and jaw
The angle of the mandible can be fixed with fillers, implants, or fat grafting (the best method). If there's a marked deficiency in the jawline, a small implant will get you 80% of your desired volume, and the remaining 20% can be obtained using concentrated fat.
Cost: $3,000-$8,000 (jaw); $5,000-$8,000 (chin)
Recovery time: 7-10 days (jaw); 10-14 days (chin)

Neck
The neck lift is more difficult for men, whose skin tissue is tougher and more fibrous. The "Rolls-Royce" of procedures is the endoscopic vertical lift, a brow-and-neck lift combo that removes excess skin. But beware of horizontal face-lifts: The sideburn skin shifts into the ear area, so hair could start growing on your lobes.
Cost: $25,000-$35,000 (neck only); $60,000-$80,000 (vertical lift)
Recovery time: 2 1/2-3 weeks

Stomach
The fat extracted from your love handles can be used as filler in the face or buttocks, while laser-assisted liposuction can sculpt abs.
Cost: $3,000-$6,000 (liposuction); $3,000-$6,000 (ab sculpting)
Recovery time: 2 weeks

Buttocks
Fat transfer trumps implants, but you'll need a lot of fat to get that Rafael Nadal bubble butt look. Ask for a silicone block to be placed at the top of your buttocks for more bounce. Warning: Your tush will be very sore for a while.
Cost: $10,000-$15,000
Recovery time: 4 weeks

REINVENTION TOOLS
Three post-surgery products for a smooth recovery

From left to right:

KO'AN Renewal Cream
This retexturing home treatment with retinol helps regenerate cells quickly and reduce wrinkles and pigmentation.
1 oz., $175, KoanCenter.com

Santa Maria Novella Arnica Cream
Natural and organic, this product reduces post-procedure swelling, bruising, redness, and stiffness.
8.45 fl. oz., $76, SantaMariaNovellaUSA.com

GNC Natural Brand Bromelain
Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, pineapple juice helps heal bruising and boost recovery. Its active enzyme, bromelain, can be purchased over the counter as a food supplement.
$14.99 for 60 tablets, GNC.com