Photoshop

From advertisements to magazines, we are endlessly surrounded by unrealistic images. In a society that promotes a flawless physique and features as the “norm,” young girls and women often feel the pressure to conform to the unrealistic expectations promoted through digitally altered photos.

Not only does excessive use of Photoshop on photos send out a poor message, but it also can cause low self-esteem and body image issues.

Instead of being used to enhance the quality of photos, Photoshop is used to completely distort a woman’s body into something it’s not.

Models that are already scarily skinny are made even smaller by magazines and photographers. Their waists are shrunk, their arms and legs become nothing but bones and every imperfection is completely erased.

Some photos go as far as to morph the women into figures that are impossible to achieve in reality and are nothing short of Barbie-like.

The negative message these photos send out, especially to someone who is already struggling with their image, is awful.

These types of photos lead us to believe that beauty can only exist in non achievable body type; that it’s even remotely healthy to look like the models in the photos we see. It teaches us that it’s appropriate to try to hide our flaws at all costs instead of embracing them.