How Does Social Media Affect Body Image?

With around 1 billion users on Instagram, 800 million on Tik Tok and 382 million on Snapchat, the reach of social media is hard to ignore.

From a dress with its own Instagram account, to high-profile influencers being able to charge advertisers hundreds of thousands of pounds for a single post, it is indisputable that social media has a huge influence over what we want and what we buy.

It also has an impact on body image – for the good and the bad.

Never before has the general public had 24-hour access to celebrities going about their daily lives, and the rise of influencers – many of whom are now celebrities in their own right – has allowed users to find and follow aspirational accounts that closely align with their own tastes, interests, and values.

In this article, we will take a look at how social media affects body image.

Celebrities and the visibility of cosmetic procedures

In 2019, the Allergan 360 Report found that ‘50% of worldwide consumers look to celebrities most often to help define beauty’. It is clear that celebrities have considerable influence over fashion and beauty trends.

According to Cosmetic Surgery Solicitors, when it comes to cosmetic surgery, celebrities have always turned to procedures as a way to look young and as beautiful for as long as possible. In the past, however, personalities who had Botox, liposuction or hair transplants would keep out of the limelight for a while, before re-emerging as though nothing had happened. The goal was discretion and subtly.

These days, the opposite is now true. The advent of social media has led to a rise in the number of personalities who are willing to discuss the treatments and surgeries that they have undergone. From Chrissy Teigen to Kylie Jenner, Iggy Azalea to Katie Price, the openness in which these celebrities discuss their procedures has been applauded by many as it serves to dilute the shame or stigma that can be associated with cosmetic surgery.

There is a downside to this new openness. As well as removing the stigma, many would argue that the vocality of celebrities discussing their treatments on social media could actually be encouraging, or potentially even pressuring, people into getting these procedures for themselves. This is an issue that is perpetuated by the growth and dominance of social media influencers.

How influential are influencers?

Unlike celebrities, who rise to fame through talents such as music, acting, modelling or presenting, social media influencers create an aesthetic or ‘perfect’ life that followers aspire to, and grow their following this way. Influencers are subject to far few restrictions in terms of what they are able – and willing – to discuss in public.

Indeed, many influencers become famous because they are willing to discuss subjects in an unfiltered fashion, including cosmetic procedures. Kylie Jenner, for instance, openly thanked her cosmetic dermatologist for a late-night top-up of her lip fillers.

While it is difficult to directly attribute Instagram Stories to the rise in dermal fillers, a 2019 study from Save Face and Vice (which had over 51,000 participants) found that 59% respondents viewed procedures like lip fillers as comparable to getting a haircut or manicure.

This demonstrates a clear attitude shift – invasive and costly cosmetic procedures are now seen to be part of a regular beauty regime, and not as a serious medical treatment.

Rich Girl Face

‘Rich Girl Face’ or, ‘Instagram Face’ is a recent phenomenon that has developed out of social media’s impact on body image. The look involves taut skin, large lips, thick eyebrows, full cheeks and exaggerated eyelashes. It can be achieved through the use of dermal fillers, or sophisticated contouring with makeup.

Practitioners are now capitalising on the look sported by celebrities and influencers alike by using hashtags such as #kyliejennerpackage to attract clients.

Though there is no harm in people requesting this look, there are three main concerns. The first is the fear that society will slowly move towards one homogeneous look of ‘acceptable’ beauty, and anything that deviates from this will be perceived as abnormal.

Secondly, there is a worry that because of the prevalence of this look, increasing numbers of people will feel pressured to undergo Botox and fillers in order to fit in. This could come at an emotional, financial and physical cost if the procedure doesn’t go as planned or there are complications.

Thirdly, as demand grows for these procedures, there is an increased risk to the public’s health. The non-surgical cosmetic industry is notoriously unregulated, which means that anyone can set up shop and start offering treatments with little to no training. As they can operate without restriction, these individuals can offer cheaper rates in order to take advantage of those patients who are not able to afford the higher costs set by fully trained and accredited practitioners.

Botched Botox and dermal fillers can lead to:

• Difficulty breathing and eating
• Facial disfigurement and scarring
• Artery occlusion
• Vision loss

BodiPosi Movement

While it may all seem negative, there are benefits to social media as well.

In reaction to trends such as the ‘Rich Girl Face’ look, there has been a strong rise in male and female movement to reclaim the social media space and make it more diverse, inclusive and accepting for all shapes, sizes and looks.

By offering an alternative point of view, the online body-positive movement has grown exponentially in the last years. From the @i_weigh Instagram account set up by actor and activist Jameela Jamil to @bodyposipanda’s 1.3 million followers, the community for people to accept themselves and others as they are is growing from strength to strength.

The Future

While it is undeniable that social media has had a direct impact on body image, it is not a clear-cut issue to say whether it has been a force for good or for bad.

Platforms and regulators must continue working to ensure the channels become safer for all users. For example, in 2019 Instagram introduced tighter regulations on adverts for cosmetic procedures and in January this year the UK government introduced a bill to set an age limit of 18 for would-be Botox and dermal filler patients, although it remains to be seen whether this becomes law.

Users have the choice to follow and unfollow whoever they please on social media. As long as they remember that the images they see on these channels have most likely been edited with filters, lighting and makeup – and so may not be an accurate, true-to life portrayal – then there is no reason that it cannot be a fun and enjoyable experience for all.