Picture Perfect
"The first thing that any of these filters do is give you a beautiful complexion," says Dr. Wassim Taktouk. "Your nasolabial [laugh] lines, from the nose to mouth, aren't existent—but that's not a human face. No one doesn't have those. You can see them in children."
Filtered selfies have led to the rise of various fillers, which are less invasive than surgery, but they still carry severe risks. There is no minimum age for fillers and very little regulation, meaning that just about anyone can go through with these procedures—even if it's just an illusion, thanks to Instagram "cosmetic surgery" filters.
Cosmetic Surgery Filters
Plastic surgery has become so glamorized that Instagram was forced to enlist a ban on all augmented reality filters that promote or depict cosmetic surgery. These effects—mimicking filler, lip injections, nose jobs, and facelifts—have been removed from the platform in an effort to protect users' mental health.
"While we're re-evaluating our policies, we will remove all effects from the [effects] gallery associated with plastic surgery, stop further approval of new effects like this and remove current effects if they're reported to us," said an Instagram spokesperson.
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