Influence of Facebook and other social media platforms on plastic surgery

A recent annual poll from the American Academy of Facial and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) shows an increase in cosmetic surgery requests a result of how people want to present themselves on social media. The survey asked 753 AAFPRS board-certified facial plastic surgeons trends they are currently seeing and the results showed a 31% increase of surgery requests to ultimately give them a better appearance online. Breast augmentation remains the top cosmetic procedure requested followed by botox, upper-arm lifts, rhinoplasty and facelifts.

“We live in a very visual world, and have come to expect that we will be ‘Googled’ or ‘Facebooked’ even before actually meeting someone socially or professionally,” Sam Rizk, M.D., an AAFPRS member and director of Manhattan Facial Plastic Surgery in New York, told Time.

On the upside, patients who use social media and other trusted sites to research information make better patients for surgeons. Dr. Robert Kellman, the president of the AAFRPS agrees this trend is positive. “I find more patients using what the find online to become more educated and will bring in what they find, and asked to be informed,” he says. “In the past, people took everything they read online as gospel and would even challenge you. I think people are becoming more sophisticated [with their research].”

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