When was the last time you took a selfie? That’s right, probably within the last few days or even the last few hours! Smile, point, click and post… it’s kind of addictive, isn’t it? Well, you’re not alone.

This activity is so widespread these days that the latest generation of Americans has been called the selfie generation.

Everyone from celebrities to heads of state have posted their very own selfies or self-portraits as they are properly called. But one side effect of this growing trend isn’t what most people would expect it to be.

Ever since the selfie has gained popularity, the number of young people getting facial plastic surgery has spiked. Coincidence? While we might speculate that the two things have no connection, this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Take for example a working professional that at age 34 decided to undergo elective surgery to correct what she felt was a flaw in her appearance.

The 34-year-old simply hated being tagged in photos and although she took selfies, because of her self consciousness she almost always erases them. She decided to go under the knife for a nose job and now feels more confident, and simply loves being in the social media spotlight. And she isn’t alone. According to the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery; many of its members who are plastic surgeons have seen a sharp increase in the number of people going under the knife to look better when they are posting photos online.

This rapid increase came when more people started using smartphones to take pictures rather than a traditional digital camera. Most of these social self-conscious people are of the younger crowd and help account for the nearly 7% jump in rhinoplasty seen from 2012 to 2013. This is a rapid jump and many plastic surgeons are so busy that they have to turn new patients away in order to handle the needs of their current clienteles.

But doctors say some of these patients are going under the knife for no good reason. Due to the poor quality that some smartphones provide and the shading effect that takes place when you take a self-portrait, it often makes your appearance seem not so flattering. It often doesn’t go over well with many patients and they simply move on to another plastic surgeon until they find one that will perform the procedure.

Yet, this new trend is here to stay and with the ever-growing popularity of social media, we can expect ever more people to invade plastic surgeon’s offices. Cosmetic plastic surgery used to be for those in their 40s and above, but now you can add younger ones to the list.