Link between social media use and desire to undergo cosmetic procedures, new study says

BOSTON — Time spent on social media and the use of photo-editing apps is linked to a person’s desire to undergo cosmetic procedures, a new study has found.

The study by researchers at the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine also found that this correlation likely led to the increase in cosmetic visits seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“While there was an increase in cosmetic focus during the COVID pandemic, until now there has not been data highlighting a clear link or factors that made patients more or less likely to participate in cosmetic treatments,” Dr. Neelam Vashi, associate professor of dermatology at the school and director of the Boston University Cosmetic and Laser Center at Boston Medical Center, who co-authored the study, said in a statement on Monday.

Researchers also found patients who followed and engaged with celebrities and influencers on social media, as well as following and engaging with plastic surgery, dermatology or other accounts showing the results of cosmetic procedures on social media “significantly influences the desire to have a cosmetic procedure done.”

Researchers asked patients at a dermatology clinic to complete surveys from October 2019 through June 2021 about their social media use as well as their desire to undergo cosmetic procedures.

After reviewing these surveys, researchers found that the number of hours individuals spent using Snapchat and/or Instagram every day had “a statistically significant difference in the belief that media or social media had influenced their desire to have a cosmetic procedure done.”

Furthermore, researchers found a “statistically significant difference between the use of photo editing apps such as FaceTune, Lightroom, or SnapSeed to edit photos before sharing selfies on social media and thoughts about undergoing a surgical or non-surgical cosmetic procedure.”

The study indicates that practitioners ought to discuss social media usage with their patients to better understand the desire to undergo cosmetic procedures, Vashi said.

“Quality care begins with quality conversations, and we hope this study encourages providers to ask about all aspects of a patient’s life to better understand their motivations and goals of care,” Vashi said.

According to researchers, social media platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram have been pivotal in perpetuating “selfie” culture of people taking a photo of themselves and sharing on social media. Globally, social media usage has been increasing, with at least 3.5 billion people using social media in 2019.

As of 2018, the average adult was spending 6.3 hours per day on an Internet-connected device, and researchers said in their statement that “a particularly troubling consequence of an increase in social media usage is the effect it has on body perception and self-esteem.”

“The angle of the ‘selfie’ photographs taken for social media often distorts facial features in a way that leads to dissatisfaction,” researchers said. “Medical professionals have reported a phenomenon of ‘Snapchat dysmorphia,’ whereby patients seeking cosmetic procedures attempt to emulate filtered and edited versions of themselves,” researchers said.

The findings appear online in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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