Since the advent of social networking sites and social media, the life of the average person has been put on display for the world to see. This network of sharing allows individuals to take a deeper look inside the lives of their friends and peers, which may create a sense of internal competition among some. From afar, pictures of a seemingly more glamorous lifestyle may induce the urge for self-reflection. With increased use of pictures to publicly document one’s life, as well as features that allow others to comment, Dr. Epstein has noted a surge in his practice that can be somewhat credited to the increased use of social networking.
Facebook Facelift
The term, “Facebook Facelifts,” as reported by The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, encompasses not only the rise in facial plastic surgeries, but rather includes an entire new genre of patients and their elected procedures. Before a patient’s first meeting with Dr. Epstein, the doctor may suggest he or she bring in printouts of the Facebook or other social networking photos that show an area of the face for facelift, chin implants, or nose job procedures. Dr. Epstein may also use computer-imaging techniques to create photos that illustrate the feature before and after the cosmetic procedure.
Social media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube have provided a platform for people to seek physical change, sometimes sparking their desire to permanently change their looks. These prospective plastic surgery patients can view how their peers are aging and may feel compelled to maintain this kind of self-confidence as they grow older. Though these Web sites should not explain the full reason someone chooses to go under the knife for a Facebook Facelift, the pictures they display may enforce what a patient has known all along: they’ve desired an about-face. Learn more about your facelift or mid-facelift options.