From Instagram Face to AI Face: How the 'Ideal' Look Keeps Changing

Many patients are now bringing AI-generated images of themselves to their consultations, instead of photos of celebrities. Plastic surgeons explain what’s changed, and why “undetectable” has become the new goal.

As technology has evolved through the years, so have the standards and ideals of beauty. These days, surgeons are seeing a shift. People are now veering toward subtler enhancements, and AI has entered the picture.

Back in the 2010s, the “Instagram Face” dominated social media, characterized by flawless skin, high cheekbones, catlike eyes, a small nose, and full lips. Photo filters and editing apps made it easier to imagine how one would look with enhancements, and injectables like Botox and hyaluronic acid fillers made it happen.

The resulting face became the banner beauty standard on Instagram, hence the name, defined by hyper-sculpted cheekbones, overly lifted brows, and plumped-up lips.

Lately, plastic surgeons say many patients are moving from overly sculpted features to more subtle, almost undetectable enhancements. According to New York City plastic surgeon Dr. Steven Pearlman, they’re veering away from “contoured features and lips that looked inflated rather than defined.” “The benchmark for a successful result has changed from dramatic transformation to undetectability,” he says.

There are several factors that brought about this change in perspective, one of which is celebrities who’ve openly spoken about dissolving their fillers. “That gave patients ‘cultural permission’ to want less,” says Dr. Michelle Lee, a board-certified plastic surgeon.

With the proliferation of short-form video formats, enhancements have also become more magnified. What looks good in photos doesn’t necessarily translate well on video.

“Video is unforgiving in a completely different way than photography,” Pearlman explains. Fillers can register well in still photos, but on video, they can appear stiff, which is why patients want enhancements that look good in motion.

Surgeons are now using smaller, more precise amounts of filler, while treatments that stimulate the skin’s own collagen are gaining popularity.

But along with these changes, another trend is emerging. According to surgeons, patients are now bringing AI-generated images of themselves to consultations, instead of images of celebrities they would like to emulate.

“I think we are witnessing the possible evolution of the ‘Instagram Face’ into what we might call the ‘AI Face,’” says Dr. Anil Joshi, president of the British Society of Facial Plastic Surgeons. Surgeons describe the AI Face as similar to the Instagram Face, but with a subtler finish and flawlessly smooth, poreless skin.

A problem with AI is the question of how far an image can be translated into reality, as some projections aren’t realistically possible. “An AI-generated face must be understood as a creative interpretation, not an anatomically accurate prediction,” Joshi says.

Dr. Anisha Kumar, a New York facial plastic surgeon, notes that these images do not consider distinctions in a person’s anatomy, like skin thickness or bone structure, or how a face looks in motion.

Experts also worry about how self-perception is influenced by these images. “Features that are entirely natural may begin to appear imperfect simply because we are comparing ourselves with images that have been altered,” says Dr. Maryam Zamani, calling this “perception drift.”

Rather than treating these AI images as a blueprint, Joshi suggests using them as a starting point for discussing a person’s options. “My first question would be: What exactly is it about this image that you like?” he says.

Ultimately, the goal is to enhance and not to change the person’s appearance entirely. Pearlman notes, “We want patients to look refreshed and healthy, not different.”