“Snapchat Dysmorphia”: Teenagers Undergo Plastic Surgery To Look Like Selfie Filters

By Mayukh Saha / Truth Theory

Cosmetic procedures are getting more popular with teenagers by the day. It’s become so popular that cosmetic surgeons have coined a new syndrome for it: “Snapchat Dysmorphia” or selfie dysmorphia. This is most common in teenagers and young adults. As per reports, they are profusely going for cosmetic surgeries to look more like filtered selfies.

This alarming mental health condition has gained momentum after the popularity of social media apps like Snapchat and Instagram. These app-cams provide doggy ears and unicorn horn filters. They’ve also incorporated features that can slim your face, sharpen your nose, change the color of your eyes, etc. And that is exactly what is leading to this new condition. Cosmetic surgeons and mental health scientists are calling it ‘Snapchat Dysmorphia’. 

Cosmetic Models Shift From Celebrities To Selfies

JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery Viewpoint recently conducted a study that says photo-editing apps are to be blamed for this. Patients are trying to attain the ‘perfection’ they have achieved through face tuning. Interestingly, their cosmetic models are not celebrities or pictures from beauty magazines. Teenagers and young adults bring in their edited selfies, which they consider to be the best version of themselves.

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Survey results show that 55% of plastic surgeons in the last year saw patients who wanted to improve their physical features like in their selfies. This is in contrast to only 13% of such occurring in 2013. Another report suggests that there has been a rapid increase in cosmetic surgery among people within the age of 30.  

Snapchat Dysmorphia Affects Self-Esteem Amongst Young Crowd

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bl-P_i7AwNJ/?utm_source=ig_embed

The Director of the Boston University Cosmetic and Laser Centre, Dr. Neelam Vashi, warns of the adverse effects of Snapchat Dysmorphia. The term has been coined by the cosmetic doctor, Tijion Esho. These filters can easily turn you into what you want to be within seconds, but it’s not without its cons.

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They are responsible for making people more conscious of their physical features, especially what they consider as faults. These social media apps have normalized certain physical features. For example, a particular face structure, lip contour, and so on. As they become the norm, people are going lengths to retain this virtual perfection. It ultimately leads to low self-esteem and Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD).

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The body-image disorder is when someone persistently obsesses over a perceived defect or flaw in one’s appearance. People with this disorder can go to great lengths to get rid of these imperfections. The major reason being social media app-cams.

The most frightening thing, according to him, is when people start altering their personalities as well. Adolescents and young adults are easily susceptible to internalizing this plastic beauty.

Snapchat Dysmorphia comes after tons of studies on the negative impact of social media on self-esteem. It calls for some necessary checks and balances to prevent lasting harm.

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