Cash-strapped and saddled with student loans, young professionals are willing to do everything it takes to be more competitive in the job market, including getting a little nip and tuck. Influenced by images of themselves or others on social media, millennials are increasingly visiting plastic surgeons for major and minor procedures, and experts report that career advancement is a key driver.
According to an American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery survey, about 70 percent of facial plastic surgeons said they saw an uptick last year in cosmetic surgery procedures and injectable products in patients under the age of 30. Only 5 of 10 plastic surgeons reported the same trend five years ago.
Much of these procedures tend to be less invasive — e.g. Botox, chemical peels, injectables and laser skin treatments — with few millennials opting for face-lifts or breast augmentation, according to one plastic surgeon. As with most plastic surgeries, a majority of these young patients are female.
Some are blaming social media for this expensive phenomenon. As more of our lives are shared on Instagram and Snapchat, self-conscious young people are mortified to find unflattering photos of themselves plastered on the Internet for the world to see.
“My boss posted a candid picture of me and all I saw was a giant triangle, like this beak sticking out of my face and that was it, I was done,” 23-year-old Jamie Mysel told CBS MoneyWatch. “For years I had joked about getting a nose job, and after that I finally bit the bullet.”
Patrick Byrne, director of facial plastic and reconstructive surgery at Johns Hopkins Medicine, explained to MoneyWatch that rather than using a mirror, young people would rather use photos of themselves to point out the changes they want to see. Some even go a step further.
New York City-based plastic surgeon Elie Levine told the New York Daily News that some patients bring filtered photos to their consultation. Others bring enhanced, retouched celebrity images to convey their “desired look.”
With 88 percent of 18 to 29-year-olds actively using social media platforms, it’s unsurprising that photo-heavy apps like Instagram and Pinterest are hurting their self-image. Social media influencers are setting unrealistic expectations for natural beauty through their filtered or photoshopped photos, and some are even using their accounts as a platform to promote their cosmetic “modifications.” It’s not uncommon today for social media influencers to post live videos of their plastic surgeries and cosmetic procedures, or for their loyal followers to actually watch them.
In this brave new world, the struggle to remain “photo ready” at all times is real. Whether they’re trying to give themselves a little “lift” in the job market or simply looking to inspire some self-confidence, young people are keeping plastic surgeons busy, and this trend isn’t going anywhere.
Brendan Pringle (@BrendanPringle) is writer from California. He is a National Journalism Center graduate and formerly served as a development officer for Young America’s Foundation at the Reagan Ranch.
