• by Erik Sass , Staff Writer @eriksass1, March 20, 2014

One out of every three people (33%) seeking facial plastic surgery in 2013 was prompted by a desire to look better for social media, according to the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, which surveyed 2,700 of its members about their patients last year. In addition, 13% of plastic surgeons surveyed specifically identified photo-sharing apps and Web sites as fueling increased demand.
 
Probably, not coincidentally, plastic surgeons are also seeing an increase in demand for plastic surgery and other cosmetic procedures (like Botox or collagen injections) among young adults, with 58% of those surveyed fielding more requests from people under age 30.
 
Academy president Edward Farrior stated: “Social platforms like Instagram, Snapchat and the iPhone app Selfie.im, which are solely image-based, force patients to hold a microscope up to their own image and often look at it with a more self-critical eye than ever before. These images are often the first impressions young people put out there to prospective friends, romantic interests and employers, and our patients want to put their best face forward.”

Which is not necessarily the face they have right now.
 
Thus, academy members reported a 10% increase in rhinoplasty (nose jobs), a 7% bump in hair transplants, and a 6% rise in eyelid surgery. Nose jobs were the most popular surgery for adults under age 35, sought by 90% of women and 86% of men in this age group. Women in this age group also asked for procedures to keep their skin looking younger, while younger men were also looking for procedures like neck liposuction, acne scar removal and chin implants. Among older adults, women were most likely to seek facelifts and eye lifts, while men were most concerned with wrinkles and having a full head of hair.
 
Women still make up most of plastic surgery’s patient pool overall, receiving 81% of procedures and injections.
 
One disturbing finding: 69% of children and teens seeking plastic surgery do so because they have been bullied.