If you've spent a few minutes (or let's be honest, about thirty) taking selfies then wondered why they all look like a tired, older version of you then we have the answer. And no, for once it's not thanks to the lighting - it's your smartphone's camera that's to the blame.
Speaking to The Telegraph, plastic surgeon Rajiv Grover explained that the angle and shape of the lens play a big role, saying, “The phone’s 28mm camera lens does exactly what time does to your face, enlarging the front of your face so that it looks bigger, as well as amplifying the features that get larger as you age.”
“Add to that the fact that you tend to look down at your phone, which makes the skin on your neck and jowls look saggy." Crikey - and there we were worrying about our unblended contour.
Put in layman's terms, as we age, we lose volume from the parts of your face where you want it, like your cheeks and mouth. This is what causes a more 'hollow' looking face, with exacerbated under-eye circles, sagging cheeks and a less pouty mouth. Instead, the volume travels forward and sits more in the jowls or nose area - and when you use your smartphone camera, the lens has a similar effect on the photo.
Essentially, the wide angle lens distorts our facial features, and considering how close-up we take most of our selfies, this only adds to the problem. While Grover has noticed more patients coming into his London clinic for treatment as a result of selfie-inspired discontent, we don't think that going under the knife is necessarily the solution here.
As Grover notes, using a selfie stick will help counteract this unflattering angle, as taking photos from above and slightly to one side helps make the face look more defined. In short, skip the scalpel and get a selfie stick instead. Class dismissed.