Selfie-Esteem: The Rise of Plastic Surgery in an Age of Selfies

Have you posted a selfie today? If not, you are part of a dwindling minority. According to recent counts, there are currently 41 million selfies posted online, mainly on social media websites. While these impromptu self-portraits were once the domain of sorority girls, you’ll now find everyone and their grandmother posting selfies online.

One result of the mainstreaming of selfies is that people are more aware of their appearance than ever. Many people take several for each they post, evaluating each for angle, lighting, and how their features are balanced. This heightened awareness may be the cause of an increased amount of plastic surgery, especially in young people. While the rates of plastic surgery have remained stable in middle aged and older people, 60% of patients polled by The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery are reporting an increase in plastic surgery among patients under the age of 30. One-third of these physicians have noted an increase in people asking for plastic surgery with looking better online as a stated cause.

It’s hard to not be aware of your appearance when you are constantly photographing it for Instagram or Snapchat. What features appear most selfie-sensitive? The fastest increasing procedures are nose jobs, hair transplants, and eyelid surgery.

It’s certainly easy when taking selfies with a low quality cell phone camera and unflattering lighting to notice every flaw. Maybe some people are devastated when their masterpiece doesn’t get enough likes or comments. However, is plastic surgery really the answer? Perhaps instead of investing in a more narrow chin, young people should invest in a DSLR or Photoshop. While it’s impossible to browse social media without running into a beautiful celebrity selfie (we’re look at you, Kardashian/Jenner clan!), those celebs had the benefit of professional lighting and photo editing even for their most unstaged photos.

While selfies can become a vehicle for negatively evaluating your features, they also can be a way for people to embrace their appearance and learn self-love. Try new angles, new lighting, and new backdrops. More important, ignore the number of likes and focus on what features you love about yourself.