Social media driving trend in cosmetic surgery

HOUSTON – Everywhere you look, people are on their phones, and most of the time, they aren't "talking" -- they are scrolling.

The social media frenzy has really impacted the way we communicate with each other. But it's also impacting something else. A growing number of younger people are turning to plastic surgery and other cosmetic procedures to look "picture perfect."

Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat: Social media has us swimming in a sea of smiling faces and more aware than ever of our facial flaws and imperfections.

“We're actually seeing ourselves right there on the screen and looking at ourselves much more closely than we ever have before," Dr. Steiger said. "Ten years ago, we were looking a photo albums. Now we see ourselves in real time, live, all the time."
 
That pressure to look good from all angles has more people turning to plastic surgeons and dermatologists.

More than 40 percent of doctors in a recent survey said patients told them looking better on social media was their reason for getting a cosmetic procedure. 

People want their image to look like these celebrities they see out there, so they are looking for something that's quick, no down time and not overly expensive.

Maylin Perez, 27, an event coordinator, is one of those patients.

Almost 4,000 people follow her on Instagram, but when Perez looks at herself on social media, she said she sees room for improvement.

“I think that in photos you can see more of your flaws, more than in a mirror," Dr. Martin Zaiac said. "I don't know why. Maybe it's a certain angle, or the way you are holding the phone. 

Perez's quest for that picture-perfect post took her to see Zaiac, a dermatologist who's working to reshape her lips with fillers.

“I started noticing that my lips were kind of uneven," Perez said. "I wanted a symmetrical look that people like -- like Kylie Jenner and the Kardashians."
 
Lip fillers and Botox are the top sellers among the social-media-obsessed. But some patients are opting for more invasive procedures, such as eye lifts and nose jobs.

“Some of my patients see others on Instagram or Facebook: ‘Oh, I like this lip or nose.’ They come in and say, ‘I wish my nose looked like this, or more contoured, or my lips were more enhanced.’”

That's why Maximo Cortese, 26, recently had rhinoplasty. He said his nose just wasn't Facebook friendly. Today, he jumps into pictures without a second thought.

“I was fine with front-on angles, but you get that profile before I did my nose and it was ugh,” Cortese said. “It's great now. Like, fire away. Little things like wearing a hat backwards is great. I couldn't before because it strengthened my profile. So even being able to do that now is awesome."

And with the social media craze not likely to fade anytime soon, doctors said they expect to see even more young patients spending big bucks for that picture-perfect post.

Before you choose to undergo any invasive plastic surgery procedure, check to make sure your doctor is board certified. We've made it easy for you do by following this link and entering their name.

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