The stigma attached to plastic surgery has become more and more obsolete thanks to the growing use of social media and available beautifying “filters” found on such platforms as Snapchat and Instagram. Through filters, users can easily erase their flaws and look picture perfect. This obsession with how one looks through filters has given way to increased demand for plastic surgery, with individuals wanting to replicate their filtered look to be the reality and not just the image they see on social media. With the increased utilization of filters among social media users, so has the level of acceptance for plastic surgery.
Social Media Filters vs. Plastic Surgery
Beautifying filters are user features on social media platforms designed by application developers for telling stories and for fun when engaging with friends and followers. But these filters are also applied by users who are unhappy with their appearance and want to cover up or mask something about their physical features. Filters may temporarily fix or hide what needs to be altered, but plastic surgery is more of the permanent means of transforming one’s physical appearance.
Social Media Filter’s Influence on Plastic Surgery Decisions
As mentioned earlier, while filters may not be a permanent solution for appearance changes, they have definitely impacted the demand for plastic surgery procedures. The increased use of social media beautifying filters has given way to a strong influence on people’s hunger to want to look like the filtered versions of themselves. Dr. Wong and his staff have witnessed this movement and have recently seen more and more filtered inspired patients wanting to have defined chins, enlarged lips, nose jobs, enlarged eyes, and even smoothed out the skin to get rid of wrinkles or acne. One thing for certain is that filters will never replace what your appearance is in real life, so Dr. Wong is always sure to educate the filter inspired patients of the reality of their plastic surgery decisions.
If you are curious about what plastic surgery can do for you and how it can resemble your true self vs. your filtered self, contact board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Wong and his staff. Please also follow Honolulu Plastic Surgery on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.