This post was written by Linda Brown and Published on

This is an alarming trend that more and more doctors in the United States are seeing. Some people are asking them to look like their snapchat pictures.

Selfie

Selfie

Are you familiar with dysmorphophobia? Dysmorphophobia is a term used in medicine to describe people who are afraid of a physical defect. And it has become increasingly common in recent years, especially through social networks such as Snapchat and Instagram. It must be said that with the filters offered by these applications, there is enough to make many changes to your face. Some filters create the illusion of soft and silky skin, a fine nose, raised cheekbones etc…  Result: Some people are now looking for ways to look like they do with Snapchat and Instagram filters permanently.

According to an article in the Journal of American Medical Association, more and more people are turning to facial cosmetic surgery for these reasons. Dermatologist Neelam A. Vashi explains to the media: “In the past, patients would come to the office with pictures of celebrities who were supposed to look like them. A new phenomenon, known as Snapchat dysmorphophobia, makes patients want to look like filtered versions of themselves, with fuller lips, larger eyes and a thinner nose.  I see many images that are completely unrealistic. And it also puts unrealistic expectations in patients’ minds because they try to look like fantasy versions of themselves.

The numbers of people suffering from this condition are staggering. In fact, many surgeons have seen the demands of their patients change in recent years. By 2017, 55% of American doctors were seeing patients who, according to the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, want to look better than their selfies. But dermatologist Neelam A. Vashi advises her colleagues to reject such procedures when consulting a patient: The filters applied to the selfies create an inaccessible physics and narrow the line between reality and fantasy for these patients, she explains. She adds: “In the past, photo retouching was reserved for celebrities. Models and actors were retouched to look perfect in magazines and advertisements. Today, with applications like Snapchat, the same level of perfection is available to everyone. ”

An alarming trend that reflects the influence that social networks have on all of us…