Online Video Conferencing Leads to Rise in Chin Lifts

Chin lifts fastest growing trend in plastic surgery

Have you ever used FaceTime, Skype Chat, or another form of video chat, and you didn’t like the way your face looked? As it turns out, you are not alone. Not by a long shot.

New statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons shows that chin augmentation and other facial rejuvenation treatments have shown a monumental spike in popularity in the last year, and it is largely due to how people think they look while using video chat technology. Video chat technology often shows the user’s face on screen, as well as the other member of the chat. Since most people hold their smart phones and situate their computers at a low angle, this can create an unflattering worms-eye view of their face, which highlights any sagging or lack of definition in their chin and jawline.

Washington D.C. surgeon Dr. Robert Sigal has created what he calls the “FaceTime facelift,” a procedure optimized for video conferencing. Sigal created a way to lift the affected area, without leaving a visible scar on the underside of the chin.

According to Dr. Sigal, about one quarter of the 100 facelifts he performed were attributed to people who were unhappy with how their faces looked online. ASPS president Malcolm Z. Roth says that other surgeons are reporting similar dissatisfaction among their clientele.

The new statistics released by the ASPS shows that chin augmentation went up in 2011 by 71 per cent versus the previous year, which was a larger growth than Botox, liposuction, and breast augmentation combined. You can view the numbers below:

Chin Augmentation By The Numbers:

Other facial procedures also saw a growth last year, including:

• Lip augmentation: 49% increase
• Cheek implant: 47% increase
• Laser skin resurfacing: 9% increase
• Soft tissue fillers: 7% increase
• Facelift: 5% increase