Selfies are serious business, and people go to extreme measures to get that perfect shot. According to a new poll, plastic surgeons are seeing a rise in requests based solely on the fact their patients want the best selfies. Yup, selfie-mania has officially reached an all-time high.
The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) shares that one in three surgeons has seen an increase in requests for procedures due to patients being more aware of their image in social media. They noted a 10 percent rise in rhinoplasty in 2013 over 2012, a 7 percent jump in hair transplants, and 6 percent increase in eyelid surgery. One surgeon even noted that his patients come in to his practice and show him selfies they've taken and areas they see for improvement.
The selfie, or self portrait, has seen a huge rise in popularity as smartphone usage becomes more pervasive and social media becomes a part of every day life. Ellen DeGeneres' "Oscars selfie" that she posted on Twitter was the most retweeted post of all time, and even President Barack Obama was seen snapping a selfie with fellow world leaders at Nelson Mandela's funeral. It's no wonder Oxford Dictionary picked "selfie" to be its 2013 Word of the Year.
If you know someone desperate for the perfect selfie, encourage them to try one of our time-tested techniques or perhaps some photo editing apps before they go under the knife.
[via Reuters]
