Social Media’s Influence on Breast Augmentation

Abstract

Background The purpose of this study is to evaluate if and what social media use influences our patients’ decisions to undergo breast augmentation. Objectives A single-institution study was designed to evaluate women who underwent elective breast augmentation from 2017 to 2018. Methods Patients were contacted via validated, prompted telephone survey. Data regarding their demographic information and social media utilization pertaining to breast augmentation were collected after obtaining verbal consent. Results Inclusion criteria were met by 180 patients, of which 69% participated in the survey. Ninety-seven percent of the participants reported utilizing social media in general; the most common platforms were Facebook, Instagram, and the physician’s website. Millennials (97%) and Generation X (92%) utilized social media the most and none of the baby boomers. Sixty-four percent of participants reported utilizing some form of social media to research breast augmentation, with the most common resource being Instagram. When analyzing the impact of the social media resources utilized by the participants, Instagram was reported as the most impactful at 54%. Only 18% of participants were utilizing a physician’s social media account to research breast augmentation. Among the 50% of patients who utilized social media to compare their surgeon’s work with another physician’s, the majority (83%) were utilizing the physician’s website. Conclusions Social media influences patients’ education and decisions to undergo breast augmentation, with Instagram being the most impactful. This study evaluated the patient population to stay up to date on their social media utilization and resources of education prior to breast augmentation.

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