Not only has social media changed the way we communicate, but it has also changed the way we think about plastic surgery and the way we see ourselves. Year after year the number of requests for plastic surgery increases, and the growth of social media may be one of the primary reasons for that growth.
According to a survey by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, more than 40 percent of surgeons reported that looking better in selfies on Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook was an incentive for getting surgery.
People want to look better online. This may be due in large part to seeing ourselves more and noticing the changes that come with aging. Another contributing factor is friends tagging pictures. You can control what you post, but others may post pictures of you that are not as flattering.
Don’t underestimate the power of social media with its vast influence. It is now becoming more and more common to see women in their early 20s beginning to consider rejuvenating options.
Social media, and in particular the selfie, has dramatically increased self-awareness, which translates into more patients seeking to improve their appearance with cosmetic procedures.
Smartphone apps that can alter images to create a different appearance have also been developed – and these apps are adding to the increasing popularity of plastic surgery. These apps can be as simple as a filter that changes the shading on an image, or the app can apply artificial makeup and remove wrinkles. There are apps that can pinch your waist, soften lines, elongate your face, plump your lips and take years off your age.
Instagram is also creating a plastic surgery trend of its own. It used to be that patients would bring photos of their favorite celebrities or pictures of someone else to their consultation. Now, more patients are bringing their favorite Instagram selfies (complete with filters) to show their surgeon how they want to look.
Social media is also changing the way patients find their plastic surgeons. Social media and review sites allow patients to research their plastic surgeon before making a choice. In addition to star ratings, these reviews tell us what patients did and did not like about the surgeon.
Yes, social media is having a growing impact on plastic surgery. So use it as a tool to empower yourself as a patient.
To find out if plastic surgery is right for you, contact us for more information or to schedule a consultation. BEYOND Collective serves patients in Nashville, Brentwood, Hendersonville, Franklin, Murfreesboro, Smyrna, Lebanon and across Tennessee.