Artificial intelligence is reshaping cosmetic surgery consultations as patients increasingly bring AI-generated images of themselves to surgeons, expecting results that mimic digitally enhanced, often unrealistic, portrayals.
Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Thomas Su noted that prospective patients are using AI software to "looksmax" their appearance and then requesting surgeons to replicate these "unreal" outcomes. These computer-generated illustrations are replacing traditional inspiration photos of actual people, leading to expectations that may not align with surgical limitations.
"AI can create unrealistic expectations," Dr. Su stated, particularly when patients believe a simulated selfie can be replicated in reality. A survey by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center found that patients who used AI enhancers to conceptualize their new look had "significantly higher" expectations for surgical results.
While AI can be a tool to help patients articulate their aesthetic goals when words fail, Dr. Su emphasizes that these images are illustrations, not predictions. He likens the current trend to the past practice of bringing celebrity photos, which were useful but understood as examples of specific features or proportions, not a complete facial transplant. Unlike celebrity photos, AI can unrealistically enhance a patient's own image, making it harder to manage expectations.
Dr. Su highlights that AI does not account for individual anatomy, tissue quality, healing processes, or the inherent limitations of surgical procedures. "AI is not showing a guaranteed outcome," he stressed. Patients may assume surgically achievable results from images that are not constrained by human anatomy.
This phenomenon echoes the "Snapchat dysmorphia" noted before the pandemic, with a 2019 study indicating that 72% of facial plastic surgeons had patients seeking procedures to improve their selfie appearance.
Some surgeons are integrating AI simulators into their practices, but others, like Dr. Su, are hesitant. He worries that a widespread adoption of AI-generated ideals could lead to a homogenization of appearance, where everyone looks like a similar AI-derived version of beauty. Dr. Su believes that the best surgical outcomes enhance a patient's natural features and proportions, rather than aiming for a standardized, digitally perfected look. He maintains that beauty and the possibilities of plastic surgery are not one-size-fits-all.