Trigger warning: this article mentions eating disorders.
Today, the excessive use of Photoshop can be found in the majority of the photos we see. From advertisements to magazines, we are endlessly surrounded by unrealistic images. In a society that promotes a flawless physique and features as the “norm”, young girls and boys, as well as men and women, often feel the pressure to conform to the unrealistic expectations promoted through digitally altered photos.
Photoshop
With the advent of Photoshop in the design industry, it has been easy for the media not to keep it real. Photoshop has allowed advertisers to give cover models a little superficial nip and tuck or body sculpting where it does not really exist. These false images can affect the way readers see beauty in an unrealistic way, impacting self-esteem and their own body image. The more women and girls watch television or look at magazines full of unattainable and idealized images of women created by “photoshopping”, the more anxious and insecure about their appearance they could become. The pressure to attain the “perfect body” has women now spending millions of dollars a year on unnecessary plastic surgery and harming their bodies by becoming anorexic or bulimic.
Impact on Body Image
In recent years, researchers have tried to understand the determinants of body image disturbance among young women. High exposure to media has been shown to have a large impact on the self-esteem of women in Western societies. Nowadays, with the use of Photoshop, women have been tricked into thinking that flawless beauty exists. But, in reality, this type of perfection is simply unattainable. Even celebrities have imperfections, but that is not what we often see in the magazines.
How to Prevent Body Image Issues
As far as preventative measures and treatment for negative body images caused by social media, a lot more research needs to be done. Scholars and psychologists have not pinpointed the best practices for screening and treating mental health problems associated with social media. Still, some researchers have offered tips on how to maintain a positive body image in the world of social media. Moreover, a piece in Forbes offered tips for how social media users can maintain a positive outlook on their body image, including –
- Unfollow or unfriend accounts that try to sell you products with their bodies.
- Keep up with accounts that promote healthy living with factual information.
- Tap into the way body positive influencers treat body image.
- Avoid speaking negatively about your body, especially in real-life.
- Disconnect from social media to be active.
No one can have perfect skin, a size 0 body, and flawless features, though we might fool ourselves into thinking that it is achievable. When young girls and boys see their role model on the cover of a magazine conforming to these images, they think that they have to as well. These ridiculous photos, when combined with other issues, can lead to low self-esteem, a poor body image, and eating disorders like anorexia, all of which can be serious issues that can take years to battle and overcome.