With the widespread adoption of visual social media platforms, photo-editing filters and standardized influencer aesthetics continue to reshape public perceptions of physical appearance, making individuals seeking cosmetic treatments a high-risk group for exposure to superficial appearance-related content. Compared to the general population, these patients often exhibit psychological traits such as an outward-oriented self-worth orientation. Chronic exposure to appearance-related content on social media can trigger or exacerbate depressive symptoms among them; conversely, post-treatment depression may reinforce behaviors like passive consumption of medical aesthetic content and excessive focus on physical appearance, creating a vicious cycle of psychological and behavioral issues. From a psychiatric perspective, this study examines the mechanisms by which social media exposure influences depression in cosmetic treatment-seeking individuals. Based on current practices in clinical medical aesthetics care and psychological interventions, it proposes multidimensional optimization strategies aimed at providing theoretical insights and clinical guidance for psychological risk management in medical aesthetic institutions, diagnosis and treatment of comorbid mental health conditions, and early intervention for appearance-related emotional disorders.