Research into the most influential celebrities for plastic surgery searches has found that the Kardashian/Jenner clan and a whole host of Love Island stars make up the top 10. According to a leading plastic surgeon, Instagram culture is having a huge impact on younger patients.
The research, commissioned by Flawless.org, found that Kylie Jenner is the number one celebrity people google when it comes to plastic surgery, with 7.460 searches on average each month relating to her cosmetic treatments.
Next comes Love Island’s Megan Barton-Hanson, followed by Kim Kardashian and Molly-Mae Hague. Other reality TV personalities on the list include Khloe Kardashian, Anna Vakili and Maura Higgins.
According to Flawless, one in 10 women they surveyed were motivated to get plastic surgery because of ‘celebrities who had work done before’ and 40% felt celebrities and influencers were a big source of the surge in cosmetic treatments.
Dr. Dirk Kremer, the plastic surgeon that coined the term Snapchat Dysmorphia in 2016 after seeing a rise in women asking for surgery that resembles a Snapchat filter, has actually coined a new term for this rise: the rich girl face.
Plumped-up lips and puffer-fish cheeks are often a source of pride
‘The puffed and plumped “rich face” aesthetic is practically the new Louis Vuitton handbag in certain circles – an instant, recognisable marker of wealth and status,’ he tells Grazia. ‘Unlike generations before them, this new class of cosmetic injectee doesn’t hide its enhancements in shame. Rather, its plumped-up lips and puffer-fish cheeks are often a source of pride.’
And according to Dr. Kremer, this trend is ‘driven by the visibility of cosmetically-enhanced reality TV stars on shows such as Made in Chelsea and Real Housewives. As well as the never-ending pursuit for the perfect selfie on social media.’
Blaming ‘Instagram culture’ for the influence on younger patients, he says the rise in popularity of teeth whitening and non-surgical treatments like Botox and dermal fillers indicate how evident this is. And his comments are too backed up by recent research from BBC Radio 5 Live, which found that after watching just two episodes of Love Island, 11% of 18-34 year olds were more likely to consider lip fillers and near a third wanted to lose weight.
'Smartphone filters are giving people the opportunity to instantly improve their appearance, albeit digitally,’ he explains. ‘This may not be producing a permanent change, but it does plant a seed in the minds of many. People think that if they can look that good temporarily with a smartphone filter, why can’t they do something that will replicate that look on a more permanent basis?’
It's a sad truth, but Dr. Kremer says that the more beauty becomes synonymous with success, the more accepted cosmetic surgery has and will become in future. And while it’s certainly a personal choice, it speaks volumes to how much women are still held to completely unrealistic beauty standards and how dangerous that could become in future should younger women with less resources go down this path.
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Social Media Pressure Is To Blame For The Rise In Cosmetic Procedures