Remember Gordon Patzer, the author of Looks: Why They Matter More Than You Ever Imagined, who predicts that plastic surgery will become a tool in career advancement [1] just like education? He's not a surgeon but he has spent his career researching what US News calls "the phenomenon of physical appearance." Patzer and a couple other cosmetic experts chose the three best and worst plastic surgeries for your career [2]. US News has paired their picks with physician's fees that don't include the additional 20 to 40 percent cost for anesthesia, implant, and operating-room costs. Are the expenses and pain worth any possible benefits?

The Best

• Eyelid surgery, average cost: $3,134. Patzer says: "Facial symmetry correlates to attractiveness, as do perceptions of youth and health. Eyelid surgery can be a good investment."
• Face-lift (for women over 50), average cost: $5,031. Denise Thomas a New York cosmetic surgery consultant, says: "The minute the woman has her face-lift, she becomes bouncier, happier — just happy with herself."
• Rhinoplasty, average price: $3,833. Lois Stern, author of Sex, Lies, and Cosmetic Surgery says: A nose job, like a face-lift, can give confidence to someone who has long felt the feature was holding him or her back.

Find out which surgeries are the worst when you .

The Worst

• Forehead lift, average cost: $3,092. Thomas says: "A forehead lift can leave a man with a constant surprised look, as though he's about to ask a question. And you ask yourself: How intelligent was this man? Did he check it out?"
• Breast augmentation, average cost: $3,816. Thomas says: "A major breast enhancement may backfire professionally for a woman who works in a conservative setting like a bank."
• Liposuction, average cost: $2,982. According to Stern: "Liposuction cuts the fat quickly, but if patients aren't upfront with colleagues, relationships can be damaged by the secrecy behind the improved appearance."

Source [3]