People who spend a lot of time on social media are more likely to get plastic surgery, study finds

BOSTON - People who spend a lot of time on social media are more likely to get plastic surgery.

A new study out of Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine surveyed patients at a dermatology clinic between 2019 and 2021 and found that time spent on social media, and the use of photo-editing applications, correlate with a person's desire to undergo cosmetic procedures.  

They say the angle of a "selfie" often distorts facial features in such a way that people don't like the way they look.  

Called "Snapchat dysmorphia," people seek treatments like Botox and fillers to try to look more like the filtered or edited versions of themselves.  

Those who interact with celebrities and influencers on social media and those who follow plastic surgery and dermatology accounts are also more likely to want to get "work done".  

The researchers suggest practitioners discuss social media usage with the patients to understand their motivations.

In:
• Social Media
• Plastic Surgery

Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.

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