CAMA’s theme for the month of December is: The impact of social media on self-perception among Millenials. On October 23rd, 2019 Instagram announced that all augmented reality (AR) filters encouraging plastic surgery will be banned following mental health concerns of social media users. AR filters disproportionately decreases the size of a users nose and enlarges one’s lips to give a grossly exaggerated pout. How do AR filters influence the expectations and perception of beauty among Millennials seeking non-surgical cosmetic treatments?

Dr. Gideon Kwok, is a founder of the prestigious Skin Perfect Medical in Southern California. Dr. Gideon’s ideology of medical aesthetics lies in the notion of growing with your clients, promoting self-confidence and making a difference in their lives by changing the way they look at themselves. During CAMA’s recent Advanced Injectables training, Dr. Gideon voiced that a good injector is one that practices the artistry of enhancing the natural beauty of clients and guiding Millenials towards finding their “natural glow”. We may encounter Millenials who arrive to appointments prepared with edited pictures of Instagram models and request a complete replication of someone else’s set of lips, nose or cheeks.

As healthcare practitioners we do not want to disrupt the harmonious flow of facial features but improve the overall balance and contour. Dr. Gideon warns new injectors against producing a “cookie cutter” look when treating Millennials. The purpose of non-surgical treatments is to provide natural results by enhancing one’s beauty without the need to go under a surgical knife. Should healthcare professionals consistently engage in a mental health screening process as part of our routine assessments prior to providing non-surgical treatments? Join us for next month’s discussion topic: Are practitioners encouraging unhealthy coping attitudes towards aging? The growing culture of offering a “quick fix” to Millennials battling with mental health issues and insecurities.

Article link: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-50152053