We cannot ignore the impact of social media when considering beauty perception rhinoplasty. Türkiye ranks 9th among the countries where the most aesthetic procedures are performed in the world, with 50 thousand aesthetic operations annually. We observe that the number of aesthetic procedures has increased 2-3 times with the spread of social media in recent years. This has led to many of us perceiving aesthetic interventions as a necessity rather than a luxury.
The perception of beauty has changed throughout history, especially regarding nose shape. However, today the perception of aesthetics is largely shaped on social media platforms. Cultural values, such as the perception of beauty with an aquiline nose, are now struggling against uniform beauty standards created in the digital world. While the aesthetic procedures performed worldwide in 2019 increased by 7.4% compared to the previous year, a total of 950 thousand 365 plastic and aesthetic surgery operations were performed in Turkey in 2021. In fact, the snowball effect inherent in social media affects both physicians and everyone who is considering aesthetic surgery.
In this article, we will examine how social media shapes our perception of beauty, what factors affect rhinoplasty decisions, and the social consequences of aesthetic normalization.
Change in Beauty Perception Over Time
When we turn the pages of history, we see that the concept of beauty is an ever-changing phenomenon. Body perception and beauty standards have gained completely different meanings in different periods and societies, revealing the dynamic structure of the aesthetic understanding.
Aesthetic understanding from ancient times to the present
In ancient Greece, beauty was a concept that was believed to have a direct relationship between physical appearance and inner beauty. The ideal female body in this period; While it was defined by round hips, soft curves and a symmetrical face, muscular and athletic structure stood out in men. Aesthetics is derived from the Greek word "Aistheticos" and means perception and sensation. Philosopher A.G. Baumgarten defined aesthetics as "the science of contemplating beauty."
When we came to the Middle Ages, the concept of beauty was blended with religious themes, and the female body was seen as a secondary version of the male body. The ideal woman in this period; He is described as having a broad forehead, thin eyebrows, a long neck, fair skin and a narrow chest. Some women even shaved the front of their hair to comply with these standards.
During the Renaissance, there was a great change in the perception of beauty. While women were expected to have thin waists, rosy cheeks and round faces, tight corsets began to be used for the sake of thin waists. The use of corsets became widespread in Victorian England (1837-1901), creating an hourglass appearance in women.
While short hair and small breasts were considered sufficient for a sexy look for women in the 1920s, fuller body lines became popular towards the 1950s. The "size zero" fashion began in the 1960s, which paved the way for the emergence of diseases such as anorexia. In the 2000s, while thinness was still considered a sign of beauty, full breasts and hips also gained importance.
The impact of cultural norms on beauty
The perception of beauty differs in cultural context and is relative. Every society defines beauty according to its own value judgments. For example,Slim and athletic body structure in Western societiesWhile it is considered ideal, in some African cultures, fuller body structures are seen as the standard of beauty.
Body perception is cultural. Culture; It constructs the body by defining, limiting and shaping it. These norms include elements such as gender, age, clothing, and beauty. For example, in Mauritania, obesity is considered a sign of wealth and prestige for women, while in our country and in the West, thinness is more preferred.
Technological developments and the spread of mass media have caused the perception of beauty to transform into a mass culture based on politics and consumption. This process has homogenized the concept of beauty and turned it into an object of mass consumption.
Aquiline nose and historical perception of beauty
The arched nose has been seen as a symbol of beauty and nobility in many societies throughout history. This nose type is found in many geographically unrelated societies and is most prevalent in ethnic groups living in Southern Europe, the Balkans, the Caucasus, South Asia and the Middle East.
Western scientists who lived in the post-Enlightenment period described the arched nose, also known as the "Roman nose", as a symbol of beauty and nobility. In fact, according to physiognomy popular in the Victorian era, an aquiline nose indicated a person's social status and level of intelligence. The term Roman nose was first used by Plutarch when describing Marcus Antonius.
The aquiline nose has been accepted as a standard of beauty not only in the West but also in Indian and Southeast Asian societies. Powerful figures in traditional Hindu mythology have arched noses. When viewed from the side profile, the nose has a slightly curved shape rather than a straight line, and this nose type has been associated with meanings such as “strong stance” or “determined expression” throughout history.
While today the concept of the golden ratio is accepted as a criterion for facial beauty, the arched nose is still seen as part of a characteristic and memorable expression in certain cultures. Each nose shape carries a piece of the history and genetic structure of the person to whom it belongs, which shows the cultural diversity of the perception of beauty.
Perception of Aesthetics in the Age of Social Media
Social media has become a powerful tool that has radically changed the perception of aesthetics. This digital universe, full of filters, likes and influencers, is now one of the most important factors that determine our beauty standards.
Filters and ideal face image
With the social media applications that entered our lives, a brand new concept was born: filter. Filters used on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat fundamentally change our perception of beauty. People can now transform the parts they do not like into the image they want in a two-minute process. According to research by the University of London,90% of women use filters in the photos they share on social mediaand over time, they lose their self-confidence in front of the mirror.
In particular, the "Teenage Look" and "Bold Glamor" filters, which came into use on TikTok in March, were developed with artificial intelligence technology and provide almost perfect results. Thanks to these filters, people achieve the appearance of fuller lips, bright eyes, thin nose and smooth skin. However, the aesthetic perception offered by filters creates serious problems because they are a combination of many stereotypical beauty criteria.
The impact of social media influencers
Legendary personalities, movie stars and singers, who used to be chosen as role models, have now been replaced by YouTube, Instagram and Twitch phenomena. Role models of this new order are produced, designed and marketed by the industrial system for economic and cultural purposes.
This creates unrealistic perceptions of beauty in young people, as influencers and people who collaborate with brands often fit a certain mold. In the digital world, influencers' always happy, fun and flawless appearance triggers the thought of "I should be like them" in young people. Moreover, the number of followers, likes and interactions on social media give people credibility in real life.
The problem of uniformity in the perception of beauty
Social media tries to put people into a single mold by standardizing the perception of beauty. While in the past there were unique understandings of beauty in different cultures, today everyone is forced to conform to the same beauty template. When we look at metropolises, we can see how similar people are becoming to each other.
As a striking example, in the United States, families have their children undergo plastic surgery as a graduation gift. Social media filters put eyebrows, eyes, noses, lips, facial features and body shapes into similar patterns, thus creating a digital uniformity. This situation causes the disappearance of beauty elements that are considered valuable in different cultures, such as the arched nose.
Visibility and appreciation culture
People now feel the need to be seen and liked in order to exist. According to research by the University of London, people who use filters lose their self-confidence in the mirror over time and feel the need to have plastic surgery as a solution. One in three young people feel pressured by beauty standards created on social media.Approximately one-third of girls aged 11-21 do not share unfiltered photos on social media.
Young people are facing a new psychological disorder called “Snapchat dysmorphia” or “Selfie body image disorder”. This disorder is a psychological condition experienced by people who believe that their bodies are defective, even though there is no defect in their bodies. While the effort to beautify to get likes increases the demand for plastic surgery, the number of aesthetic procedures performed to resemble the filtered image is also rapidly increasing.
With social media, the perception has become established that aesthetic procedures are no longer specific to a certain class, but are accessible to everyone. Aesthetic procedures have become an ordinary procedure that can be done during lunch breaks and have become a necessity. Thus, social media has caused people to see these transactions as a necessity.
Factors Affecting the Rhinoplasty Decision
Decisions regarding rhinoplasty operations are the result of a much more complex process than we think. The person's own perception, his/her environment, doctors' instructions and the influence of social media play an important role in shaping these decisions.
Demographic profile of those who had rhinoplasty
According to research, rhinoplasty is among the most frequently preferred aesthetic interventions. Participants were asked: "What is the first aesthetic intervention that comes to mind?" When asked the question, 40% answered "nose aesthetics". The most preferred operation among those who have aesthetic interventionsIt is again rhinoplasty with 18.4%. Of those who are considering having an aesthetic intervention in the near future, 37.9% want to have a rhinoplasty.
From a demographic perspective, women tend to have more plastic surgery than men. In a study, 63.5% of women stated that they wanted to undergo aesthetic surgery. A direct relationship has been found, especially between women's use of social media and their interest in plastic surgery.
How does the perception of beauty affect the nose decision?
Today, body beauty is considered one of the most important elements of health and happiness. Although beauty is a relative concept, the standardization process in social media highlights certain beauty standards.
The shape of the nose directly affects a person's self-confidence because it is located in the middle of the face. For many people, rhinoplasty is a psychological healing process beyond just improving appearance. Research shows that those who have undergone plastic surgery84.6% achieved the result they wantedand 95.9% of them did not experience any post-aesthetic regret.
Social environment and influencer effect
Social media and the social environment are the main social factors affecting rhinoplasty. When getting information about aesthetic operations, people mostly turn to television (61.3%), websites (51.3%), friends and family (47%) and social media (34.1%).
However, social appearance anxiety and the desire to be liked make young people more prone to plastic surgery. It has been observed that as time spent on social media increases, acceptance of plastic surgery also increases. Especially people who spend 4 hours or more on social media have higher levels of social appearance anxiety than others.
Plastic surgeons' use of social media
Aesthetic surgeons also influence patient decisions by actively using social media. It has been stated that the public's demand for aesthetics has increased as a result of physicians advertising and announcing aesthetic procedures to the public. Some doctors try to perform more operations out of concern for financial gain, and even recommend surgery to patients themselves.
However, research has shown that physicians who appear frequently in the media are not necessarily trustworthy. The most important factor to consider when choosing a physician is expertise, and it is recommended that patients research the academic careers of physicians and interview patients with whom they have previously operated.
After all, the factors affecting the rhinoplasty decision are multidimensional. Individuals' own perceptions, social environmental pressure, social media influence and physicians' guidance are parts of a complex network that plays a role in making this decision.
Desire to Be Liked and Social Appearance Anxiety in Young People
In the period from adolescence to young adulthood, people inherently desire to be liked and seek approval from those around them. This situation has reached completely different dimensions today with the influence of social media.
Self-confidence and body image in young people
Rapid physical changes experienced during adolescence and pressures from the social environment deeply affect young people's body perception. Studies conductedA positive relationship between body image and self-confidenceshowed that it is. Additionally, negative significant relationships were identified between body image and close relationships with peers and negative relationships with peers. Adolescents, especially those exposed to beauty standards imposed by social media, may experience fear of exclusion, depressive thoughts and even eating disorders.
Social media usage time and aesthetic tendency
As the time spent on social media increases, people's tendency towards aesthetic procedures also increases. EspeciallySocial appearance anxiety levels of participants who spend 4 hours or more on social mediawas found to be higher than other groups. However, a positive relationship was found between social appearance anxiety and social media addiction and the perception of having aesthetic procedures. At this point, social media use and the number of hours spent on Snapchat and Instagram directly affect people's desire for cosmetic surgery.
Photo sharing and filter addiction
Today, most of the more than 300 million images uploaded to social media every day consist of photos that have been filtered or corrected. The use of filters can distort young people's true self-perception and cause serious self-confidence problems. Uvence's research results have shown that the use of filters causes lack of self-confidence. What's more, research has found that 25 percent of social media users edit more than 40 percent of the photos they upload.
Psychological motivations of aesthetic procedures
The most basic psychological motivations that lead young people to aesthetic procedures include the desire to be liked, social appearance anxiety and lack of self-confidence. The influence of social media influencers, peer pressure and the culture of appreciation also strengthen these motivations. As a result, the age of having plastic surgery has decreased from 25 to 15. Recent studies have shown that participants who frequently share photos on social media are more accepting of plastic surgery than those who rarely or never share photos.
As a result, restricting the time young people spend on social media can have positive results in terms of both protecting mental health and reducing health expenses that will occur as a result of unnecessary operations.
Aesthetic Normalization and Social Consequences
Aesthetic procedures, which were once a privilege reserved only for the elite, have now become an ordinary part of our daily lives. Technological advances and economic accessibility played an important role in this transformation.
Aesthetic procedures becoming commonplace
Aesthetic operations, which were considered a serious surgical intervention in the past, have now turned into an ordinary procedure that can be performed during lunch hours. With the return to social life after the pandemic, interest in aesthetic applications has increased even more. Procedures that provide rapid results in a single session, such as Botox and fillers, have become especially popular. In addition, aesthetic procedures have become a service accessible to everyone, rather than a treatment that is only accessible to certain socio-economic classes.
Commercialization of the perception of beauty
The beauty industry has become a huge market that is constantly growing. Beauty industry only in the United StatesEmploys more than 670,000 people. While the global beauty products market was worth $532.43 billion in 2017, it is expected to reach a market value of $805.61 billion by 2023. However, the rate of resorting to surgical operations in Turkey is gradually increasing, and according to 2017 data, our country ranks 11th in the world in aesthetic operations.
Social pressure and aesthetic necessity
The concept of beauty has been one of the basic criteria used to define women in almost every culture. This perception, which creates great pressure especially on women, makes aesthetic procedures almost mandatory.Only 4% of the world's female population considers themselves beautiful, 72% of young girls feel intense beauty pressure on them. Aging naturally, living in a body that bears the traces of time, means taking the risk of social exclusion.
With the influence of social media, users who want to bring perfection to their physical lives are increasingly turning to aesthetic procedures. This has become a consumable and accessible need for people from all walks of life in society. Therefore, the beauty industry produces not only “beauty” but also “insecurity”, constantly reminding us that we are never young enough, thin enough, smooth enough.
Conclusion
As can be seen, social media platforms have radically changed not only our daily communication, but also our perception of beauty and aesthetic decisions. Beauty elements with historical and cultural value, such as the arched nose, are gradually losing their importance in the face of uniform standards created in the digital world. While especially young people turn to aesthetic procedures at an early age to achieve the perfect images created by filters, the psychological effects of this situation are inevitable.
The decision to undergo rhinoplasty is affected by more complex factors than expected. The person's own perception, social environmental pressure, the influence of social media phenomena and physicians' guidance shape this process. However, it should not be forgotten that aesthetic operations are now preferred not only for physical change but also for psychological recovery.
However, the normalization and accessibility of aesthetic procedures brought about a social transformation. Interventions that were once considered a luxury have now become part of the daily routine. So, the beauty industry produces not only beauty, but also insecurity, constantly reminding us that we are never perfect enough.
Being more conscious when using social media and questioning the beauty standards presented is the first step we can take to get ourselves out of this cycle. As a result, realizing how much our personal preferences are affected by social media and making decisions according to our own values is of great importance for both our mental health and the preservation of social diversity.
Key Takeaways
As social media radically changes our perception of beauty and our aesthetic decisions, it is critical to understand the individual and social impacts of this digital transformation.
- Social media filters create unrealistic beauty standards– While 90% of women use filters, over time they lose their self-confidence in the mirror and turn to aesthetic procedures.
- Social media usage time among young people increases aesthetic tendencies– Social appearance anxiety and desire for aesthetic procedures increase significantly among those who use social media 4+ hours a day.
- Cultural diversity of beauty falls victim to standardization– Historical beauty elements such as the arched nose lose their value in the face of standard patterns on digital platforms.
- Aesthetic procedures have now become part of the daily routine– Operations that used to be luxurious are perceived as ordinary operations that can be done during lunch breaks and create social pressure.
- Conscious social media use is necessary for personal freedom– Questioning the presented beauty standards and making decisions based on our own values is critical for both mental health and social diversity.
This transformation shapes not only our individual preferences but also the body perception and self-confidence of future generations. Therefore, raising awareness against digital beauty pressure is vital for both our personal well-being and the preservation of our cultural richness.
FAQ
Q1. How does rhinoplasty affect facial beauty?Since the nose is located in the center of the face, it significantly affects facial beauty. A successful rhinoplasty can improve the overall appearance by harmonizing with other features of the face and create a more balanced facial expression.
Q2. How does social media shape our perception of beauty?Social media, especially through filters and influencer culture, popularizes certain beauty standards. As the time spent on these platforms increases, people's tendency towards aesthetic procedures increases and unrealistic beauty expectations arise.
Q3. What are the factors affecting the rhinoplasty decision?The main factors affecting the decision of rhinoplasty include personal perception, social pressure, social media influence and physicians' instructions. Additionally, the desire to be liked and concern about social appearance may also influence this decision.
Q4. How does the normalization of aesthetic procedures affect society?The normalization of aesthetic procedures commercializes the perception of beauty and creates social pressure. Especially among young people, aesthetic interventions are becoming almost mandatory and the natural aging process can be perceived as a risk of social exclusion.
Q5. How is cultural beauty diversity affected by social media?Social media threatens cultural diversity by standardizing the perception of beauty. Beauty elements that have historical and cultural value, such as the arched nose, lose their importance in the face of uniform beauty standards created on digital platforms.