Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The popularity of cosmetic surgery has been increasing in recent years, and social media is playing a role in this trend. This study investigated the influence of following social media influencers on the decision to undergo cosmetic procedures in Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. METHODOLOGY: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Males and females over 18 years old in Al Ahsa were included, while people under 18 years old who did not complete the questionnaire and did not live in Al Ahsa were excluded. RESULT: The study found that social media influencers may be influencing the decision of some people to undergo cosmetic procedures. 90.4% of participants agreed that undergoing cosmetic procedures is a popular procedure among influencers on social media. 37.9% of participants said that pictures of cosmetic procedures before and after affect their desire to undergo a cosmetic procedure. There were significant differences in the views of male and female participants. CONCLUSION: This study found that social media influencers may influence the decision to undergo plastic surgery, especially among young women. Participants who followed influencers were more likely to believe that influencers had undergone plastic surgery and were more likely to be influenced by the changes shown in before-and-after pictures. These findings suggest that social media may be playing a role in increasing the demand for plastic surgery, especially among young people.