ABSTRACT
Currently, one person in the United States turns 50 years old every 8 seconds. The baby boomers are aging, and the phenomenon of the aging appearance looms large in consumer conscience. The sustained post-World War II period of economic growth ended in the heady bubble of high-tech expansion and stock market collapse with downsizing added to the social strains of divorce and remarriage. A corresponding boom in media communications, iconographic images, and retail advertising parallel wider acceptance of cosmetic rejuvenation and wider availability of such services. The preoccupation with appearance also dovetails with the renewed emphasis on health and fitness, and the burgeoning consumer market of products promoting wellness.
