title: Altering first impressions after facial plastic surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  First impressions are greatly influenced by facial appearance. Clinical data from psychiatric medicine overwhelming indicate that attractive individuals receive better judgment, treatment and behavior [1,2,10]. This study aimed to determine whether cosmetic alteration of facial features projects a better first impression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Random reviewers were asked independently to grade standardized preoperative and postoperative photographs of patients who underwent facial plastic surgery. The reviewers were blinded to the pre- or postoperative status of the photograph. The questions posed to the reviewers were based on first-impression studies used in the past.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The findings indicate that postoperative cosmetic surgery patients were graded as 31% more attractive, 27% better in social skills, 22% more successful in dating, 19% better in athletic skills, 15% better in relationship skills, and 13% more financially successful.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Facial cosmetic surgery can improve the first impression an individual creates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Illinois at Chicago, 2913 Commonwealth Street, Suite 430, Chicago, IL 60657, U.S.A. Docdayan@aol.com
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dayan
authors.forename: Kirk
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: Allan A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Ho
mesh_terms: D019882:Blepharoplasty; D004954:Esthetics; D005145:Face / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D010781:Photography; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D012225:Rhinoplasty; D015361:Rhytidoplasty; D012938:Social Perception; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors