Let me take a selfie

Once upon a time, anyone undergoing plastic surgery, kept the procedure under wraps. Now, possibly in part due to the proliferation of celebrities having cosmetic work carried out on a regular basis, a certain status has become attached to this type of surgery.

Figures from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (Baaps) say there was a 41% rise in liposuction procedures last year. Breast augmentation remains as popular as ever with 2013 figures showing a 13% increase on the previous year. According to a review of cosmetic interventions by the Department of Health last year, the value of UK cosmetic procedures was worth £2.3billion in 2010 – this is estimated to rise to £3.6 billion by 2015.

This highlights opportunities for the medical plastics sector and what is also interesting is that despite the breast implant scandal, the popularity of this procedure hasn’t waned – in fact quite the opposite – and it’s all down to social media. Figures from the US show similar trends as the UK with the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery reporting a 6.5% increase in the total number of procedures carried out. And believe it or not, the reason for this growth is being put down to that recent photographic phenomenon, the selfie.

According to New York plastic surgeon, Dr Ariel Ostad, speaking to ABC News: “I’ve noticed over the last six months that patients actually bring a selfie in the examining room.” Another surgeon says that he is seeing around eight patients a month for hand treatments alone, the rise being due to recently engaged women wanting their hands to look as nice as possible on social media engagement ring hand selfies.

One US plastic surgeon is also making use of social media for his own purposes. Dr Payam Jarrah-Nejad (also known as Dr J) is making use of Facebook to post volunteered before and after shots of patients and also has an Instagram account so that potential patients can view his work.

Medical device manufacturers’ Instagram accounts may not prove as popular as those highlighting surgical improvements but we are witnessing new ways in which technology is affecting the sector and having a positive impact on its growth. As an industry we need to look seriously at the ways in which we promote ourselves and use this technology to ensure we are not missing out on opportunities, and ultimately business.

Looking beyond social media at the growth of technology itself, it is clear that the digital health market is beginning to gain ground. From apps that track our health to systems that keep patients, doctors and healthcare providers informed of our well-being and need for care, the market is currently varied and extensive. Amid this variety is a place for the medical device sector as early adopters of this area of health begin to seek partnerships and collaborations to help grow the market. Pressures on the NHS in the UK mean ways of lightening the load where possible through digital interactions will become increasingly attractive.

Industry forecasts say the digital market could be worth $12 billion by 2016 and $53.2 billion by 2019. And with major players such as Apple, Samsung, LG and Sony currently on board, the healthcare market is being cited as one of the key drivers of this sector.

On the face of it, selfies seemed an insignificant, possibly highly annoying trend that has become ingrained in our vocabulary. Who would have thought they could now be helping boost the cosmetic surgery market? We are well aware of the power of social media and technology and it becomes even stronger when it begins to affect the business we carry out on a daily basis. Technology holds myriad opportunities and just as social media is part of this wealth, so too is digital health. With this in mind the industry needs to be looking digital access to information on products, the way we market digitally and the ways in which we can all work together to ensure we don’t miss out on the digital revolution.