Plastic Surgery Trends and Social Media – What to Keep in Mind Before a Procedure

If social media has done anything for the plastic surgery industry, it has helped to shape and promote trends embraced by the public. For example, the phrase “#plasticsurgery” has more than 16-billion views on TikTok which shows there is a large audience that wants to get more information about plastic surgery procedures. While it does not appear that the topic of plastic surgery will disappear from social media in the near future, potential plastic surgery patients need to know that just because a procedure is trending does not mean they are an ideal patient for the treatment. Let’s find out more about following plastic surgery trends on social media.

Plastic Surgery Trends on Social Media – Just Say “No”

Celebrities and social media influencers play a role in inspiring the public to have plastic surgery. Once a person views the results gained by an influencer or celebrity on social media, they might take the next step to find a board-certified plastic surgeon in their area who performs the desired procedure. However, they might come away disappointed by their visit to the doctor if the surgeon makes the decision that the person is not an ideal candidate for the procedure.

It is important to remember that a good doctor is one that is not afraid to turn away a person even though it means the loss of a patient. The ultimate goal of plastic surgery is to provide patents with a happy and satisfying experience in addition to the results they hope to achieve. Some of the reasons a doctor might decide not to perform plastic surgery include less than ideal health on the part of the patient, potential side effects that make it dangerous for the patient, and the chance that the final results will not be natural in appearance. In addition, the procedure requested by the patient might not be the best choice for their specific case, but that does not mean the surgeon cannot suggest an alternative treatment for the person.

Plastic Surgery Trends – What Happens When the Trend is Over?

Due to the large amount of photos and videos being shared online on multiple social media platforms, it is sometimes hard to remember that the trends that are currently popular have not always been the trends followed by patients. For example, beauty standards have evolved over the years and have gone from skinny and flat-chested models to the current trend of a larger and more contoured butt (by having a Brazilian butt lift) and pouty lips (that can be achieved by having lip fillers).

There are trends that become popular thanks to social media and there are other plastic surgery trends that grow in popularity due to traditional media outlets such as television, newspapers, and magazines. Reporters and editors of traditional media outlets want to know about the latest procedure that is popular across the country as opposed to treatments such as Botox or rhinoplasty that are performed on a daily basis.

Should Patients Find Plastic Surgery Inspiration Online?

In the past, the public looked to magazines and newspapers when it came to finding visual inspiration for their appearance. These days, social media is the “go to” choice for those looking for ideas about changes they can make to their body through plastic surgery.

There is nothing wrong with searching social media for inspirational photos that can be shown to doctors when it comes to the type of results patients hope to achieve. While the type of results in the photos might not be realistic for some patients, the photos will give the surgeon a better idea of the goals of the patient.

It is important for the surgeon to explain that the photos they are viewing might not be completely accurate as these types of social media photos can often be enhanced or altered using online filters that don’t necessarily translate to the real world.

Plastic Surgery Trends – Can the Results Be Reversed?

What happens if a patient follows a trend and then makes a later decision that they no longer want to have the trendy look? Can the results of the procedure be reversed?

Unfortunately, the desire to return to an original look is not always easy or possible. One of the most popular procedures at the moment is buccal fat pad removal that is performed to reduce the appearance of prominent cheeks. The results are permanent unless the patient experiences a significant weight gain that causes the cheeks to become chubby again. In general, the slimmer look is permanent so patients who grow tired of that look over the years will have to live with the results. Patients need to discuss the type of changes that will be made to the targeted area of the body (as well as the length of the results). This information can be exactly what the patient needs to know before making the final decision to have any type of trend-influenced plastic surgery procedure.

- MA