More Americans Going For Plastic Surgery to Look Good in Selfies

The increasing exposure to selfies has prompted scores of people across the United States to opt for plastic surgery giving birth to the "Slefie Economy".

As many as 2,700 members of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery took part in a survey conducted by the institution. It was learnt that 1 in 3 reported an increase in requests for procedures by those patients who wished to improve their image on the social media. The survey results showed that there was an increase of 10 percent in rhinoplasty or nose jobs in 2013 as compared to 2012, while 7 percent increase in hair transplants and 6 percent in eyelid surgery, The Week reports.

"There has been a 25 percent increase over the past year and a half to two years. That is very significant. They come in with their iPhones and show me pictures. Selfies are just getting to be so crazy," Dr. Sam Rizk, a plastic surgeon, said about his practice based in Manhattan.

Jennifer Reynolds, a dental hygienist, had always been very conscious about her looks and never liked taking selfies. Even when others used to tag her in their photographs on social networking sites, she used to feel uncomfortable.

The 34-yera-old went for plastic surgery and now is ever-ready to pose for a selfie. "I definitely feel more comfortable right now with my looks. If I need to take a selfie, without a doubt, I would have no problem," Reynolds explained, Reuters reports.

Needless to say such sudden surge in business has made plastic surgeons and makeup artists very rich.

Advanced technology combined with increasing indulgence in smartphones and social media sites has given rise to the famous 'selfie' phenomenon. Be it the supreme leader of a country or a Hollywood star.

Talking of selfies, one can recall the very-famous selfie posted on Twitter by comedian Ellen DeGenres that had many Hollywood A-list stars at the Academy Awards 2014.

One would also remember the instance when Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt clicked a selfie with U.S. President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron at Nelson Mandela's memorial service.

These two selfies mentioned above had gone viral on the internet.

Stating the factors for people wanting to change their looks, AAFPRS President Edward Farrior in a press release said: "Social platforms like Instagram, Snapchat and the iPhone app Selfie.im, which are solely image based, force patients to hold a microscope up to their own image and often look at it with a more self-critical eye than ever before. These images are often the first impressions young people put out there to prospective friends, romantic interests and employers and our patients want to put their best face forward."

He further said that bullying was also one of the factors. Most children or adolescents, who were subjected to bullying, believe that changing their features might save them from being bullied in the future, Daily Mail reports.