The Post-PC era could be having a negative effect on our faces, according to a recent article from Mail Online. Apparently, it is believed that smartphone, tablet and laptop use could be causing facial skin and muscle to lose its elasticity due to the amount of time people spend sitting with their heads bent.

This phenomenon, dubbed ‘smartphone face’, could be the cause for the growing trend in skin tightening treatments and chin implants. According to statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), ‘chinplants’ are becoming the fastest growing trend in cosmetic surgery. In 2011, for example, chin-related cosmetic surgery grew more than breast augmentation, Botox and liposuction combined.

A number of leading doctors are pointing to the growing trend of mobile computing as the reason for poor posture that can promote saggy jowls, double chins and creases from the corners of the mouth down to the chin.

“If you sit for hours with your head bent slightly forward, staring at your iPhone (News - Alert) or laptop screen, you may shorten the neck muscles and increase the gravitational pull on the jowl area, leading to a drooping jawline,” said Dr. Mervyn Patterson of the Woodford Medical group.

According to Ofcom’s 2011 Communication Market Report, 91 percent of adults in the U.S. use a mobile phone while 27 percent use smartphones. Smartphone use is growing; however, with worldwide smartphone sales set to pass the one billion mark by 2014, it is likely to lead to more people slumped over iPhones or Android (News - Alert) devices. Add to that, the steady sales achieved by the Apple iPad and we’re bound to see more ‘smartphone faces’ over the next few years.

Meanwhile, people are apparently becoming more conscious of their appearance due to the rise in popularity and use of video chat services like Skype (News - Alert).

“The chin and jawline are among the first areas to show signs of ageing,” said ASPS president, Dr. Malcolm Roth. “As more people see themselves on video chat technology, they may notice that their jawline is not as sharp as they want.”

For those worried about the ‘smartphone face’ phenomenon: Stick to using a desktop.