The Cosmetic Physicians College of Australasia (CPCA) has welcomed Instagram’s latest move to ban all augmented reality (AR) filters that promote cosmetic enhancements, particularly with recent research showing the influence social media can have on a person’s decision to undertake a cosmetic procedure. Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, said the ban was about promoting well-being. Effects that make people look like they have had lip injections, fillers or a facelift will be among those banned with research suggesting face-changing filters can make people feel worse about the way they look.
Get Real
Earlier this year, the CPCA first flagged its concerns about the impact of social media and the growing trivialisation of cosmetic procedures by launching its Get Real campaign. The CPCA’s Get Real campaign is designed to provide education and accurate information to the public about cosmetic medical procedures, particularly with a focus on the growing number of patients who have unrealistic expectations in terms of procedural results.
‘It’s important to remember that cosmetic medical procedures, such as injectables, are prescription-only products which can only be prescribed by a doctor and must be must be listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG),’ noted Dr Molton. ‘With an influx of illegally imported injectables into Australia, which carry a much higher risk of serious and permanent injury, we advise that patients avoid health practitioners who implement high-pressure sales techniques, cut-price offers or promote sales through financial incentives such as pay-later schemes and who may use altered imagery to promote their services.’
Angela Mason-Lynch from Avant says there is a clear pattern emerging of younger women who appear to dismiss information provided to them by medical practitioners regarding risks and complications of dermal fillers and who regard the lowest costs as their primary factor in choosing a provider. Mason-Lynch says that young women may review their appearance up to 30 times per day, often applying filters to selfies, selecting the most appealing photographs of themselves for posting, and presenting to doctors requesting procedures with the aim of reproducing their appearance to match modified photographs.
