Is social media fuelling risky cosmetic surgery and body dysmorphia? C4 news report

[stumbledin]

This is mainly about women having terrible procedures, and what can go wrong, but how pressure on needing to conform to social media standards is convincing women this is what they should do.

NB - some really horrible pictures of procedures gone wrong (or they may have edited these out for youtube.

Thank you for posting this stumbledin

It is really important and really heartbreaking. I feel so for these young women growing up with these influences and then as soon as they are 18 subjecting themselves to surgery. For anyone who hasn’t seen it yet there is a warning before the worst image.

My youngest is nearly 13, I have been considering whether or not to allow her Instagram on her birthday. I am not so sure now but oh my goodness it seems that all her friends have had it (and Tik Tok, Snapchat and WhatsApp) since juniors! It has been a strain even to stick to the recommended age.

I had kept mine off social media until lockdown happened but then I had to back down so they could keep in contact with friends. But like opening Pandora’s box there was no going back. (Still not allowed everything though).

My DD is only 5 but I do worry about the future. I don’t use Instagram any more because (one reason) I got sick of seeing semi naked sexualised female bodies. I’m in my 40s and started to feel anxious. Seeing women heavily sexualised feels really oppressive to me (think music videos-I can’t bear to watch them)

I'm starting to think the only way to combat this is to create a grassroots female-facing culture that supports and encourages strength, fitness and physical ability skills in a non-elite way.

I've been toying with some ideas at a local level, and I think I'm going to try to put something together after lockdown is properly lifted.