A new study reveals that social media enthusiasts are resorting to permanent alterations to resemble filters instead of relying on face-tune.
Boston University researchers found that spending more time on apps and using photo editing tools is linked to dissatisfaction with appearance and a desire to change physical features.
“Selfie culture” has led to the emergence of “Snapchat dysmorphia,” with more users seeking procedures to imitate filtered images of themselves, as indicated by a study showing an increase in the percentage of participants considering aesthetic procedures from 64% to 86% and in those seeking consultations with surgeons from 44% to 68%.
Post-COVID, 78% of volunteers indicated that undergoing a procedure would enhance their self-esteem, marking a 30% increase from pre-pandemic levels.
“However, the filter effects and extensive photo manipulation often create images that are physically unattainable,” the study authors wrote.