Is Social Media Pushing Millenials To Plastic Surgery?

Social media has become the main avenue of communication for people across the world. Young teens turn to their apps for the latest gossip, fashion trends and activities of celebrities and influencers. It has become a unique form of self-expression, with regular selfies highlighting changes in our appearance. Looking beautiful is hardly a new trend, but social media makes us question our looks more than ever. This raises a key question affecting millennials: is social media making them turn to plastic surgery at a young age? What sparked the trend of getting lip fillers at sixteen?

Impact on plastic surgery:

Plastic surgery has been common for decades, but there has been an increase in millennials acquiring botox and lip fillers. It isn’t surprising that young teens would think about enhancing their appearance when they are constantly reminded of it. Those selfies make us remember the wrinkles under our eyes and the flaws in our physique. With the rise of Snapchat, we are not only encouraged to take more selfies but are also exposed to filters that clarify our skin tone, contour our features and reduce our nose size. According to AAFPRS, 54% of facial surgeons saw an increase in patients under 30 years old undergoing cosmetic procedures.

Due to statistics such as these, there is compelling evidence to believe that social media is encouraging millennials to undergo plastic surgery. Young teens see celebrities such as Kylie Jenner with lip fillers at the age of sixteen, which normalizes cosmetic procedures. It is important to remind social media users that the images they see do not match reality. Filters, lighting, and even Photoshop are used to enhance pictures tagged as ‘natural beauty’. If they believe that beauty only comes from mimicking the plump lips and defined cheek bones on social media, they are pressured to undergo plastic surgery. It is also the responsibility of medical practitioners to publish facts not myths about cosmetic procedures. Educating the younger generation is the first step to halting this risky trend.