This Degrading New Plastic Surgery App Scares the Crap Out of Me
Nowadays, not only is technology providing greater access to the services and information that we desire including cosmetic treatments, but it is also changing our standard of beauty. According to the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery roughly two thirds (64%) of AAFPRS members report their practice experiencing an increase in requests for cosmetic surgery and injectables from patients under the age of 30. Among those in their 20's, Botox, fillers and lip augmentation are becoming more popular. These procedures are considered a "gateway" to more extensive procedures such as breast augmentation, liposuction, and Brazilian butt lifts. Surgeons cite the desire to emulate the looks of celebrities and the ever-present nature of social media as major influencers behind these requests.
"The teen and young adult years are a highly impressionable time and the more consumers are inundated with celebrity images via social media, the more they want to replicate the enhanced, re-touched images that are passed off as reality," said Dr. Edwin Williams III, president of the AAFPRS. "We are seeing a younger demographic than ever before seeking consultations and treatments with facial plastic surgeons all over the country." At least one company is looking to cash in on this massive interest in cosmetic procedures.
Which brings us to the truly gross and troubling new mobile app, Zwivel.
Zwivel is an iOS app that targets millennials interested in plastic surgery by offering digital consultations with plastic surgeons. The company markets itself as "home-shopping for cosmetic surgery." The app (and online service) lets you get expert opinions from doctors, secure multiple price quotes, and book appointments, all without ever leaving your couch.
This feels gross to me. I am fine with plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures for fully-informed, mature adults. However, it seems like Zwivel is targeting a young audience as potential candidates for surgery. Plastic surgery shouldn't be inspired by whatever new procedure Kylie Jenner is currently entertaining. It is a serious decision that can involve life-threatening risks.
In order to understand the app better, I logged onto Zwivel. Registration takes a couple minutes, and for convenience users can sign in with their Facebook accounts. You then select whether you are male or female. I choose female, and was assigned a cute white-lady avatar. I tried to adjust my avatar to be more representative of how I actually look, but there are no options for different body types or ethnicities. Just this vacant, skinny white lady.
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