Louis P. Bucky, MD, FACS
Award-Winning, World-Renowned Plastic Surgeon
Premiere Destination for Finest Injectables & Skin Care
February 7, 2024
Social media is popular for a variety of reasons. Some people use it to connect with loved ones, others may use it to read the news. Significantly, many people use social media for inspiration for their own beauty routines. Many users create unfiltered, unedited images that paint a more inclusive image of beauty. One study found that internet users who viewed these unedited images maintained a more positive opinion about their own appearance.
Other users show their creative skills with special effects previously only seen on a movie screen. Even better, these same users can share steps on how to achieve these looks. This action may seem small, but it opens up the community to everyone, rather than keeping this information inaccessible to those who may not be able to go to beauty school.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at other ways modern beauty has evolved thanks to social media.
Social media is home to countless trends that can go as far as altering the definition of beauty itself. In the past, people typically associated the word “beauty” with what traditional media sources, such as magazines, showed them. But thanks to social media, this perception has expanded to people of all genders, skin tones and types, body sizes, backgrounds, and hair types. Now, everyone has the opportunity to voice and view what they consider beautiful, especially when it comes to themselves.
A diverse platform with different voices speaking about beauty can be beneficial for all users. One study found that women who participated in Facebook groups or viewed images dedicated to positive body image enjoyed a more positive self-image. Body positivity, often denoted by the hashtag #BoPo, is a growing phenomenon on platforms like Instagram. Influencers and content producers promote a healthy body image and may post unedited pictures to show their natural appearance.
In addition, beauty influencers have provided a similar, more realistic perspective on beauty than what many are used to seeing from traditional celebrities in the media. For one, these influencers can use their own experience and creativity to establish new trends and teach others about their beautification skills In addition, many influencers can make helpful product recommendations and provide honest reviews on brands that may have been dishonest in their marketing campaigns.
All of these actions offer new perspectives and ideas about beauty to an ever-growing audience of people. Collectively, these ideas and actions help add to and evolve our understanding of what beauty means today.
With the rise in social media use, it’s easy to see how it’s affected our daily habits. It’s no wonder, then, that social media has affected people’s habits around beauty. For one, beauty trends tend to move through cycles more quickly, thanks to interconnected social media communities. More creativity sparks with more people, after all.
Beyond the community level, individuals themselves are changing their habits regarding their perceptions and actions toward beauty.
Since many users post content as themselves rather than on behalf of an organization, a lot of self-reflection takes place on social media platforms. Users can evaluate their values, their background, and even their own identity. This paves the way to find ways to improve. There are also plenty of resources provided on social media that can make self-improvement more tangible.
In regards to the beauty community, users can use social media to identify qualities about themselves that they love or how they would like to improve their beautification skills. They can also find self-care or beauty tips from other users that may boost their confidence or that they can use to enhance their appearance.
Social media has also raised awareness of cosmetic procedures like Botox. It also shows how these injections, which minimize muscle activity and reduce wrinkles, are common globally. Approximately 11 million people have used Botox worldwide.
However, Botox isn’t the only cosmetic treatment seeing a rise in popularity due to social media. For example, Kylie Jenner posted selfies on Instagram after her lip injections in 2015 and popularized the treatment, according to her own plastic surgeon.
Since then, as more people have spent more time looking at themselves on apps like Instagram and even Zoom for work, they’re more aware of their appearance and how they can enhance it. Some people may opt to address subtle aspects of their appearance, such as fine lines and wrinkles, with the help of treatments like fillers and Botox. Others might want to address things like their facial symmetry or volume loss to cheeks, lips, chin, and jawline with fillers. Social media has also made more people aware of surgical options like facelifts and blepharoplasties.
In the period between the start of the pandemic and 2022, these surgeries became extremely popular. For one, facelifts experienced an 8% growth and blepharoplasties grew 13% in popularity. Although social media isn’t the only contributing factor behind this growth, there is a significant correlation between users spending increased time online during the pandemic— therefore educating themselves about cosmetic surgeries and their benefits — and the overall frequency of these surgeries.
That said, it’s important to work with qualified and experienced cosmetic surgeons and professionals who can explain procedures and manage expectations.
As more healthcare professionals and skincare enthusiasts have taken to social media, more attention has been given to the importance of skincare and daily habits to keep skin healthy. Even more importantly, many dermatologists and healthcare professionals use social media as a tool for preventative health, particularly for skin cancer awareness. Because many professionals educate people on social media about the importance of sun protection, engaged users have prioritized their skincare routines, especially when it comes to sun protection and using sunscreen correctly.
Social media has also provided a platform for more global connections among skincare enthusiasts. For example, the popularity of Korean skincare routines can be traced to social media. Ultimately, this indicates that more social media users are receiving a more diverse, broader knowledge about skincare than previous generations. This allows everyone to benefit from and connect over a healthier skincare routine.
Social media is a part of everyday life, and to use it as an inspirational springboard into the beauty world, you have to use it mindfully. This means both consuming and producing beauty content intentionally based on your own needs and beauty goals.
Let’s break down what mindful, intentional social media use can look like for you.
Whether you’re looking for makeup tutorials for a special event or learning about the latest beauty trends, there are plenty of ways you can get the content you want from social media. When in doubt, find influencers who share your characteristics or who post about topics you want to learn more about. You can easily find this through certain hashtags. For example, if you’re more prone to oily skin and want a suggestion for a reliable foundation, look at #skin, #oil, #face.
You can also use your social media feed as inspiration to develop a happier relationship with your image and body. Hashtags or categories such as #BoPo, #bodypositive, and #bodyacceptance may help locate content creators and social media users with similar interests.
Further, you can find influencers who specialize in certain kinds of makeup, hairstyles, and beauty routines. They often provide tutorials so you can recreate those looks and routines at home. If you find a particular influencer you like, you can follow them and get regular content and updates. They may even end up posting something interesting that’s new to you and that you wouldn’t have found otherwise.
In addition to being intentional about the kind of content you consume, you can also spread positivity by contributing on social media yourself. Not only does this help other social media users, but creating and sharing positive content can also benefit you. There’s substantial evidence regarding the mental health effects and overall well-being of users who have positive online interactions.
These interactions can take many different forms, such as messaging your friends about a new skincare trend, creating a community to share your thoughts and tips with others, or posting your own beauty content. There are endless ways you can engage with others online that can make both yourself and others feel good. Take some time to experiment and find out what you enjoy doing!
Social media may encourage you to seek out cosmetic treatments, and for good reason. Cosmetic treatments done by reliable, trusted professionals can help improve all aspects of your life, including your body image. A healthy approach, guided by realistic expectations, can lead to improved self-esteem, boosted confidence, a better quality of life, and more.
Understanding how to get to this healthy approach is key. Your motivations for these treatments shouldn’t be from a place of negativity — quite the opposite. Your treatments should work to enhance your life and your appearance. By seeing these treatments as a celebration of yourself, you’ll be more satisfied with yourself and the outcome.
Common cosmetic surgical procedures include:
If you opt for cosmetic treatment — whether it be surgical, minimally invasive, or some combination — you’ll need a skilled professional who understands your expectations to help you choose the right procedure.
Research your professionals, make sure they are board-certified, and look for any reviews online on your desired treatments. Social media can be especially effective in this regard. For one, you can use it with a critical eye to find honest before and after photos. You can also use social media to learn about others’ experiences and opinions firsthand. However, make sure you pick a professional that is honest and transparent with their before and after photos. With this support, you can achieve results that help you reach your beauty standard, however you define it.
If you live in Philadelphia, Ardmore, or nearby communities in PA and would like more information on our practice, or if you would like to schedule a consultation with Dr. Bucky, please contact our office today.
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