“Selfie:” A word that is very common with smartphone users! Ellen Degeneres’ Oscar selfie is not only the most tweeted picture of all time, it is an example of the increased interest in these types of photos. According to the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, one in three plastic surgeons say more people are asking for cosmetic procedures directly because of their increased self-awareness through social media. Survey participants say they want to “look better online.” Between 2012 and 2013, there was a 10 percent rise in rhinoplasty, 7 percent rise in hair transplants, and 6 percent rise in eyelid surgeries.

According to the president of AAFPRS, apps like Instagram and Snapchat “force patients to hold a microscope up to their own image … and look at it with a more self-critical eye.” These images are often the first impressions that friends, families, and even prospective employers see! As can be expected, the rise in numbers is mostly attributed to people under 30, since they are the users who have been impacted the most by social media.

Although women are still much more likely to visit a plastic surgeon – asking mostly for face lifts, eye lifts, and Botox injections – men are seeing growing numbers, too. Both sexes are interested in eliminating wrinkles!

People have always become more self-critical when the camera is turned on them, but this is different: We are turning the cameras on ourselves!