Plastic Surgery for Selfies: How Mobile Phones are Changing the Way We Look at Ourselves

The Mobile Phone Changes Things

The mobile phone is ubiquitous, and so too is the technology embedded within it. That means, wherever you turn, there’s a camera waiting to snap your picture. Perhaps it’s because of this—a friend could come out of nowhere and take your picture unawares, usually after you’ve taken an embarrassingly enormous bite of food—that we’ve become so interested in the selfie. After all, what better way to take control of your photos than to simply take them yourself? As with any complex social development, though, there are probably a wide variety of reasons why the selfie has become such a popular way to mark the passage of time.

But there’s no denying that the selfie is probably here to say, and we’re all—to some degree—invested in this new form of digital photography. In fact, chances are, you’re already taking selfies left and right (or, at least, you’ve taken one selfie) and that those selfies then find their way onto your favorite social media platform—Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, maybe even LinkedIn. Part of the social value—and the fun—of selfies is that you can share them with your network of friends. You can leverage your social media presence to get even more people to take a look at your mug.

Seeing Your Photos on Facebook

Posting photos in a public venue opens us up to certain insecurities. When we know everyone’s going to be taking a gander at your pictures, you feel much more comfortable when you know you look good. So whether it’s justified or not, you start to notice all those little imperfections: the shape of your nose, the wrinkles around your eyes, the lines around your mouth. It doesn’t matter that, to your friends—not to mention any strangers who see your photo–you will look as beautiful or handsome as ever. You will notice those flaws and it may drive you crazy.

Perhaps this helps explain the rise in selfie-inspired plastic surgery. Several media outlets have published articles and columns about this new “craze.” Of course, it’s not necessarily a new phenomenon that people want to look good in photos—it’s just that, today, photos are so common and unpredictable that you can’t count on a couple of hours in a make-up chair to look your best. That photo is being snapped and posted now, and then it’s on the internet forever.

Seeing the Face You Want on Social Media

Basically, we don’t necessarily buy in to the notion that selfie surgery represents something fundamentally new in terms of social narcissism or anything like that. Rather it seems to represent a change in the way technology marks our lives, preserves memories and shares experiences.

Of course, for most of our patients at Minneapolis Plastic Surgery, the whys don’t matter quite as much as the hows: how can I eliminate my facial flaws and finally feel comfortable in all of those selfies? There are several plastic surgery options for men and women looking to get their faces a little more selfie-ready. Let’s take a look at those options, and what they might entail.

Botox for Selfies

If your wrinkles and lines are relatively superficial, then Botox might be the way to go. But it’s worth pointing out that Botox doesn’t work on all wrinkles and lines universally. Instead, Botox works on those wrinkles are lines that are caused by a specific kind of muscle contraction. That might sound like a pretty narrow margin in which Botox can be effective—but this procedure wouldn’t be nearly so popular if it didn’t produce great results for a wide variety of people. Botox is the number one non-surgical cosmetic procedure in the USA for a reason—it works!

If you’re trying to get better selfies for yourself, Botox is an ideal option because it offers you temporary results. Typically, these results last for about 4 months (2-6 months is the range), so it’s a good way to try a more youthful look on for size. Essentially, the impact of Botox can be relatively subtle, and making a subtle change might be a way of getting people to notice how youthful you already look. In other words, they’ll just notice that you look good, they won’t ask if you’ve had work done. Botox is also incredibly safe and easy, and injections can be administered in about ten to fifteen  minutes.

If you want to look better for your selfie quickly, (most patients see results in 2-5 days) Botox might be the way to do it.

Blepharoplasty for Selfies
As we age, our skin loses elasticity and we end up with a bit more of what you might call excess tissue as gravity takes its toll. The eyes are especially susceptible to this type of skin laxity—making your eyes look especially aged. This can make you look angry or sad when you’re really quite content. In other words, excess eyelid skin can interfere with your ability to look alert, rested, and happy, making you look older than you feel. The solution is a procedure called blepharoplasty or eyelid lift.

During this procedure, excess eyelid skin is removed, fat pads sculpted, and shadows eliminated or reduced, which can “fix” those bags or dark circles. The results are usually quite noticeable, in that most patients suddenly look more youthful—as well as more alert and even a little bit happier. Eyelid lift surgeries are generally quite low on the trauma scale, which means most patients experience a swift recovery and very little pain. This makes an eyelid lift—or blepharoplasty—a great option for people looking to give their face a little jolt of youthful energy.

Facelift for Selfies

Sometimes, however, you have to go the whole mile. Most people are already familiar with the concept of a facelift—a surgical procedure designed to reduce wrinkles and eliminate loose skin, wrinkles, jowls, or that “turkey wattle” excess neck skin. In the experienced hand of the plastic surgeons at Minneapolis Plastic Surgery, the results of facelift procedures have grown to look much more natural. In other words, your plastic surgeon will generally take very good care to make sure your facelift does not look tight, artificial, or somehow unnatural.

In most cases, facelift scars are skillfully hidden in normal contours in front of and behind the ears, or within the scalp. Excess skin is removed, deeper layers are returned to their more youthful positions, and the loose skin is pulled very precisely to restore youthful contours. It’s a great way to get the look you want for all of those selfies. But facelift results are long-lasting and can create a dramatic result. That said, if you’re looking for a visible before and after difference, and many of our patients are, the facelift is a great way to go.

Find Out More About “Selfie Surgery”

For whatever reason you take your selfies, it’s no surprise that you want to look good in them. At Minneapolis Plastic Surgery, we offer a wide variety of ways to tackle whatever visible signs of aging are causing you discomfort or unease. And as you can tell by the procedures listed above (by no means a complete list of facial plastic surgery procedures at Minneapolis Plastic Surgery), many of these options are graduated. That is, there are levels—so you can remain comfortable with what any procedure can and will accomplish.

If you want to look your best for your upcoming selfies, get started on your transformation and contact Minneapolis Plastic Surgery today. Consultations are complimentary, and our number is 763-545-0443.

© Dr. Douglas L. Gervais, MD

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