Kuala Lumpur, March 15- The ever-increasing obsession with selfies is now leading to an increase in young people seeking cosmetic surgery, experts express fear.
The viral rise of mobile phone pictures taken by oneself, coupled with an obsession with celebrity lifestyle has led to the creation of unrealistic notions of reality, they say.
A new research has shown that one in three plastic surgeons in the US has reported an increase in the number the under-30s willing to go under the knife, especially from ‘patients being more self-aware of looks in social media’.
Marc Pacifico, from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, said the trend was equally noticeable in the UK where young people are constantly gripped by the pressure to look perfect, while comparing their images to those digitally enhanced.
He has been quoted saying, ‘Very often, selfies are not representative of the real person.
‘Younger people often make themselves look better by taking out blemishes so you’ve got this huge pressure on other young people to conform to some sort of ideal image.’
In the US, selfie pressure is now a common trend and has led to a ten per cent rise in nose jobs and seven per cent in hair transplants.
Former winner of The Apprentice Dr Leah Totton, who has opened a skin clinic earlier this year, said, ‘Due to increased social networking we now have unlimited access to the appearance of others, including celebrities. Patients will often present their selfie and compare it with celebs’ selfies, requesting a feature such as lips or cheeks like a particular celebrity.’
‘This can distort a person’s perception of what a “normal person” looks like and what is attainable.’
This said distortion of what was socially acceptable was expressed as a ‘worrying trend’ by all the doctors consulted during the research.
-Indiatoday
