Aesthetic experts say technology addicts may be at risk of sagging jowls. It is believed that smartphone and laptop use could cause facial skin and muscle to lose its elasticity as people spend an increasing amount of time sitting with their heads bent, the Daily Mail reported on May 17.
It is now believed that the phenomenon, dubbed “smartphone face,” could be behind the growing trend for skin tightening treatments and chin implants which cost around 4,290 pounds (about 8 million won), said the newspaper published in Britain.
According to statistics released by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), “chinplants” are becoming the fastest growing cosmetic surgery trend. Last year, its popularity grew more than breast augmentation, Botox and liposuction combined.
And a number of leading doctors believe that technology could be behind the growing trend, as poor posture can promote saggy jowls, double chins and “marionette lines” ― the creases from the corners of the mouth down the chin, the Mail said.
Dr. Mervyn Patterson of the Woodford Medical group told the Evening Standard: “If you sit for hours with your head bent slightly forward, staring at your iPhone or laptop screen, you may shorten the neck muscles and increase the gravitational pull on the jowl area, leading to a drooping jawline.”