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‘Selfies’ may do more than cause Twitter to crash, as witnessed during the recent Academy Award’s ceremony. They are also inspiring many to consider facial plastic surgery.

New statistics from the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) found that one in three facial plastic surgeons have seen an increase in requests for procedures due to the “selfie” craze and social media in general. In fact, 13% identified increased photo sharing and patients’ dissatisfaction with their own image on social media sites as a reason for seeing a facial plastic surgeon. As a result, patients are requesting rhinoplasty, hair transplants, and eyelid surgery, the statistics reveal.

“Selfie” Sabotage?

“The ‘selfie’ has helped to fuel an increased demand for facial plastic surgery by making people more self aware,” says Tampa, Fla-based facial plastic surgeon and AAFPRS President Edward Farrior, MD. “It has allowed us to view ourselves with a more critical eye from a viewpoint that is not always flattering.”

And for these reasons, the average age of facial plastic surgery patient may be skewing younger. In 2013, more than half of respondents saw an increase in requests for cosmetic surgery or injectables among those under age 30.

Other trends gleaned by the new statistics:

  • Bullying gives rise to plastic surgery requests. Most surgeons report children and teens are undergoing plastic surgery as a result of being bullied rather than to prevent being bullied.
  • Husbands and wives are actually the most likely duo to have cosmetic surgery together, with 31% of facial surgeons surveyed indicating an increase in married plastic surgery requests in 2013.