Beauty Standard Effects on Society

Jocelyn Lupercio

Ms. Alma Lopez

English 102-72

12 May 2022

Beauty Standard Effects on Society

With the help of celebrities and social media, society has set a beauty standard that makes a significant number of people question their looks. This standard only defines what society believes makes an attractive, desirable, perfect, and beautiful look. The ideal Western beauty standards include having light skin, being tall and skinny, with long hair, having a small nose, large eyes and big breasts, and having long legs. The Western culture of beauty is ubiquitous and rapidly circulating worldwide, with these beauty standards being promoted by the televisions, fashion industries, the internet, and social media. For instance, when the media advertises beauty is usually advertised as a person with a slim figure and flawless textured skin and not mention beautiful shiny hair. Also, influencers, celebrities, brands, and models use the set beauty standards to sell themselves by creating an image of perfection on social media. Most perfect bodies on social media and Instagram platforms are highly manipulated and edited (Bosco 1). The beauty standards set by society that are promoted by media and certain influencers have proven to affect society physically, emotionally, and in health. Therefore, a more diverse, self-loving, and accepting interpersonal beauty should be encouraged.

Advertisements, social media, and some of the television programs watched today continue pushing the expectations of the ideal Western beauty standards on young women instead of preventing the escalation of these standards. They overwhelm people who are not comfortable with their physical appearances pushing them to want to fit into the standard. This statement is supported by Bosco (1), who states that the expectations of society trigger the feeling of incompleteness. It is estimated that between 20% and 40% of women are not satisfied with their bodies, while about 10% to 30% of men display body dissatisfaction (Quittkat 2). Therefore, to avoid social exclusion, most women will do whatever it takes to adhere to society’s ideal of perfection by whatever means. Some women retort to weight loss methods such as dieting to attain their desired appearance, while the majority of women engage in different forms of body sculpting and cosmetic surgery to attain their desired appearance. Only 5% of women naturally have the ideal body type depicted by Americans in the media (Lincoln n.p). Research also reveals that cosmetic procedure trends have increased a 22% from the year 2000 to the year 2020 (Cosmetic Procedure Trends n.p).

Women’s weight loss practices and cosmetic surgeries to help them fit into the set beauty standards are associated with adverse health effects. Extreme diets result in the development of eating disorders such as Bulimia or Anorexia (Swami 706). At least 9% of the global population is affected by eating disorders, with America having about 28.8 million people suffering from an eating disorder in their lifetime. Eating disorders are reported to be among the deadliest mental sicknesses, with roughly 10,200 people suffering from mental sicknesses every year (ANAD n.p). In 2017, approximately 3.3 million lives across the world were lost to eating disorders (Van 523). Most of these deaths were from Anorexia Nervosa (AN), which is reported to be the eating disorder with the highest mortality rate (Edakubo1). On the other hand, cosmetic surgeries may result in severe health effects such as bruises and hematoma, formation of seroma, infections, excessive blood loss, nerve damage causing motor or sensory loss, scarring, and anesthesia-related problems. Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism are more severe problems associated with cosmetic surgery that may lead to death (Khunger 190).

Not being the “ideal” beauty standard can also affect one mentally and emotionally. To begin with, women’s self-esteem suffers as a result of media-imposed unrealistic beauty standards, which encourage them to believe that their physical attractiveness falls short of the “perfect look.” Research also reveals that roughly 91% of women are not happy with their physical appearances (Lincoln n.p). Also, poor body image is associated with depressive symptoms and higher anxiety levels (Satghare 1). The 2019 body image report published by the Mental Health Foundation (MHF) revealed that 35% of the surveyed individuals were depressed while 34% were feeling anxious due to their body image (MHF n.p). Low self-esteem is the main cause of depression. People with more depressive symptoms experience lesser social interactions facilitated by various reasons. Firstly, these people may experience rejection from others because they create a poor mood for their interaction partners. Also, the social environment is less likely to reinforce them, thus making them feel uncomfortable in social interactions and are less likely to participate in social activities (Elmer 1). Also, the sense of not looking or feeling good enough regardless of what one does may affect a person, making them close off and not want to go out because they are scared about negative comments people will have to say about them.

It is important to note that beauty is not only tailored to one specific body type, color, or height. Beauty can come in all types of shapes and sizes, and it is important that one loves themselves despite their physical appearance. Usually, the core value of people and personality play a big factor in beauty. One may be having trouble with accepting their bodies; however, there are proven practices of self-love that can make an individual more comfortable within their external and internal selves. One of these practices is engaging in physical exercise. Research reveals that physical exercise positively impacts body image and self-esteem by making people feel thinner, stronger, and happier (Gaddad 775).

Also, recognizing inner beauty assists people in accepting their bodies. Usually, people with inner beauty like and accept themselves for who they are (Yolinda 1). Instead of being obsessed with the outer appearance, these individuals understand that there is much more to a person’s beauty than the physical appearance. This helps them avoid harming themselves to fit into the beauty standards set by society. To these people, inner beauty, which is defined by someone’s personality, is what matters to them. Inner beauty is reflected in how people present themselves to the world. It includes virtues such as humility, sincerity, selflessness, positivity, and appreciativeness. People with inner beauty also do not compare themselves with others. This gives them satisfaction with their body images, and they will not want to look like others. Research reveals that an individual’s satisfaction with their physique is a vital component of self-acceptance (Rajagopalan 299). Accepting one’s body helps reduce the pressure from society’s set beauty standards. Furthermore, the formation of support groups can help in increasing people’s self-esteem and improve their body image acceptance. Research reveals that social support groups can have a good effect on improving the way one can perceive oneself. For instance, the Girls’ Circle support group assisted in increasing girls’ social support, self-efficacy, and body image (Steese et al. 55).

In conclusion, society’s beauty standards may not seem ideal and create insecurities. Such insecurities adversely affect individuals’ physical, mental, and emotional health. Most women will do whatever it takes to adhere to society’s ideal of perfection. They may end up engaging in excessive dieting, which results in eating disorders such as Bulimia and Anorexia. Eating disorders are serious sicknesses and may result in death. Also, people may be tempted to undergo cosmetic surgeries to fit into the set beauty standards. These surgeries are also associated with severe effects. Also, not being the “ideal” beauty standard can result in loss of self-esteem and depression. It is vital to note that beauty is not only tailored to one specific body type, color, or height. It can come in all types of shapes and sizes. This can be achieved by acknowledging one’s inner beauty, which creates more self-love and acceptance. Inner beauty is reflected in how people present themselves to the world and is characterized by virtues such as humility, sincerity, selflessness, positivity, and appreciativeness. People with inner beauty are not obsessed with their outer appearance but focus mainly on a person’s personality.

Works Cited

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