Taking selfies at a distance of about 12 inches from the face increases perceived nose size by nearly 30%, according to a report published Thursday in the journal JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery.
Researchers now are cautioning that patients interested in cosmetic procedures should not turn to self-photographs as guidance when considering making changes to their faces. Pictures taken at a distance of 12 inches increased nose size by 30% in men and 29% in women compared with photographs taken at an infinite camera distance.
According to a 2018 poll conducted by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, 55% of surgeons reported having patients who said they were seeking cosmetic procedures to improve their perceived appearance in selfies or other photos posted on social media in 2017, up from 42% in 2016.
In 2017, there were about 17.5 million cosmetic surgical and minimally invasive cosmetic procedures performed in the US, a 2% increase from 2016 and a 200% increase from 2000, according to a report released Thursday by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
Of these procedures, 218,924 were nose-reshaping cosmetic surgeries.