According to recent news reports, the rise of “selfies”, also known as photos of oneself taken by oneself (for those not up to date on internet lingo), is contributing to the rise of plastic surgery rates. Younger generations are heavily engulfed in the worlds of Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, and the like, which prompt the user to post a multitude of photos, many of which are “selfies.” Photos taken close up on mobile devices can be harsh, spotlighting unflattering angels and flaws, and making the user more self aware and self critical. A recent poll of members of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) revealed that 13% of physicians surveyed had noticed a significant correlation between patient complaints generating from social media and plastic surgery requests.
Every year, the rate of cosmetic procedures and surgeries is on the rise. As well, patients seeking surgery are younger than ever before, and many physicians believe this is due to the influences of social media. Sites like Twitter make celebrities more accessible, so users are able to “follow” their celebrity idols in real time, reading their personal posts and seeing their photos posted around the clock. We all know that celebrities are in a league of their own in terms of physical looks, access to expensive clothes, makeup (when applicable), and cosmetic surgery, and never post a bad selfie. This makes the general public, aka “followers”, feel the need to keep up, which sometimes entails visits to plastic surgeons’ offices.
It has been reported that the most common plastic surgery for people under age 35 is rhinoplasty, and the majority of these are women. Social media doesn’t seem to be slowing down, with more sites being added every year. We hope that if selfies are truly a motivating factor in plastic surgery, patients are at least doing it for themselves and not for a larger audience. If you are considering having plastic surgery, make sure to consult with an experienced, board certified physician to ensure the best possible outcome.