Among the niches appearing on the app are a handful of plastic surgeons using it to attract future patients. The idea behind their adoption of Snapchat, which forms part of a larger social media strategy, is that live videos of operations can help people shed their fears in regard to having work done. It goes without saying that the real-life broadcasts aren’t for the squeamish. For Dr. Matthew Schulman, the approach seems to be working.
A board-certified plastic surgeon with his own practice in New York City, Schulman began using Snapchat about a year ago, reports Fox News. Estimating his workload at around 35 to 40 surgeries per month, Schulman claims that around 90 per cent of his patients allow him to broadcast their operations on the multimedia-messaging app. Stills from the procedures also make their way onto Schulman’s Instagram page, with notifications regarding the images tweeted out carrying the necessary “graphic material” warning.
Lipo by Dr. Schulman.To see live surgeries like this, follow on #snapchat #bodybySchulman nycplasticsurg pic.twitter.com/MnbjQ5Kflr
— Matthew Schulman MD (@realdrschulman) April 11, 2016
How exactly does Schulman pull off his broadcasts when his job requires intense focus and, we’re guessing, both of his hands? Rather wisely, he lets a nurse or medical assistant take care of recordings from his Snapchat account, which can be followed under the handle, ‘nycplasticsurg,’ in case you’re thinking of tuning in.
“I think plastic surgeons are recognizing it’s an important social media platform, but I don’t think every plastic surgeon has the patience or the desire to do this because it does take some effort,” Schulman remarked. “I’m educational, but we’re not over the top.”
A number of Snapchat’s most famous users have reportedly gone under the knife, including Kylie Jenner. The 18-year-old model and social media influencer has come under fire in the past for allegedly inspiring young users of the app to follow in her footsteps and get work done. Can the superficial side of social media also make stars of the plastic surgeons used by celebs? Schulman’s growing fan base, which totals thousands of users across several platforms, may just hold the answer.
