(ORDO NEWS) — On average, each person takes 450 of their own photographs per year. However, selfies have one big minus that can scare everyone away! This type of shooting greatly distorts the proportions of your face, and scientists have found out how much.
Social networks have a negative impact on the psyche of many people. We want to look better, as if from a picture. Alas, photos can lie…
Researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center have found that selfies distort your face, making your nose look longer and wider than in standard photos.
Scientists decided to conduct this study because they noticed that requests for rhinoplasty (plastic surgery to change the shape and size of the nose) have increased dramatically amid the popularity of selfies.
Dr. Bardia Amirlak, who led the study, said: “There is a notable relationship between the increase in selfie photos and the increase in requests for rhinoplasty, especially among younger patients.”
How selfies distort our face
To understand how these two factors are related, the scientists selected 30 volunteers. The participants took a series of three photos: two with the front camera at 30 and 45 centimeters from the face, and one with a digital camera at a distance of 152 centimeters.
It is important to note that all three photographs were taken at the same time and under the same lighting conditions.
The researchers compared measurements of four facial landmarks in the photographs: nose, lips, chin, and face width. The results showed that photos taken with the front camera significantly distorted the appearance of the participants.
On average, the nose appeared 6.4% longer in 30cm selfies and 4.3% longer in 45cm selfies compared to a photograph taken with a digital camera.
It was also found that the length of the chin decreased by an average of 12 percent at a distance of 30 cm. This resulted in a whopping 17% increase in the nose to chin length ratio.
Researchers believe that facial distortions in selfies can affect mental health. “Our study further confirms concerns that selfies can negatively impact appearance perception,” the authors write.
“We need to raise awareness about how selfie misperceptions can affect rhinoplasty requests, self-image perceptions, and subsequent depression and anxiety.”
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