Category: Peace

Celebrities used to be the main influence over plastic surgery trends, now it’s selfies. More and more people are approaching plastic surgeons for facial feature changes in order to look like the filtered version of themselves that they post on social media. It’s not wrong to want to refine your features or look younger to be a “better you,” but social media and photo editing apps are encouraging people to strive for unattainable beauty standards and it’s affecting their emotional wellbeing.

There is new researching confirming that social media is leading to an increase in Body Dysmorphic Disorders. BDD is a mental condition in which someone obsesses about their appearance in such a negative way that is causes emotional distress and interrupts their daily life. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, this affects 1 in 50 people and is often combined with other anxieties, such as depression.

Photo editing apps like Facetune and Snapchat can smooth skin, slim and straighten the nose, enlarge eyes and plump lips. Increased usage is leading social media consumers to prefer their heavily filtered appearances to their reality. This is a strong enough preference to lead them into the plastic surgeons office.

Boston University dermatology professors confirmed that 55 percent of plastic surgeons reported that their patients were seeking alterations to their physical appearance to improve their selfies, according to an essay in the JAMA bimonthly peer reviewed Facial Plastic Surgery medical periodical. The prevalence of patients seeking surgery in order to imitate their filtered selfies has been called ‘Snapchat dysmorphia.’

This alarming trend is even more prevalent among young people who use these editing apps and share those augmented pictures of themselves the most often. They struggle to align their fantasy self with reality, viewing plastic surgery as the solution. This striving for approval based on an augmented appearance is not only unhealthy emotionally, but physically unachievable.

I love helping people with refining their features to be satisfied with how they look, however this should not ultimately be where anyone’s self value comes from. Everyone has imperfections and the edited reality of the media world doesn’t change this. An unhealthy obsession with changing our appearance to align with the edited version of ourselves warrants some professional therapeutic help. Yes, the results from plastic surgery can be a confidence boost, but if you have “snapchat dysmorphia,” a physical fix is a BandAid to an emotional issue that should also be addressed. Our goal should be to look and feel great physically and emotionally.

Steven Davison, M.D.

Triple Board Certified Cosmetic Surgeon

www.davinciplastic.com

Tummy Tuck Time

With the coming feasts that are part of Thanksgiving and the December holidays, it’s going to be very hard not to put on an extra few pounds this winter season. Many people are already starting behind the curve by not meeting their summer weight loss goals, and will add more pounds to that over the next 2 months.

If that’s you, there’s no reason to be depressed about it. As long as you’re on the journey towards better health (or plan to start in the new year), there’s a solution to help you get the results you desire. A Tummy Tuck could be just the boost you need to get on the right track for the body you want.

WHO GETS A TUMMY TUCK AND WHY… This is one of the most common procedures. As with most elective surgery, it’s for people with generally good health, but can help most anyone who’s struggled to get rid of belly bulges. It could be from stubborn post pregnancy weight that won’t budge, to that extra bit that just won’t go away no matter how much you work out or diet. A Tummy Tuck can:

• reshape your body to fit comfortably in the clothes you want,
• relieve back ache from getting rid of extra weight,
• help boost your energy and self confidence.

WHAT IS A TUMMY TUCK…Formally called an Abdominoplasty, it is a cosmetic surgery that removes excess skin and fat from the abdominal area resulting in a smoother, flatter tummy. It is the “Gold Standard” and surgery of choice for men and women who want to be rid of the tummy rolls, beer belly, and muffin top. Unlike just getting liposuction, a Tummy Tuck removes both the fat and the stretched out skin for a completely smooth abdominal area.

WHERE CAN YOU TUCK… While Abdominoplasty, by name, is focusing on the abdominal area, you can also receive the same type of procedure and benefits on different parts of your body. For example, some other common areas include:

• hips
• thighs
• back
• bra line
• buttocks

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME FOR A TUMMY TUCK… recovery from this type of surgery generally takes about 6 weeks, so it’s important to plan for some down time. Some people like to use the time off, they’re already getting for the holidays, others like to start off their “New Year with a New Body.” Every person is different, which is why our time in the consult is so important.

FULL BODY CONTOURING… If you’re looking for a full body lift and tuck, Abdominoplasty can be combined with other procedures to address all your areas of concern. Here are some more options for full body contouring:

• Liposuction to remove targeted fat deposits.
• Arm Lifts (Brachiaplasty) to eliminate the hanging, flabby skin under the arm.
• Breast Augmentation, Reduction and Lifts to create a harmonious upper body balance in breast size and form.
• Lower Body Lift to remove fat and extra skin, while lifting and reshaping the thighs, lower abs, and buttocks.

So is it your “time for a tummy tuck”? Let’s talk about your body rejuvenating goals. Visit my website www.davinciplastic.com for more info.

Steven Davison, M.D.