The unapologetic office glow-up era is here

• It's a growing work etiquette conundrum: Would you talk about your facelift in the office?
• Cosmetic procedures became increasingly popular during the work-from-home boom.
• Workers said their procedures boosted their confidence, and many discussed them in the office.

It's nice when a coworker compliments your new haircut. But what about your new face, nose, or body?

When Jennifer Vaughan, 55, returned to work as a substitute teacher after her facelift, nobody said anything outright. Vaughan worried, "God, is it not enough of a difference that somebody isn't asking?"

However, there were signs her coworkers were just being polite. One teacher did a double take and stammered their way through asking if something had changed. She told a few other teachers, and said, "They were like, 'Okay, I thought something was up, but I wasn't totally sure.'"

Nearly 1.6 million Americans opted for cosmetic surgery in 2024, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons; this follows a pandemic-era boom, during which procedures increased by 19% from 2019 to 2022.

With the return-to-office era in full swing, we're seeing our coworkers in person more often. Those with a new face, body, or waistline can't hide behind a camera-off virtual meeting. It's a tricky line to toe; yes, your appearance has changed — hopefully in a way you enjoy — but is it worth drawing attention to? How will coworkers respond, and should they?

Bigger picture, however, workers might keep finding it's worth it to go under the knife. Being hot at work is, empirically, a good way to get ahead; research has shown that good-looking workers see a real wage boost from an attractiveness premium.

In some cases, it could also be bonding. One worker I spoke with said that she learned about her Botox injector from a coworker; another said that she kept a nose job a strict secret, even after feeling pressure from managers to fess up.

Vaughan said that after the initial awkwardness, she has been an open book about her facelift. She also documented it on social media. Some of her coworkers have openly shared about getting liposuction or facial procedures, too.

Sharing injectors and a secret rhinoplasty

For Kelsey Sowder, an Indianapolis-based 33-year-old in public relations, talking about her cosmetic procedures — from Botox to microneedling to the more intensive laser treatment she recently underwent — is part of her workplace experience. She works in a predominantly female office and openly discusses getting Botox with her coworkers.

"We're like, 'Look at my forehead. It looks amazing,'" Sowder said. She and her coworkers will chat about what they might want to get done next. Sowder even found her first Botox injector from a coworker's recommendation.

"Luckily, I work at a place where there is no shame in discussing those things," she said. "It's more of a camaraderie, and I feel very comfortable explaining what I do transparently and having that be well received, or people are respectful about it, and they're like, 'You know what? OK, maybe that's not for me, but that's for you.'"

For some coworkers, it's a bonding experience. Procedures like Botox and filler, which don't usually require a full surgical experience, are immensely popular, with injectable procedures growing 4% year-over-year in 2024 to nearly 10 million patients, per ASPS; it's become, to some degree, destigmatized. The stereotype of an older celebrity with a Botox-frozen face has been supplanted by young influencers and professionals — and has even expanded to include more men. When speaking to coworkers about this story, several readily told me they'd had Botox and were under the impression that everyone was doing it.

It was a very different story when Mia McCormack, 33, got a rhinoplasty — colloquially known as a nose job — and chin implant over a decade ago. At the time, the Kentucky-based McCormack was working in retail and chose not to tell any of her coworkers that she was undergoing the procedure.

She said that her manager criticized her decision to keep the surgery to herself, believing that she should be open about why she took time off. When she came back two weeks later, a regular customer and a coworker immediately clocked the change, and her male coworkers assumed she had had her wisdom teeth removed because her cheeks were puffy.

Now that time has passed, McCormack is happy to be open about the surgery. If she did it again today, she's not sure whether she'd share — she said she'd still err more on the side of privacy. But she does sense the changing tides.

"I think the stigma, it's definitely changed. I feel like so many people are getting stuff done more," McCormack said.

Another factor is the changing shape of work: A lot of offices are back in person and, in an otherwise dreary jobs market, healthcare services have been a rare bright spot. That means more Americans working in fields that are exposed to, and may even provide, some of these services.

Dr. Soheila Rostami, an oculofacial plastic surgeon in Virginia, said that while engineers, "IT, and politicians don't talk about it," those in the medical field are very open with each other about getting work done; influencers and entertainers are also forthcoming.

One of those health professionals is Jennifer Belen, a 52-year-old medical spa consultant. She shared her facelift experience with her peers, coworkers, and close friends — and documented it on social media.

"I healed incredibly well. My bruising was mild," Belen said. "I was back at work on day 11. I was in a field that I could explain to people like, 'Oh, I had a facelift.'"

If she were in a different job, she said, she might have taken more time off or disclosed less. But her coworkers are eagle-eyed and understanding. She also felt she could be authentic with patients: She could explain what they could do without surgical intervention, and then use herself as an example of what surgery can achieve.

"I've had a couple friends that have gone for consults since I had my surgery, and I have so many people reach out on TikTok," Belen said.

A competitive edge at work, but it comes with costs

Of course, plastic surgery is still far from the norm and financially out of reach for many. Even the ever-popular Botox can run around $500 per session.

There's also a tricky line to toe between using plastic surgery as a means to express agency versus using it to conform to societal standards, which could also open the door for professional advancement.

"It is a challenge because people who do completely elective procedures often are doing so because they are in groups that are most likely to be discriminated against or left behind in the workplace," author and sociologist Kjerst Gruys said, referring to women, people of color, older folks, and those who are not thin.

Gruys said that she wants people to feel like they're making a willful choice to undergo expensive or risky beauty enhancements rather than "because they're concerned that they won't have the opportunities that they deserve if they don't look a certain way."

McCormack, who underwent a rhinoplasty and chin implant while working in retail, said she noticed her sales increased after the tweaks, especially from male customers.

For Belen, the medical spa consultant, undergoing plastic surgery helped her align her self-perception with what she saw in the mirror. She has received questions on social media from the surgery-curious — some of whom see it as something that can give them a competitive edge at work.

"I've had a couple people say they just feel like they're in a young world and they're older and they don't want to be seen as aging out of their career," Belen said.

For Michael Conigliaro, 55, the change has felt positive. At first, he was nervous — he had grown his hair out to distract from his neck lift, deep plane facelift, cheek implants, upper and lower blepharoplasty, buccal fat removal, Erbium laser, and fat transfer.

Still, he documented his journey online. Southern California-based Conigliaro has worked in and around beauty and aesthetics for most of his career; he's currently a patient coordinator for a well-known orthodontist.

However, he still felt some nerves about returning to work. It was more psychological: Did he look substantially different? Had he made the right call?

But ultimately, he feels that the surgery has opened doors for him at work. He's strengthened bonds with patients who have also undergone surgery, and has felt a tangible confidence boost.

"When you take this step, it's not selfish," Conigliaro said. "Do it because you show up better, you show up more confident, you're in work — depending on the type of field that you're in — more confident in what you're doing because you feel good."