Does Your Selfie Suffer From Smartphone Face?

Sometimes it seems as if nobody is paying attention to anyone else on a daily basis.  There are plenty of people running errands and working but a good majority of them are not looking at other people.  They are looking down at their smartphone.  As phones have gotten more sophisticated and advanced, the amount of people constantly looking at their phones has increased.  They are looking at social media sites, answering emails and watching movies. While smartphones are a wonderful way to monitor what is happening in the world at all times, they are also the cause of a condition known as “smartphone face”.

The phrase was coined by British cosmetic surgeon. Dr. Mervyn Patterson. Smartphone face is when a person gets a sagging look in the jaw and chin due to constantly looking down at a smartphone.  The amount of time that people look down on a daily basis at their smartphones is leading to double chins and drooping cheek jowls.  How can such a simple act like looking at a phone lead to this condition?

Because people are bending their heads down and in a forward position for a good number of hours each day, their neck muscles are being shortened.  The shortening of the neck muscles increases the pull of gravity on the skin. The skin being pulled downward leads to sagging and loose skin. The skin moving down on a person can also lead to wrinkles and lines in the face and neck. If there are lines and loose skin in the neck, this condition is known as “tech neck”.

Wrinkles and sagging skin used to be a problem faced only by middle aged, and older, people.  The conditions are becoming more prominent among those of a younger age due to modern technology. Thankfully, there are various ways to treat smartphone face so it doesn’t become a permanent part of a person’s appearance:

• Plastic Surgery – This is one of the first options that people consider when they need some help with sagging skin on the face. An experienced plastic surgeon can tighten the skin and lift it up so it doesn’t sag anymore. There is also the option of having a “chinplant” procedure to help make the chin more pleasing to the eye.
• Posture Improvement – Stop looking down at the smartphone while using it. Hold the device up and out so the chin is parallel to the ground.  Giving the neck some support, as well as some rest from looking down, will help achieve better posture.
• Radiofrequency – The use of a machine, by a skilled doctor, to tighten the skin. The machine tightens the existing collagen while also stimulating new collagen.
• Face Yoga – There are yoga techniques that can combat smartphone face.  An exercise called “giraffe” helps to lift the neck area.  Look straight ahead while placing your fingertips on the top of the neck. Once the fingertips are in place, gently stroke the skin down while also tilting your head back. Hold for 4 or 5 seconds and then bring your head back to its normal position. Repeat the process 2 or 3 more times. Finally, stick your lower lip out as far as you can while putting your fingers on your collarbone. Point the chin up while pulling the mouth corners down. Hold for 4 or 5 seconds. Let go and then repeat the process.

It might seem that the most obvious way to avoid suffering from smartphone face is for a person to not use a smartphone as often as they currently use it.  This is a great idea in theory but not as easy to execute on a daily basis.  Many employers expect their employees to monitor their email at all times on their smartphones. Many businesses use smartphone technology to attract customers as well as conduct business itself on smartphones.  The key to avoid having a case of smartphone face is taking steps to combat it before the loose skin, sagging features and shortened neck muscles become so pronounced that only plastic surgery is an option to repair the skin and muscles.  The lack of a smartphone face helps ensure that all future selfies will look social media worthy.

- MA