From Scrolling to Surgical Decisions: Social-Media-Shaped Expectations, Informed Consent, and Surgeon Communication in Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

Lan Bin; Sulaiman Delrizal; Ali Napiah Nasution

doi:10.61919/kwy0pp23

Authors

Lan Bin Universitas Prima Indonesia, Indonesia Author
Sulaiman Delrizal Universitas Prima Indonesia, Indonesia Author
Ali Napiah Nasution Universitas Prima Indonesia, Indonesia Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.61919/kwy0pp23

Keywords:

social media; aesthetic plastic surgery; patient expectations; informed consent; shared decision-making; reflexive thematic analysis; qualitative research

Abstract

Background: Social media increasingly shapes the appearance ideals, treatment information, professional portfolios, and postoperative images encountered by prospective aesthetic-surgery patients before consultation. Although quantitative studies associate social-media exposure, filter use, and appearance-focused engagement with greater consideration of cosmetic procedures, less is known about how digitally shaped preferences become personally meaningful expectations and how those expectations subsequently interact with risk perception and clinical communication. Objective: To explore how social-media-shaped expectations influenced aesthetic-surgery decision-making, risk perception, informed-consent experiences, and communication with surgeons. Methods: A qualitative descriptive study with an interpretivist orientation was conducted between January and April 2026. Twelve adults who had considered or undergone aesthetic plastic surgery and had used social media during decision-making were purposively sampled. Semi-structured interviews explored memorable digital content, filtered or edited images, anticipated physical and psychosocial benefits, surgeon selection, risk and recovery perceptions, reference photographs, consultation experiences, and decision revision. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, incorporating both semantic and latent interpretation and attention to divergent cases. Results: Three interrelated themes were developed. From Scrolling to Wanting described cumulative visual exposure, personalised comparison, and filtered self-representations through which aesthetic preferences became more salient. Seeing the Result, Discounting the Uncertainty captured the greater psychological salience of visible desired outcomes compared with complications, uncertain recovery, and individual anatomical limitations. The Consultation as a Corrective Conversation described how exploration of reference images, anatomical explanation, communication of uncertainty, psychosocial questioning, and opportunities for reflection could reinforce, modify, postpone, or reverse treatment intentions. Conclusion: Social-media influence was experienced as a cumulative and context-dependent process rather than a uniform determinant of aesthetic surgery. Participants described consultation as most meaningful when digitally shaped expectations were explored, individualised, and related to realistic anatomical and psychosocial possibilities. These findings support treating expectation management as an ongoing process extending from digital exposure through consultation and deliberation

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