Are Photo Filters Killing the Facelift?

Photo filters are impacting facelifts as more women opt for digital facial enhancements. New figures show women are now favoring plastic surgery on their bodies that cannot be doctored by photo filters rather than procedures on their faces.

According to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS), the number of female facelifts has declined by 44\\%. Former BAAPS President, and consultant plastic surgeon, Rajiv Grover, who also compiled the report, blames apps such as photo filters on the declining numbers. He said millennials are expected to take as many as 25,000 selfies in their lifetime. In addition, more than half of women admit to enhancing every photo they post.

Grover added that the advent of filters in social media platforms allows women to enhance their appearance online. In addition, the growing trend of wearing yoga pants and leggings is also leading the desire for a more toned shape. Grover feels that both of these factors could account for the reasons why the focus on cosmetic surgery for women has shifted from the face to areas of the body that diet, exercise and filters can’t reach.

BAAPS president, and consultant plastic surgeon, Simon Withey said the 2017 BAAPS audit offered valuable insights into the extent that the online personas of Britons may be driving their offline behavior. Withey added that the downwards shift in surgical procedures hopefully demonstrates that patients are realizing that cosmetic surgery is a serious commitment rather than a “quick fix”.

(This story originally appears on telegraph.co.uk)