In the last week, the “Teenage Look” filter has blown up on TikTok, allowing users to reverse the clock to see what they looked like as a teen. With 1.1M videos currently using the filter, we have to wonder why it’s so compelling.
In this article, we’ll talk with double-board-certified facial plastic surgeon Dr. Dominic Castellano to discover the science behind the filter and why it’s gone viral.
Why Is The Teenage Look Filter So Popular?
TikTok is replete with filters that alter your face and body, from adding small details like “Freckles” and “Manga Lashes” to complete facial transformations. So, how is the “Teenage Look” filter any different? The answer is perhaps less about vanity and more about the symbolic power youth has on our sense of identity. Have you heard of the fox eye lift?
Appealing To Nostalgia
Some of the most liked videos using the “Teenage Look” filter speak to a kind of nostalgia, a longing for the person we used to be. While some videos underscore the difficulty of aging, others convey a message of self-love over the years. This message is especially appealing to older TikTok users, who are more likely to see a drastic change using the “Teenage Look” filter.
The “Teenage Look” filter is so compelling because it’s centered around us, the user. We typically think of filters as changing or altering our appearance in order to reach some sort of beauty standard, to look somehow different.
But the #teenfilter uses similar techniques that draw on the impulse to change our appearance – filters that give us bigger eyes, a smaller nose, fuller lashes, and so on – to make us look more like ourselves.
Healing Moments for Trans People
Nostalgia takes on a new meaning for those within the trans community, as many users who physically transitioned later in life are getting the chance to see themselves in a new light.
The relationship to the teenage self can be complicated in the LGBTQ+ world. Sometimes you may see your younger self with so much compassion, carrying you through iterations of your identity to arrive at who you are now. Other times, reflecting on teenagehood can be painful. And still, it can be neither or a mixture of both. People contain multitudes, after all.
For users in the trans community, the “Teenage Look” filter can be just one opportunity to reflect and maybe even heal. Some users don the filter to have a conversation with the teenager they could have been. Others use it as an affirmation of who they are now, reflecting back to their past.
POV: A Plastic Surgeon Explains The Science Behind The Filter
The “Teenage Look” filter undoubtedly has an emotional appeal, but what’s the science behind it? Dr. Dominic Castellano of Elite Facial Plastic Surgery explains the mechanisms behind this reverse-aging filter.
Loss of Shadow Lines
One of the effects of the “Teenage Look” filter is a loss of shadow lines. Dr. Castellano describes how the filter eliminates lines between the eyes called the glabella, sometimes referred to as the “elevens.”
This gives the user a more youthful appearance across the forehead and down through the mid-face. Using this filter, you’ll see a smoother cheek around the nose and mouth where the nasolabial fold should be. We typically see these shadows as we age due to the descent of the tissues.
Facial Volume
The “Teenage Look” filter also adds volume to the cheek area to indicate youth. We tend to lose volume in what Dr. Castellano calls the “submalar triangle region,” or the cheek and jawbone area of our face, as we get older. Combined with a loss of elasticity, volume loss can contribute to deeper nasolabial folds around the nose and mouth.
Even Skin Tone
In addition to eliminating shadow lines and adding volume to users’ faces, the “Teenage Look” filter also evens out skin tone. This is perhaps the most unrealistic aspect of this filter, as many teenagers do not have an even skin tone. However, unblemished skin can recall even younger years prior to puberty, thereby drawing on impressions of youth.
Get The “Teenage Look”
We can’t reverse age, and the reality is that getting to age is a privilege. That said, there are some things you can do to maintain a youthful appearance. Dr. Castellano says the best way to prevent obvious signs of aging is to start a solid skincare routine early.
Dr. Castellano encourages “Wearing sunscreen at a younger age [to] help prevent pigmentary discoloration and changes, and it’ll also help with making skin look more youthful.” In addition to sunscreen, he also advises applying a retinol that will promote what he calls “skin cell turnover.”
“Skincare is kind of like exercise for the skin,” Dr. Castellano notes, saying that the more consistent you are, the better the results.
If you are new to skincare and have visible signs of aging, you may want to pursue other options, from non-invasive treatments like Botox and dermal fillers to more permanent surgical solutions like facelifts and fat transfers.
Botox Injections
Botox injections use a toxin called onobotulinumtoxinA to relax the muscles in your face around the injection site. For the upper face, neural modulators like Botox can help eliminate lines like “crow’s feet” around the eyes and horizontal lines across the forehead. Additionally, Botox can relieve jaw pain and help with other conditions, such as excessive sweating and migraines.
Dermal Fillers
If you’d like to add volume to your face, you can try dermal fillers. Dermal fillers do break down over time, so they are not a permanent solution. However, they can be a great place to start determining how you want to look. For the mid-face to the lower face, dermal fillers enhance the volume in the submalar cheek zone and along the cheekbone to appear more youthful.
Face and Neck Lifts
If you experience jowling or more volume under your chin, you may want to explore more permanent surgical options like a face or neck lift. Your plastic surgeon will make incisions along your face or chin, restructuring the underlying tissues and removing excess skin to help you reach your aesthetic goals.
Fat Transfers
The longer-lasting version of dermal fillers, fat transfers involve taking fat from another place on your body and transferring it to areas of your face where you’d like more volume. Implants are another method you could use to achieve the same look with results that will stand the test of time.
How Elite Facial Plastic Surgery Stands Out
At Elite Facial Plastic Surgery in Florida, we want you to look and feel your best. Our practice was founded on principles of honesty and transparency so that you always know what each procedure includes, from the potential risks to the benefits.
Dr. Dominic Castellano’s Plastic Surgery Philosophy
Dr. Dominic Castellano isn’t your typical facial plastic surgeon. He prides himself on treating each patient based on their individual needs – even if that means he’s advising against surgery.
“I like to be honest with my patients. I’ve had patients before where I’ve said, ‘You don’t need any work done.’”
When you’re looking for a facial plastic surgeon who is not only double-board-certified with demonstrable skill but also really prioritizes your best interests, contact us today at Elite Facial Plastic Surgery. Dr. Dominic Castellano will conduct a complimentary consultation so that you know exactly what you do and don’t need.
