By: Dr. Silvia Rotemberg, Plastic Surgeon

have always enjoyed going through photo albums and looking at

pictures of themselves and of others. But, since the cost of

film and developing the images was not cheap, photos were not

taken nearly as often and were normally well prepared for.

Poised, primped and posed, we all tend to look a little better.

Actors and actresses study how to hold their heads and which

profile to show the camera in order to look their best in every

Photos taken on the spur of the moment or without the subject

knowing their picture is being taken don’t always make us look

our best. Even the most attractive celebrity can look pretty

awful when caught unaware or shot with poor lighting and at the

Before you start worrying about the way you look in “selfies”

and other candid pictures posted online, remember, first of all,

these photos are just taken for fun. They’re not supposed to be

posed, perfect images. These photos are about the moment, the

place and the people you are with. It’s about spontaneity and

having a good time. Don’t let these pictures make you self-

(And if friends ever criticize how you or others look, perhaps

these people are not real friends at all.)

Another thing to think about when it comes to pictures taken on

the spur of the moment with a small camera or cell phone, is

that there is a large variance in lighting, color, background

and camera position in all photos.

The landscape of picture taking and your appearance in the

photos changed completely with the advent of digital

photography, cell phone cameras and instant sharing. No longer

are we given a chance to prepare for a photo.

Most photos people take and share online tend to be close-ups.

Selfies are normally shot with the camera held at arm’s length

or pointed at a mirror. At this distance, every flaw is

magnified. Group photos and candid shots are also taken or

enlarged to show detail.

Any of these can make it appear as though the subject is tired

with droopy eyes, or has a large nose or wrinkled brow. This

does not mean they need a cosmetic procedure.

Any professional photographer will tell you that angle, colors,

distance to the camera and lighting make all the difference.

Don’t let your self-esteem be affected by how you may look in a

“selfie”. How you appear in these images should not be a cause

Above all, be yourself and flash a real smile and not because a

picture will look bad. There’s a lot more to you than how you

appear in pictures posted online.

If you don’t have a major cosmetic problem apparent when looked

at in the real world, don’t be concerned with the idea of

plastic surgery or other cosmetic procedure.

The point is, you should never make a decision about getting

plastic surgery or about how you feel about yourself based on a

“selfie” or other online image.

However, if you do have a very real physical situation, plastic

surgery could be an option. Some people do, in fact, have such

concerns as a large or bulbous nose or perhaps a nose that has

been broken in the past. While others might have extremely thin

lips or ears too large that stick out from their heads or an

individual might be plagued by acne scars. All these conditions

can be treated with cosmetic procedures.