Snapchat Dysmorphia

Snapchat dysmorphia, also called selfie dysmorphia, is a term for the phenomenon of people seeking cosmetic surgery or other appearance procedures specifically to resemble their own digitally filtered selfies rather than a celebrity or other real-world reference, a pattern the British cosmetic surgeon Tijion Esho named after observing it in his own patients. The gap between a heavily filtered photograph, with effects such as skin smoothing, a narrowed nose or enlarged eyes, and a person's actual appearance is described as a driver of body image insecurity that can, in some cases, contribute to body dysmorphic disorder, a recognized mental health condition affecting a small percentage of the population and linked to depression, anxiety, substance use and suicidal ideation. Surveys of practitioners support the trend's growth: one 2022 survey found 79 percent of plastic surgeons reported patients requesting procedures specifically to improve their appearance in selfies, and researchers describe the effect as falling disproportionately on adolescents, among whom heavy daily filter use and distress over the mismatch between filtered and unfiltered images are both commonly reported.