Facebook Facelifts: Social Media Spurs Growing Plastic Surgery Trend

In yet another proof of how powerful social media is, people are now turning to plastic surgery to look better online. The so-called Facebook Facelifts?are all the rage nowadays, with more people asking surgeons to strengthen their weak chins, take out their eyebags and basically make themselves look more 'presentable' on their profiles. To the average person, getting facelifts to look good on Facebook may seem drastic. However, for somebody who spends most of his or her time on the Internet, this is somewhat expected. In an interview with Triana Lavey, a TV producer in LA, ABC's Nightline proves how an active social media lifestyle can influence one's decision to go beyond Photoshop and go under the knife. "It's my darn chin that bugs the living daylights out of me. You keep looking and looking, and now it's the first thing I look for in a photo. It all started with Facebook," Lavey was quoted as saying. The 37-year-old added that she didn't really notice her weak chin until she saw her online photos. The problem had eventually become so pressing to her that simply untagging herself from photos or adjusting camera angles didn't cut it anymore. She sought the help of a good friend, Dr. Dr. Richard Ellenbogen, a plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills. Lavey may be the most popular face of Facebook Facelifts but the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (@ASPS_News) says that this is actually very common. In fact, the group says that chin augmentations related to the need to improve online profiles rose 71 percent in the past 12 months. In the Internet age where majority of communication is done via the web, this is no longer shocking. Although, it's amusing to know that individuals are willing to pay thousands for a consistently acceptable online photo. The procedure costs between $12,000 and $15,000. Other known terms include the Lifestyle Lift and the FaceTime Lift.