Is Selfie a New Cause of Increasing Rhinoplasties?

Abstract

The digital world and social media are becoming increasingly important. Social media connect people together in a visual manner. Profile photographs are required by most social networking sites. A trend toward the increasing popularity of selfies on social media has rendered people more aware of their appearance. A selfie is a photograph that one takes of oneself, usually employing a smartphone or webcam, which is then shared on social media. Thus, the demand for aesthetic procedures correcting imperfections such as a prominent nose has increased, for which the technique is a rhinoplasty. Patients with reasonable expectations, treated by skilled surgeons, are usually very happy with the results. Rhinoplasty does not cure low self-esteem, but does correct more visible imperfections of the face. Although some hope that a rhinoplasty will resolve many unwanted facial features besides nose problems, it can only change the size and shape of the nose, improving its form. However, in the age of the selfie, everyone wants to look better. Self-consciousness is increasing, as are concerns over grooming and appearance at work and social events. These issues have become more important in recent years with the increase in selfie-taking; people are now more aware of how their nose appears to others. In this review, we discuss whether selfie-taking has triggered a rise in rhinoplasties along with a detailed survey of the literature.

The Effect of Selfies on Cosmetic Surgery

“…micro-dermabrasion) and non-ablative resurfacing, with surgeons carrying out 348, 187, 119 and 106 of each, respectively. [9,10] The motivation to go through with a cosmetic procedure seems to be strongly linked to dissatisfaction with the current gap between wished-for and actual appearance, but also to a wish to be able to take even more attractive selfies in the future. Alarm has been expressed about this tendency, one report indicating, "This is an alarming trend because those filtered selfies often present an unattainable look and are blurring the line of reality and fantasy for these patients."…”

Selfies and the Rising Demand for Rhinoplasty

“…The expression "selfie" was employed in 2009 by a website offering image or video hosting in reference to the apparently inexhaustible numbers of auto-portraits then being uploaded by adolescent females [29]. Losse credits technological advances in smartphones, such as the iPhone 4 (from 2010), which had a front-facing camera, and the introduction of image editing software applications to smartphones (especially Instagram and Snapchat) with bringing the selfie genre to the forefront in the early 2010s [30][31][32].…”

“…Prior to the popularity of selfies, most individuals would express dissatisfaction due to a humped nasal dorsum. Since these patterns are changing, it seems likely that selfies have intensified patients' scrutiny of their own facial features, and this scrutiny leads to dissatisfaction and a demand for rhinoplasty [32] (Fig. 24.3).…”

“…The contemporary increases in the demand for rhinoplasty are attributed by many practitioners to the increased scrutiny on people's appearance as a result of the selfie and social media usage. Given the trend for social media to exert ever greater influence, it is perhaps unsurprising to find that rhinoplasty and other cosmetic procedures and the selfie are associated with each other [32,36].…”

Is Rhinoplasty Surgery a Risk Factor for Low Back Pain among Otorhinolaryngologists?

“…Today, there is a gradual increase in the number of these operations with people taking more selfies and using the social media for long hours. 11 As a result of the growing demand, the number of doctors who perform rhinoplasty surgery and that of cases undergoing this surgery have also increased. Since rhinoplasty requires physically and mentally meticulous work, we consider that health problems will occur among otorhinolaryngologists over time.…”