Social media influencers promote quest for beauty perfection, study suggests

Influencers on social media have contributed to young women wanting cosmetic procedures to enhance their appearance, research has suggested.

The researchers warned that influencers who have had procedures such as Botox, lip and face fillers promote the benefits of them, without mentioning the downsides.

A team at the University of Edinburgh Business School interviewed 16 female Instagram users aged 18 to 30 who have undergone or hope to undergo cosmetic procedures.

All of them said they looked to Instagram influencers for information about such procedures.

Body transformation stories by influencers were “instrumental” in participants looking for information and recommendations about cosmetic procedures, the researchers said.

Influencers were said to be more relatable than celebrities as followers can see the result of procedures on real people.

Researchers said influencers often fail to highlight the risks involved in procedures by portraying the enhancements as just another type of beauty treatment, like a manicure or hair extensions.

They say the study sheds light on the darker side of social media and body-enhancing technologies, with the risks trivialised.

Victoria Rodner, of the University of Edinburgh Business School, said: “The study found a tendency for cosmetic procedures to be portrayed as effortless and normal on social media – such as fillers being as normal as a manicure.

“This, along with data on the impact of face filters and digitally enhancing apps, helps us understand the effect of image-based platforms such as Instagram on consumer’s decision making. And more alarmingly on our body image.”