The Influence of Hollywood on Plastic Surgery

Hollywood is the city where rock stars, movie stars, and models live, work, and play, and it has set beauty trends for the rest of the world since the dawn of the American silver screen. The rising popularity of pop culture magazines, reality TV shows, and social media platforms like Instagram and Snapchat have all served to broaden the access that society has to Hollywood’s beauty secrets, driving the sale of cosmetic, apparel, and plastic surgery. With more celebrities openly sharing the procedures they’ve undergone, average people line up to do the same.

by Anne Meyer

Is it a Healthy Influence?

In her Chicago practice, plastic surgeon Dr. Laurie Casas sees first-hand the influence of Hollywood on her patients’ beauty ideals. She acknowledges that these influences can be healthy, as long as the celebrity is someone who has enhanced their beauty in a natural way. “I don’t think it’s unhealthy to make procedures, cosmeceuticals or skincare products more available and more well known,” shares Casas. “The problem is when it’s a negative influence. I don’t think Jennifer Aniston is a negative influence, but there are other celebrities that I think are big problems.”

In Hollywood, a trip to the plastic surgeon may be as common as a trip to the hairdresser. With so many nips, tucks, and tweaks going on in one place, it’s not difficult to find celebrities who have crossed the line from natural enhancement to incredibly overdone. Cases of exaggerated plastic surgery are a hindrance for plastic surgeons everywhere says Seattle plastic surgeon Dr. Richard Baxter. “People see that overdone stuff, and they think that this is the way it is.”  

More Awareness for Less Noticeable Procedures

Hollywood has played an important role in cosmetic surgery, not only in making plastic surgery more socially acceptable and desirable, but also in broadening the general public’s knowledge of the ever-expanding laundry list of procedures available. Breast implants and nose jobs are often easily spotted by looking at a sequence of pictures, but other less-dramatic procedures aren’t as easy to put a finger on until a star dishes his or her secret. As positive experiences with Botox, facial lasers, fat transfer, and radiofrequency treatments go viral, their demand increases. 

What’s Right for Them May Not Be Right For You

Unless you are Jennifer Aniston’s doppelganger, a procedure that was right for her may not be right for you. The most important advice Boca Raton plastic surgeon Dr. Jason Pozner offers anyone who is interested in a procedure they learned about through a celebrity is to do your homework. “Come to my office. We have professionals to look at you and evaluate your skin and actually prescribe something that’s going to make sense for you.”  

Before you try anything new that you read about online or in a magazine – whether it’s a new medical grade skincare treatment, a peel at a local medical spa, or an injectable filler from a trained nurse – first make an appointment with a plastic surgeon to discuss your goals. They will properly advise you on which treatments and procedures will work best for your unique features, and can educate you about treatments you may not even be aware of.