Have you ever taken a selfie, looked at it, decided your nose looked massive and promptly booked an appointment with your local plastic surgeon? Probably not, though according to the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS), the selfie trend is causing an increasing number of people to undertake face-related plastic surgery.
Results from a recent study conducted by the AAFPRS found that one in three plastic surgeons have seen an increase in the number of people requesting alterations to their face “due to patients being more self-aware of looks in social media.”
The study found that 2013 saw a 10 percent jump in nose-related procedures on the previous year, a 7 percent increase in hair transplants, and a 6 percent rise in eyelid surgery.
Self-critical
“Social platforms like Instagram, Snapchat and the iPhone app Selfie.im, which are solely image based, force patients to hold a microscope up to their own image and often look at it with a more self-critical eye than ever before,” claimed Edward Farrior, MD and president of the AAFPRS. “These images are often the first impressions young people put out there to prospective friends, romantic interests and employers and our patients want to put their best face forward.”
Bullying was also reported to be a factor in prompting people to undertake plastic surgery, though most surgeons questioned in the study said children and teens tend to undergo procedures “as a result of being bullied (69 percent) rather than to prevent being bullied (31 percent).”
Fifty-eight percent of the plastic surgeons questioned in the study said that in 2013 they saw an increase in cosmetic surgery or injectables in people aged 30 or below.
Women accounted for the majority (81 percent) of face-based surgical procedures last year, with much of the work focusing on “preserving their youthful appearance with a facelift and eye lift as well as having a well-proportioned, attractive nose,” while men were more worried about wrinkles and having a full head of hair.
The annual survey involves a select group of the AAFPRS’s 2,700 members and aims to discover the latest trends in face-related plastic surgery.
Not just selfies
Last year the same study pointed to video-chat software as the reason for the uptick in people seeking procedures.
“Skype, FaceTime, and other live talk features on digital devices have led to more consultations and procedures,” Dr. Malcolm Z. Roth, former President of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, said at the time. “People are noticing their jowls, necks, and wrinkles. Neurotoxins, fillers, laser procedures as well as neck and face lifts and eyelid tucks are being requested by these ‘social’ individuals.”
With the proliferation of camera-equipped smartphones and the rise in popularity of photo-sharing apps like Instagram, selfies have taken off big time in the last year or so, with the AAFPRS consequently highlighting it as an additional factor in prompting people to change their looks.
Do you think the AAFPRS is on to something here? Sound off in the comments below.
[Image: Bevan Goldswain / Shutterstock]
