The Facebook facelift?

 

A recent article in Grazia magazine reveals that Facebook is responsible for a spike in plastic surgery. In this week’s Editor’s Blog, Rebecca takes a closer look at the “Facebook facelift” phenomenon.

 I was reading Grazia Magazine at the gym the other day (yes, I love gossip/fashion magazines, I also love reality television and Britney Spears – get over it!) and I came across a very interesting and somewhat disturbing article called “The Rise of the Facebook Facelift.”* As I read on, I realized that this would make a great follow-up from one of my previous Editor’s Blogs on social media addiction.It turns out that this “addiction” is far more serious than I had initially thought, driving people to go under the knife just to improve their Facebook photos. Seriously.For me, scrolling through old Facebook photos tends to be a very cringe-worthy experience with a lot of “what was I thinking/wearing/doing” moments. I will admit that some photos from when I was younger make me long for the good old days when I could eat like a truck driver without gaining a single pound. But overall, old Facebook photos just make me laugh and make me realize how far I have come in the style and sophistication stakes.Apparently though, for some people, Facebook photos have a much more serious effect. Dubbed “virtual vanity” by psychologists, we are now seeing a whole generation of people – mostly women – breaking under the pressure of constant social media scrutiny from their peers. This has led to a growing number of women turning to extreme measures (plastic surgery) to “improve” their looks.“I’ve had patients cite Facebook pictures as a trigger,” says British plastic surgeon Nilesh Sojitra in the Grazia article. “US surgeons have coined the phrase ‘Facebook facelift’. And I’m sure, as social media becomes more prolific, this will increase.”This is especially true for older women, who are regularly confronted with the harsh reality of ageing thanks to Facebook. It’s so easy to flick through albums on Facebook and watch your youth fading with each new photo. Although people have always taken photos, they weren’t always so readily available and, more importantly, accessible by an entire community of Facebook “friends” – many of whom have no qualms about sharing their opinions.We’re all familiar with the little ego boost that comes from people “liking” your photos and leaving flattering comments on your timeline. But for some people, that feeling (or lack thereof) is enough to cause panic and send them running to the plastic surgeon’s office in a desperate bid to turn back the hands of time.I have two words to say to this: sheer. lunacy.Sure, I can understand feeling a little down in the dumps about a bad photo, but that’s what untagging is for, right? Or maybe even Photoshop if you can be bothered. Plastic surgery seems like a ridiculously extreme response to a few bad Facebook photos.Don’t get me wrong – I have no issues with plastic surgery. Personally, it’s not something I would consider (at least not at this stage in my life) but if someone is really unhappy with a particular physical attribute, and changing it will give them more self-confidence, I say go for it!What I have a problem with is the fact that according to the article, these women were fine with how they looked – until Facebook came along.“If it hadn’t been for the barrage of images documenting my ageing, I don’t think I’d have started trying to ‘Facebook –ready’ my appearance with cosmetic fixes,” says a journalist who was interviewed for the article.What troubles me most is that, to me, the journalist in question was absolutely gorgeous in the before photos, and definitely did not need any work done whatsoever. However, she claims that the before photos received no comments at all on Facebook, and after undergoing the cosmetic procedures, she was bombarded with compliments. So I suppose I can understand where she is coming from. I can also understand that a career in journalism, which can often thrust you into the public eye, may have added to the pressure she was feeling. So I don’t judge her decision.But in my opinion, if you’re totally happy with your physical appearance, and that only begins to falter when you’re logging on to Facebook twelve times a day to study photos of yourself, judging your attractiveness based on “likes” and photo comments, maybe the answer is not plastic surgery. Maybe the answer is to get off Facebook.*The article referenced in this blog was published in the October 22, 2012 issue of Grazia (Aus) Magazine. What do you think about the rise of the Facebook facelift? Share your thoughts below!