A new study has concluded that the rise of cosmetic surgery in under-18s can be largely blamed on social media.
Conducted by the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, the study is arguing that the link between social media and the prevalence of teens going under the knife is unparalleled; and due to youth feeling a greater pressure to “look perfect”.
Mentioning the levels of anxiety that young adults feel – thanks to an increasing exposure to airbrushed celebrities and influencers online – the report is also singling out cosmetic-surgery games and apps aimed at youth, in which you can play around with your appearance.
University of Manchester Professor Jeanette Edwards commented on the findings, saying “We've been shocked by some of the evidence we've seen, including make-over apps and cosmetic surgery 'games' that target girls as young as nine.
“There is a daily bombardment from advertising and through social-media channels like Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat that relentlessly promote unrealistic and often discriminatory messages of how people, especially girls and women, 'should' look."
Ultimately the those who conducted the study are now rallying for greater regulations around cosmetic procedures for under-18s, with Edwards adding: “Under-18s should not be able to just walk in off the street and have a cosmetic procedure. There are legal limits for having tattoos or using sun beds. Invasive cosmetic procedures should be regulated in a similar way."
