I Got a Chin Augmentation to Get Ahead in My Finance Career — and Don't Regret It

Updated on Oct 9, 2018 at 8:15 AM

Illustration by Hannah Packer

In light of a recent RealSelf Aesthetics Interest Survey, which found that men are 36 percent more likely to get plastic surgery to get ahead at work than women, we asked Carl*, a 40-year-old finance professional working at a private equity firm in New York City, to explain how getting a noninvasive chin augmentation helped his self-esteem — and his career. The following story was told to Kelsey Castañon and edited for length and clarity.

When you're younger, you can get away with having some flaws. You think, "OK, maybe I'm not perfect, but I've got good hair; I'm in good shape." Then as you get older, stuff just doesn't cooperate like it used to. Everything adds up. Maybe the hair's growing thinner, or it's harder to keep the weight down. You figure you might want to start intervening. And frankly, as you reach the age where you've got a little more disposable income, you begin to think more seriously about things like cosmetic surgery.

In finance, appearances matter, especially in a place like New York, and we're all trying to show ourselves from our best angles.

When it came to my chin and jawline, I always thought, "Well, that could be improved," but I never really considered doing anything about it. I wouldn't say it's held me back in my career, but finance is a competitive field — so many people want to get into it. If the average person in this job is a well-dressed, well-educated, and well-pedigreed person, you do everything you can that's in your control to advance along those ranks. In finance, appearances matter, especially in a place like New York, and we're all trying to show ourselves from our best angles. Everyone, whether consciously or unconsciously, knows what the pecking order is and how the pecking order is established, so we change our behavior to advance.

Just look at people who are successful in all walks of life, even in careers where you would not necessarily think that looks matter: they all tend to fit a certain mold. They're all, in a sense, on the spectrum of handsome. It's not clear which way the causation goes, but at a minimum, there's a correlation between the way they look. So I thought to myself, "You know what? This is a small investment, and a stronger jawline is associated with decisiveness, and competence, and power. Who doesn't want to exude those three things?"

Taking the Plunge

I did a lot of homework on plastic surgeons and found Dr. Lara Devgan, who had a really good background and reviews online. She told me about noninvasive injections that last up to three years. I booked the procedure at a time when I was not busy at work and could get out of the office for a little downtime. I didn't tell anyone.

The whole thing took 20 minutes, and it was pretty painless — just a few pricks.

In general, I would never trumpet or actively share that I did anything, but I wouldn't deny it, either. Dr. Devgan told me a lot of guys do go see her, but for whatever reason, they keep it a secret. It's perceived to be too feminine or not manly enough, or something. There are certainly cultural expectations about what is acceptable behavior for guys and what's not, but that might be changing: there seems to be a growing acceptance with men caring about grooming, skin care, health care, and fitness, so cosmetic surgery probably fits into all that.

The treatment itself is pretty straightforward. I had two that were both minimally invasive, even though I had a little bruising for a few days after. For the first procedure, the doctor injected filler into my jawline to make it look slightly receded. The whole thing took 20 minutes, and it was pretty painless — just a few pricks. The second time we did Kybella, which permanently dissolves the fat under the chin, and that took a little bit longer. It stung, but not enough to deter me from doing it again.

Reaping the Chiseled Benefits

It's only been a few months, but I'm super happy with the result. I do notice a difference when I look in the mirror in the morning when I'm shaving, or when I'm straightening my tie, and I think other people can, too. A bunch of friends have told me I look better, like I'm more well-rested or happier, but nobody has said, "Hey, what's going on with your chin there? You look odd or different." It's just the better version of how I looked before, which makes the procedure a home run, as far as I'm concerned. Now, in three years, when it wears out, I'm definitely going to go back and have it done again.

In a way, it's not all that different from putting on a really nice suit — it makes you feel good about yourself. And, of course, if you can pump yourself up and are more confident, you will perform better at work. None of that is 100 percent proven, but hey, if it makes you feel better, that's a good place to start.

*Name has been changed to protect the patient's privacy.