WHAT lengths would you go to change the way you look? Do you believe you could lose out in a job interview to a candidate with the same qualifications but who looks a little younger and fresher?

The idea of defying the effects of aging with a nip here or tuck there at the hands of a plastic surgeon was once exclusive to the Hollywood superstar.

Eventually, with the Botox revolution came the freedom for those wanting a little injection of youth, to pop out during their lunch break and return to work looking like the effects of the previous ten years had been wiped from their face.

Now boob jobs, liposuction, facelifts and all manner of cosmetic wonder treatments are something women in the UK are spending millions on each year.

With men, however the idea of cosmetic surgery refused to catch on. Ask any male work colleague if they have ever considered going under the scalpel, or maybe even indulging in a Botox boost and you will receive a resounding “no” probably delivered in incredulous tones.

Give it a few seconds and ask again though and you may get something along the lines of “well…I suppose I have never really liked my nose” or “the bags under my eyes seem to be getting worse”.

In the 1990s the market for cosmetic products for men really took off and today’s metrosexual man may now have a longer bedtime “routine” than his wife or girlfriend.

In 2010 it appears the fellas, like a significant wedge of the female population, are finally making the leap to more radical treatments too.

This week, Paul Baguley, one of the leading cosmetic surgeons in the UK, who works from a surgery in York, said he had experienced a huge 45 per cent increase in the amount of men coming for treatment over the past two years. He also gave some shocking reasons behind what he thinks the motivation might be for some men to opt for surgery.

He said when he started out in 1989, men would have made up maybe just one or two per cent of his clients – and he dealt mainly with young girls asking for breast implants or middle-aged females wanting a tummy-tuck.

Now he talks of a “shift” and says men make up around 20 per cent of clients and he believes, incredibly, that males will eventually outnumber his female customers.

“Men have always been in the market for lotions and potions so it was only a matter of time before they made this jump,” he said.

“It’s quite remarkable to see how trends and attitudes towards cosmetic surgery among Yorkshire men have changed over the last few years, as it used to be quite a taboo subject.

“Men are now quite open about talking cosmetic and non-cosmetic surgery, and they generally know what they want. Over the last two years we have seen a big increase in the number approaching me to discuss eye lid surgery to make themselves look younger for job interviews, or to simply boost their confidence.

“I have had a number of people come in and tell me that they feel there’s a pressure to look good at work or job interviews.

“If you aren’t looking quite your best and someone comes in for an interview looking younger and fresher they might have the same qualifications as you but if they look that bit better it might just win over an interview panel.”

Mr Baguley said he also sees a lot of male divorcees, perhaps in their mid-thirties or forties who are back on the market and feel it’s time to give their looks a boost.

As for non-surgical treatments such as Botox, more commonly known in celebrity circles as an aid to reduce the appearance of lines, many are now inquiring about using the injection in other parts of the body, such as the arm pits to stop heavy perspiration during high level meetings and presentations.

And of the 700 surgeries Mr Baguley carries out every year, one of the most popular treatments for men is Blepharoplasty, which raises eye lids and reduces the tired looking skin under the eye.

The procedure has become particularly popular during the recession for a number of reasons, again because men want to look more youthful in an attempt to keep their jobs, get jobs, or improve their chances of meeting a new partner.

However Mr Baguley’s advice is surprising to those considering ridding themselves of a beer belly or the dreaded man-boobs by going for cosmetic surgery.

“People think it’s a quick fix - “let’s get the fat sucked out”, but it’s not a quick fix. Don’t smoke and drink and get some exercise. That will help you look good.

“If I saw a short fat guy, I would tell them to eat less.

“Just because I run a business doesn’t mean I will take the money and do whatever –it would be immoral. Surgery should be a last option.

“Diet, exercise and pack in the smoking.”