The FaceTime Facelift: How Social Media Is Affecting Plastic Surgery
With more than 400 million people utilizing social media, it’s become the primary way to meet and connect with people. Your photo is the first thing people see on your social media page, making it stressful to pick the perfect picture that will highlight your assets and mask your flaws. Everyone wants to project their best image on these sites, and some say this insecurity is prompting people to go under the knife, simply so they can project a better image in cyberspace.
Plastic surgeons across the country have seen a significant increase in plastic surgery requests specifically because of how people perceive how they appear online. Others, like the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery have found an increase in peopleusing social sites as a resource when considering plastic surgery. According to the AAFPRS, in 2011 42 percent of people sought out social networking sites for advice and information before choosing a procedure.
Doctors have reported that the use of Facebook and video chatting services such as Skype have increased the plastic surgery. Not only are these but FaceTime conversations on iPhones, Twitter avatars, YouTube videos and LinkedIn pictures also making many people uncomfortable with their faces. In this time of social networking, people are making more of their presentations than ever before in history. This leads to the growing market of plastic surgery.
Patients have been reportedly coming in with their iPhones and showing how they look on Apple’s video calling application, FaceTime. The angle at which the phone is held, with the caller looking downward into the camera, really captures any heaviness, fullness and sagging of the face and neck. People are noticing the way they look to others through these applications, and want to get procedures to improve these issues. This is now known as the ‘FaceTime Facelift’ effect, and doctors are developing procedures to specifically address it.
At Shapiro Plastic Surgery, we offer a multitude of procedures that can enhance the way you look, and will make you picture-perfect during your next Skype call: face-lifts, brow lifts, and chin implants are just some of the procedures Dr. Shapiro is highly skilled in. To learn more, contact us today.
