Cosmetic Harley Street doctor reveals rise in ‘Snapchat dysmorphia’

A few years ago, the people who arrived seeking cosmetic enhancements – a fuller lip, a smoother forehead – at Dr Tijion Esho’s clinic in London’s Harley Street would often have an image of their favourite celebrity with them, and offer it as a guide for what they wanted. 

Fast forward to 2018 and social media has, says Dr Esho, transformed what the patients he now sees want. 

He explains: ‘Young people, particularly in the 18 to 25 group of patients, have stopped offering celebrity photos. Instead, they will bring in filtered versions of themselves. 

‘They are using apps to make their nose look straighter, their skin look better, their lips look larger, their jaw-line look tighter.’ 

 

Cosmetic doctors and plastic surgeons have reported an increase in patients requesting to look like filtered images used on social media apps including snapchat with smoother skin, more slender noses and fuller lips the top requests (Picture of Rubey Lalia for illustration purposes only)

Dr Tijion Esho, who operates his own private clinic from Harley Street, coined the term 'Snapchat dysmorphia' after seeing a rise in patients aged 18 to 25 bringing in filtered images of themselves

Dr Tijion Esho, who operates his own private clinic from Harley Street, coined the term ‘Snapchat dysmorphia’ after seeing a rise in patients aged 18 to 25 bringing in filtered images of themselves

Esho says he's frequently have to tell patients with Snapchat dysmorphia that he can't offer them any procedures because the images they're aspiring to aren't real (Picture of Anna, a make-up artist, for illustration purposes only)

Esho says he’s frequently have to tell patients with Snapchat dysmorphia that he can’t offer them any procedures because the images they’re aspiring to aren’t real (Picture of Anna, a make-up artist, for illustration purposes only)

A study published on August 2nd in the JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery Viewpoint concluded that image-editing apps across social media platforms had indeed sparked an increased surge in patients looking to emulate the physical perfection the filters afford.

The study found US plastic surgeons surveyed in 2017 reported an increase from 42 per cent in 2015 to 55 per cent in 2016 of patients requesting enhancements that would improve their appearance in selfies. 

Dr Esho says one such consultation left him so alarmed by the unrealistic requests of one potential patient that he coined a new term, ‘Snapchat dysmorphia’, and has since watched it become a popular way to describe how filtered social media images are giving people unrealistic expectations of what they can look like.

Dr Esho says: ‘The images are okay as a reference point; and actually it almost makes it more relatable to see a photo of them rather than a celebrity. However, what started to happen was there was a group of patients who really wanted to look like that; they were really trying to go for this Snapchat filtered image.’ 

The London-based doctor says he referred one patient for counselling after recognising the signs of Snapchat dysmorphia (Dr Esho pictured centre with his Channel 4 Body Fixers co-stars)

The London-based doctor says he referred one patient for counselling after recognising the signs of Snapchat dysmorphia (Dr Esho pictured centre with his Channel 4 Body Fixers co-stars)

He adds: ‘They’re judging themselves by a standard that isn’t real. They may say ‘I want to look like her and I have to explain: “That’s not real, it’s a filter”. It’s not possible to have those lips or that jaw-line.’ 

One such patient included Natalie (not her real name) who sheds some light on why the filtered image is so appealing. 

She said: ‘I never was happy with taking photos but using filters made me feel like I looked good.’

‘Your face can become thinner, your lips get bigger and your eyes and lashes can get bigger. It’s great.’ 

I have to explain: “That’s not real, it’s a filter”. It’s not possible to have those lips or that jaw-line…

After explaining to Natalie that there’s no way of achieving the look she wants because it’s unrealistic, Dr Esho, who stars on Channel 4’s Body Fixers, says he referred her instead for counselling and she’s now making ‘great progress’.

Dr Esho’s London-based clinic enjoys a huge social media following, with around 50,000 people on various platforms including Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. 

He says often he won’t recognise patients who come in from their social media photos because of the filters, and is aware that with such wide-reaching presence comes responsibility.

‘You’ll see a lot on my account about what can go wrong – we have to show that this is serious stuff. When people see these things on social media they think it’s as easy as dyeing your hair; these are medical procedures that come with real medical risks.’

Snapchat's filters which often add butterflies or bunny ears soften the features of the face and smooth out wrinkles; the company says the filters are designed to be fun (Picture of Krystal, a make-up artist, for illustration purposes only)

Snapchat’s filters which often add butterflies or bunny ears soften the features of the face and smooth out wrinkles; the company says the filters are designed to be fun (Picture of Krystal, a make-up artist, for illustration purposes only)

Dr Esho has called for stricter standards when it comes to clinics setting up social media accounts, saying it’s easy to ‘grab some photos from somewhere’ and entice in those looking for a quick cosmetic fix.  

‘There’s no paperwork you have to provide to the social media platform. There needs to be better legislation, separating the legitimate clinics from the ones who aren’t.’

How does he deal with patients like Natalie who he knows need mental health problems addressing, not a killer pout? 

‘The biggest thing is not to be instantly dismissive, you’re handling a very fragile person. And if you just say no and dismiss, we’re a 2.5billion-strong industry, there’s going to be someone out there who’s going to say yes to them, unfortunately.

However, Dr Esho argues that such filters are heightening the expectations of Generation Z, who no longer look to celebrities for inspiration but more their own enhanced image (Picture of Yasmina B, a make-up artist, for illustration purposes only)

However, Dr Esho argues that such filters are heightening the expectations of Generation Z, who no longer look to celebrities for inspiration but more their own enhanced image (Picture of Yasmina B, a make-up artist, for illustration purposes only)

‘What you have to do is act responsibly and support them in that process and explain why you can’t proceed. 

‘Today’s generation can’t escape “the Truman effect” because from birth they are born into an age of social platforms where their feelings of self-worth can be based purely on the number of likes and followers that they have, which is linked to how good they look or how great these images are.

‘These images are now readily accessible and judged, whereas before we had to see images via magazines or TV. We now see them daily via social platforms, making us more critical of ourselves.’ 

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