- Some social media users are developing a condition called 'Snapchat dysmorphia' due to being exposed to unrealistic beauty standards, and are seeking out surgery to resemble their edited images.
- Nearly half of teenagers are online on a "near-constant basis," which means these airbrushed images are inescapable for many young people.
- Body-image experts encourage parents to have open conversations with their children about how inaccurate edited photos are, and how those photos make them feel.
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It's easier than ever to edit the perfect selfie and post it for the world to see. But at what cost?
Photo manipulation apps like Snapchat, Instagram, and Facetune allow users to erase any perceived physical imperfection online. Instagram's Oslo filter turns a pasty winter complexion into a sun-kissed glow. Facetune's reshape function plumps thin lips into the full, pouty Kylie Jenner kind.
While this technology can help users up their likes, it's also contributing to their low self-esteem and a concerning condition called "Snapchat dysmorphia." That's when people obsess over their appearance and can develop unrealistic beauty standards based on how they're able to alter their images using editing technology.
Some teens are even bringing in edited pictures from social media to plastic surgeons as examples of how they want to look.
The fact that teenagers are some of the most prodigious users of social media doesn't help matters.
A 2018 Pew Research study found that 95% of American teens have a smartphone or access to one, and 45% of teens are online on a "near-constant basis."
"Excessive social media use, particularly photo-based platforms, can contribute to body image disorders," said Talia Wiesel, a psychologist and an assistant professor of psychology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City.
In this new era, where it's not just celebrities who have access to airbrushing tools anymore, it's impossible for Gen Z, the most online generation ever, to escape edited photos. That's why body- image experts encourage parents to intervene early on.
Parents can do this by having open conversations about the truth behind photo editing, how it can affect their teenagers' self-esteem, and how to deal with those negative feelings.
Identify examples of photo editing, so your teenagers can develop realistic expectations.
Once you notice your children taking an interest in flipping through magazines and, of course, using social media, start identifying examples of photo editing. That can include celebrities, influencers, and real-life peers who have used editing techniques to lighten their skin, shrink their pores, remove blemishes, and look slimmer.
Helping your children to build awareness as to when an image is doctored is essential to building a healthy body image, and to developing realistic beauty standards, said Wiesel.
Emphasize that it's OK to have flaws.
When your children talk about celebrities, ask them how images of beautiful famous people make them feel about their own bodies. Helping children identify the negative effects of photo editing can be a good jumping off point for discussions about your child's own body image.
Wiesel advises parents to help their children embrace their uniqueness, and understand that it's OK to have flaws. There's "room to be imperfect and not be defined by that imperfection," Wiesel added.
Scroll through social media with your children whenever possible.
When looking at edited photos with young people, parents should refrain from criticizing the activity as a waste of time. Instead, look for teachable moments where you can model healthy attitudes for your child.
One useful strategy that Wiesel suggested is for parents to talk to their children about everything that goes into creating a single post: striking the right pose; finding the perfect lighting; applying filters; and plumping, contouring, and slimming with photo editing apps.
"Influencers and celebrities are typically paid for their sponsored posts," Wiesel said. "Stylists, beauty teams, professional photographers, photoshop and location scouts are usually involved."
It's helpful for children to know that these picture perfect images don't just spontaneously happen, and one photo may take hours to put together before it's ready to post — even though the expression on the subject's face might suggest otherwise — Wiesel said.
If your teen is using photo-editing apps, point out that their peers are likely using them too.
Many teens know that celebrity images are often heavily edited. Fewer teens, though, take into consideration how much photo editing goes into the posts people they know in real life are sharing.
"Their friends may be using these apps much like the celebrities and influencers they're emulating," said Wiesel. It can be helpful, she said, to remind your child that these images are often manipulated as well.
It's also just as crucial to remind teenagers how much more their other qualities, like smarts, and kindness, matter in life.
"Remind them," Wiesel said, "that you are more than your appearance."
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