Plastic surgery inspired by filters and photo editing apps isn’t going away

Alexandra Hamlet, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute in New York City who specializes in mood and anxiety disorders, argues that, although wanting to look like the best version of yourself has long been part of human nature (think padded bras and fake eyelashes), the apps can be particularly harmful for people with obsessive compulsive tendencies or more pronounced anxieties about their appearances.

“Photo editing apps can exacerbate these symptoms because the imagined look becomes possible via these editing apps,” Hamlet said. “For virtually no money and in the privacy of your own screen, you get an instant (fleeting) boost of self esteem by editing a photo and posting it.”