Last week, Dr. Devgan was featured in the New York Times’s article “The Mesmerizing Pull of Plastic Surgery Videos.” It is evident that the rise of social media and influencers has reduced the stigma surrounding plastic surgery. Procedures used to be done in secret but in the post-Kardashian world, transparency has become a part of our culture. “Transparency and authenticity have become social currency — nobody believes it’s kale and lemon water keeping you wrinkle-free,” says Dr. Devgan. Dr. Devgan, an active social media user, regularly shares videos and before and after photos on her instagram account. These videos have captured the attention of many viewers who find the transparency reassuring.
While celebrities’ transparency about their own plastic surgery has contributed to the rise of plastic surgery, Dr. Devgan notes that her patients aren’t as influenced by celebrity culture as you might think. In fact, instead of bringing in pictures of celebrities they want to emulate, most of her clients bring enhanced pictures of their own faces. “That’s part of the transparency and authenticity: people want to look like the best version of themselves.” That might be the next shift in the beauty industry - maintaining facial identity and trying to be the best version of yourself rather than looking to celebrity culture for guidance.