The past decade has seen women and men alike warm up to plastic surgery. Previously taboo, cosmetic enhancements are now becoming the norm, positioning the already-booming industry for further exponential growth.
This shift in perception is due to a number of factors, most notably advances in technology, availability of non-invasive treatments and of course, social media. The notorious “selfie” and the feature-modifying filters that came with it gave the masses the ability to see what they would look like with cosmetic tweaks.
Dr. Jennifer Levine, a double-board facial plastic surgeon who specializes in results that look natural, is regularly asked by patients to look like the filtered versions of themselves. “The good thing about many of these filters is that the adjustments are subtle, making them achievable in many cases. However, occasionally a patient comes in with unrealistic expectations of what cosmetic surgery or treatments can achieve for their specific facial anatomy,” Dr. Levine shares.
Patients also frequently bring in pictures of their celebrity goals to Dr. Levine’s Upper East Side office in NYC. An expert in facial anatomy with over 15,000 facial procedures completed, Dr. Levine explains to patients which features can and cannot be derived from their celebrity goal. She will sometimes suggest another celebrity lookalike who has the features desired by the patient.
To set more realistic expectations, Dr. Levine uses a technological solution during her collaborative consults, “We have the Vectra H1 3D camera system that allows us to modify the face based on treatments that would be done. Unlike a filter, it works strictly with the facial anatomy, giving the patient a realistic idea of the outcome.”
Even so, Dr. Levine warns that technology is not fool-proof. Every individual heals differently and there is always a risk with cosmetic enhancements. The best way to minimize that risk is by having your cosmetic treatments completed by board-certified professionals with ample experience in your procedure of choice.
Unrealistic expectations and the mental state of the patient is something that Dr. Jennifer Levine and her all-women staff look out for. Dr. Levine explains, “There are many great things about social media. But we are also seeing patients whose mental health and self-perception is negatively impacted by what they see on the platforms. In some cases, I refuse to treat a patient if there are signs of body dysmorphia.”
Learn more about Dr. Jennifer Levine and her practice on her official website.
