The Facebook facelift: Woman turns to surgery to improve her looks online
By Daily Mail Reporter
PUBLISHED: 04:23 GMT, 17 July 2012 | UPDATED: 09:58 GMT, 17 July 2012
De-tagging and deleting unflattering photos is not enough for some people as the number of people who are getting cosmetic surgery because they are displeased with their appearance on social networking sites.
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons reports that they have noted 71 per cent increase in the number of chin augmentations over the past year, or the so-called 'Facebook facelift'.
ABC's Nightline tells the story of Triana Lavey, a 37-year-old television producer, who is one of the growing population of social media users who is so frustrated with bad photos that she felt forced to go under the knife to have it changed.
'Here is a weak-chin photo that I didn't untag myself in... because I was working out really hard that summer, and I am pleased with everything else in the photo,' she told Nightline while looking through some of her Facebook photos.
'But it's my darn chin that bugs the living daylights out of me in this photo... You keep looking and looking, and now it's the first thing I look for in a photo. It all started with Facebook.'
Weak chins are apparently being highlighted with increasing prominence because they are more frequently seen on Facebook and other social networking sites.
The massive jump in chin augmentations comes alongside a five per cent increase in cosmetic procedures overall.
'I think that social media has really changed so much about how we look at ourselves and judge ourselves,' Ms Lavey said.
'Ten years ago, I don't think I even noticed that I had a weak chin.'
Dr. Adam Schaffner, a New York-based plastic surgeon, agrees, telling Mashable that technology heightens the problem for many women.
'People will come in and say, "I saw myself in the mirror, but I didn’t really notice it until I saw myself on Facebook or on my iPhone or iPad,"' he said.
'When you look in the mirror you’re seeing the mirror image of yourself. But when you see yourself on social media, you’re seeing yourself the way the world sees you.'
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