Plastic surgery influencers are deceiving an entire generation

By Shira Jeczmien

Updated May 16, 2020 at 10:08 AM

Reading time: 2 minutes

314

The selfie-generation has become something we accept as much as we enjoy to joke about. Selfie-oriented beauty tutorials are the subject of love, hate and mockery. Shameless selfie is a hashtag. ‘Feeling myself’ a brush off reference to Beyonce rather than an acknowledgement of our self-obsession and desire for societal acceptance. Beauty tutorials on YouTube and Instagram have become a source of plastic surgery and botox inspiration, influence and—more importantly, education.

According to a 2017 survey by The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS), 55 percent of plastic surgeons reported that their patients desired to look better in selfies. The trend was first identified by the surgeon society three years ago and has been on an average 13 percent increase per year since. BUT With online beauty influencers leading this change, what exactly is their influence providing those seeking advice, reliable information and support ahead of such robust, expensive and life-altering decisions?

AAFPRS President, William H. Truswell, said that “More and more of our patients are using social media as a forum to gain a sense of solidarity when undergoing a major, potentially life-changing procedure. Consumers are only a swipe away from finding love and a new look, and this movement is only going to get stronger.” The main issue is that surgery influencers and advocates often represent only a fragment of the whole process; the final result, the beginning of a happier life; the start of self-confidence never experienced before. Just a few weeks ago the Evening Standard reported that “Superdrug launched its own Botox and fillers service” as a result of what “experts have linked to the popularity of Love Island.” Supposedly watching 20-year-olds with lip fillers frolicking around a villa in Spain for 8 weeks is enough to convince an entire generation of beauty-thirsty millennials that aesthetic surgery is the answer. And don’t get me wrong, it could be for some. But what I’m more concerned about is the information available on what these procedures really mean.

The kind of information currently circulating through botox advocates and Instagram surgeons like Dr Six and his peers happens to be much more hollow and at times inaccurate than we’re led to believe. Just two weeks ago, a study was published by Rutgers University—the first of its kind—titled ‘Assessment of YouTube as an Informative Resource on Facial Plastic Surgery Procedures’. The study saw researchers analysing thousands of “facial plastic surgery procedures, patient experiences, and medical commentary” on YouTube and Instagram to evaluate the “video quality and creator qualification”. By analysing the top 240 videos that came up to an array of keywords such as ‘lip fillers’, ‘facial fillers’ and ‘eyelid surgery’, researchers concluded that these videos accumulate a combined 158 million views. All the videos were given a credibility and reliability score from between 1 (very low) to 5 (high) and the results, worryingly yet somewhat unsurprisingly, ranged between 2.75 at the top range and 1.55 for the low ranking videos.

It’s hard to believe that watching DIY plastic surgery advice, procedure and before-and-after videos will have such visible influence on an entire generation. But when there’s no limitation and, crucially, no regulation in the era of influencers we are living through—essentially “The Age of Influence” as the cover of Business of Fashion’s May issue read under Kim Kardashian’s perfectly symmetrical face—the question is, what are the limits to influence?

Keep On Reading

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

How celebrities like Mark Wahlberg and Gwen Stefani are monetising spirituality through the Hallow app

By Abby Amoakuh

Holly Scarfone reveals Scott Disick allegedly pressured her to get a boob job and BBL

By Abby Amoakuh

Right-wing Christian podcaster claims that airport body scanners can turn you gay

By Abby Amoakuh

Are Bhad Bhabie and Alabama Barker feuding? 2025’s hottest rap beef explained

By Abby Amoakuh

Gracie Abrams claps back at fans after they petition to replace Dora Jar as her opening act

By Abby Amoakuh

Bridgerton fans on X accuse show of sidelining Simone Ashley and her character Kate Sharma

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Did Justin Bieber unfollow Usher on Instagram because of his former ties to Diddy?

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Was Adam Sandler kicked out of the 2025 Oscars or was it staged? Fans speculate after his fiery outburst

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Asteroid 2024 YR4 might be heading to Earth, and Gen Z have a lot to say about it

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Inside the awful Instagram accounts exploiting stolen content to create AI Down syndrome models

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

What is the mermaid eating parties conspiracy theory, and why are TikTokers now obsessed with it?

By Abby Amoakuh

What is taskmasking? Inside the TikTok trend that shows Gen Zers how to disguise their laziness at work

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Trump launches his 2028 presidential campaign, ignoring constitutional limitations

By Charlie Sawyer

TikToker Leo Skepi is known for three things: Loving Versace, black tank tops, and controversy

By Charlie Sawyer

Odd Muse founder Aimee Smale fights back against fast fashion controversy on TikTok

By Charlie Sawyer

Gen Zers are taking out travel insurance policies for their Labubus ahead of summer

By Abby Amoakuh

The White Lotus star Sam Nivola speaks out about gay incest scene amid calls for boycott

By Sam Davies

These scream queens walked so horror it girl Jenna Ortega could run

By Charlie Sawyer

BrewDog co-founder James Watt’s problematic past resurfaces amid work/life balance controversy

By Abby Amoakuh

Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl dancer Zül-Qarnain Nantambu sets record straight on viral protest