Two of the latest trends in recent years have been the increase in social media use and cosmetic surgical procedures. But are they related to each other in any way? According to a recent survey by “RealSelf”, there is a correlation between the two. The survey shows that social media illuminates a person’s consideration of cosmetic procedures, as selfies and social media images are a consistent reminder of how much older a person may look. It is natural when seeing all of those less than flattering images of ourselves to wonder “what can be done?”
In the “RealSelf” survey of 527 website visitors, almost 50% said that social media influenced them to consider a cosmetic procedure. In essence, respondents stated that photos on social media made them more aware of their looks and appearance, leading to a desire to investigate options to help.
In addition to social media providing an influence on people seeking cosmetic treatments, it is also important for practices to be engaged online, as this is where many successful practices are finding and interacting with patients. This includes active and informative social media platforms, interesting blogs, YouTube channels with regularly posted videos, e-newsletters, and much more. Another RealSelf survey shows that a doctor’s online ratings (on Yelp, Google, RealSelf, etc.) are directly proportional to how active they are in establishing their expertise and engaging patients online.
Source: Dermatology Times