Selfies fuelling rise in unnecessary nose jobs, US study finds

Selfies may be fuelling a rise in unnecessary cosmetic surgery because they make people's noses look longer and wider, a study has found. Photo / 123RF

Selfies may be fuelling a rise in unnecessary cosmetic surgery because they make people's noses look longer and wider, a study has found.

Scientists from the University of Texas found younger patients especially are booking rhinoplasties because selfies distort their features.

In the study, 30 volunteers sat for three photographs. Two were taken with a smartphone, 30 and 45cm away, and one with a digital camera from 1.5m.

All the photos were shot in the same setting with the same lighting.

Measurements of photo "landmarks" - including the nose, lip, chin and facial width - were then compared.

Participants also completed questionnaires rating their satisfaction with their appearance in the images.

The findings, published in the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, reveal that noses looked up to 6.4 per cent longer in the selfie than compared to a standard photograph.

The selfies also shortened the volunteer's chins by up to 12 per cent with the ratio of nose to chin rising by 17 per cent.

They also made the base of the nose appear wider relative to the face.

False perceptions

Professor Bardia Amirlak, the lead author of the study, said: "There is a noted relationship between the increase in selfie photographs and an increase in rhinoplasty requests, particularly among younger patients.

"As the popularity of selfie photography increases, it is crucial to understand how they distort features and how patients use them to communicate.

"We need to increase awareness of how false perceptions on selfies may affect rhinoplasty requests, perceptions of self-image, and subsequent depression and anxiety.

"Our study further supports the concern that selfies can negatively affect perceived facial appearance."

Rhinoplasties are among the most common cosmetic operations in the UK and can cost up to $13,000.

A recent survey found three million people in the UK are planning to undergo a cosmetic procedure in 2022.

One in five Britons no longer post photos on social media without using editing tools that remove wrinkles, spots and stretch marks. Four in 10 prefer their filtered face.

Nose jobs remain the top plastic surgery choice for men and among the top five for women in the UK according to the latest figures.

In contrast to the UK, the US has seen a slight decrease in numbers for surgical rhinoplasty.

This difference is credited to the rise of "liquid nose jobs".

Injectable fillers including Hyaluronic acid, normally used for filling in facial wrinkles are used to plump out hollows or fill out a nose on the bridge.