In a post on The Big Think, Derek Beres explores the connection between internet and selfie culture, self-worth, and the growing number of cosmetic surgeries. The piece draws on results from a American Society of Plastic Surgeon’s Surgery Statistics report, which revealed that from 2000 to 2016, the number of total cosmetic procedures has gone up 132 percent.

Beres also notes that alongside this rise is the increasing popularity of apps like Meitu. Originally designed as a general photo-editing tool, the app is being used as a way to transform selfies into a wang hong lian, or “Internet celebrity face.”