Filters Influence Gen Z Cosmetic Surgery Trends

Social media were filled with hazy, greenish sunset photos and dog-eared pictures in the mid-2010s, making early photos immediately recognizable

The ability of augmented reality filters to diminish nostrils and illuminate complexions caused them to go viral. They were not deceiving anyone, but that was against the rules.

After approaching a decade, filters have undergone substantial advancements. In contrast to previous flower-crown filters, which utilized facial-tracking technology to superimpose a mesh face onto an on-screen photograph, the most recent filters analyze the image’s pixels in order to generate an entirely new face.

There are numerous images of flawless skin, perfectly arched eyebrows, and full lips on the Internet today, but it is not always obvious who is undergoing a digital facelift and who has undergone a traditional one.

Faces that possess social currency on social media—those that have buccal fat removed and fox-lifted brows—are progressively infiltrating the physical world.

There has never been a greater demand for noninvasive and antiaging “tweakments,” including Botox and facial fillers. The country of the United States witnessed an 18% surge in facial cosmetic procedures between 2019 and 2022.

The quantity of Botox injections increased by 73% during that time period. Moreover, the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery reports that Generation Z is contributing to the increase in demand.

75% of facial plastic surgeons surveyed in 2022 reported an increase in requests for forehead pokes and lip plumping from patients under the age of thirty. Their principal objective is to enhance their photographs.

Even prior to the surge in remote work, writers had observed that social media was influencing individuals’ appearances.

The New Yorker dubbed 2019 “The Age of Instagram Face,” which coincided with the emergence of a fashion trend that included influencers like the Kardashians and featured full, high cheekbones, feline eyes, and luxurious lips.

People were beginning to resemble one another, according to the narrative. The trend has intensified five years later, as an increasing number of our daily interactions occur in the visually intensive online environment due to remote work.

A coThe new pressure to keep up with the digital Joneses, decreased stigma, and increased accessibility are driving a cosmetic surgery boom.nging your visage has become an increasingly simple matter of keeping up with the times.

Philosophy professor Heather Widdows at the University of Warwick stated, “We always compare our actual bodies to those of others on Instagram, even though we all know that no one looks exactly like their profile.”

Visual social media platforms have long been associated with self-harm among adolescents. A 2018 study of adolescent females found that the likelihood of developing depression and “body dissatisfaction” increased in direct proportion to the amount of time they spent on social media.

The American Psychological Association published research in 2023 indicating that adolescents and young adults who reduced their social media usage by fifty percent for a few weeks reported significant improvements in their body image and weight perception.

The amount of time individuals spend online, scrolling through social media and gazing at themselves during Zoom calls, is increasing.

From the inception of social media filters, scholars harbored apprehensions regarding their consequences.

Researchers from the Boston University School of Medicine argued in a 2018 opinion paper that the use of Snapchat filters had a catastrophic effect on individuals’ self-esteem; they dubbed this phenomenon “Snapchat dysmorphia.”

The most popular face filter on Instagram at the time was characterized by hearts hovering above the eyes and Cupid’s missiles darting across the display—not exactly a replicable appearance.

However, filters have become more realistic since then. Pixel-by-pixel face transformations are achieved through TikTok tactics such as Teenage Look and Bold Glamour, which produce a fantastical virtual mirror that, according to psychologists, can cause body dysmorphia.

The proportions are altered, flaws are concealed, and the complexion is enhanced. Old-face filters serve as a warning: If you don’t put in the effort, this is how sagging and wrinkled you will appear.

The City University of London discovered in a 2020 study that 90% of the women between the ages of 18 and 30 with whom the researchers spoke utilized social media filters to enhance their appearance. Individuals who utilized YouTube, Tinder, and Snapchat, particularly their image-editing functionalities, exhibited a higher propensity for embracing cosmetic surgery, according to a study published in 2019.

A 2022 study of Instagram users belonging to Generation Z discovered that those who edited their photographs with filters were more likely to undergo cosmetic procedures.

Additionally, social media has diminished the stigma associated with cosmetic work. Audiences are guided through the recovery process as ordinary users share “day in the life”-style videos, whereas plastic surgeons share videos that delve into the complexities of various procedures.

Individuals who followed an influencer who had undergone cosmetic surgery were more likely to be interested in undergoing the procedure themselves, according to a 2022 study. One of the study’s coauthors, Anne-Mette Hermans, predicted that the phenomenon would “progressively normalize.”

Additionally, the transition from surgical to minimally invasive injections has increased the accessibility and safety of cosmetic procedures for the general public. “We might have always wanted to look younger,” Widdows explained, “but there wasn’t a lot we could do to actually look younger.”

59% of 13- to 24-year-old Snapchat users in the United Kingdom surveyed by Vice in 2019 compared cosmetic procedures such as Botox and fillers to receiving a manicure or haircut.

“There is not always that much of a price difference between going to a high-end hairdresser and getting your hair dyed versus getting one or two zones of Botox,” said Hermans, an assistant professor of health and well-being who studies societal beauty ideals at Tilburg University in the Netherlands.

She further stated that when individuals join the bandwagon, a domino effect ensues. “More people are getting it done, which leads to more people knowing about it and getting it done.”

In contrast to the “duck lips” phenomenon of the 2010s and the motionless face of the 1990s, contemporary aesthetic trends emphasize a “you, but better” appearance.

As opposed to the body preoccupation that dominated the 2000s, there is now an antiaging obsession. According to a study by the market research firm Circana, 19% of Generation Z utilized antiaging serums.

A combination of hygiene treatments and cosmetic injections, rejuvenation, is currently receiving international acclaim as a prominent anti-aging technique.

“The paradox as a woman is you’re not supposed to look like you’re aging, but you’re also not supposed to do anything about it,” Hermans explained to me. “The solution is basically these natural ‘tweaks’ that make it look as if you’ve had nothing done.”

It is not remarkable that a generation saturated in social media would be especially attuned to the natural aging process, given the age-old desire to defy aging. “When you have a global beauty ideal,” Widdows explained, “these kinds of procedures become normal.”

Widdows argued that the emphasis has shifted from flaunting social standing with “it” bags or cars to acquiring the “it” visage. Remote employment has an impact on online self-presentation.

While others may not notice your footwear or handbag, all eyes are on your visage. “We are moving into much more of a culture where the image speaks louder than the word,” according to her.

After perusing social media or observing your filtered face in a video, it can be disheartening to see your reflection—sagging, obese, and aged. “The gap between the identity we present on social media and the self we see in the mirror is growing,” Widdows indicated.

“It is not merely advantageous to appear more attractive. “We no longer feel like failures if we fail to do so.”

The increased prevalence of cosmetic procedures causes a loss of normalcy among the general populace. The increasing number of individuals succumbing to the pressure to alter their appearance is readily apparent.