Airbrushed models blamed for women's low self-esteem

 

Perfect poise: Actress Kate Winslet is among those whose pictures were reportedly airbrushed

A new survey has revealed that airbrushed models are causing women to suffer from low self-esteem.

The study found that the images of models which have been digitally altered are causing more than two-thirds of women to have poor confidence in their own bodies.

According to a study for the Dove beauty brand, advertising campaigns use airbrushing techniques to portray "unattainable perfection".

The company questioned over 1,000 women who mostly said the beauty industry's advertising campaigns were having a negative impact on their lives.

A total of 96% of women quizzed by Dove said they felt the models used in beauty advertising were not a realistic representation of women today.

Over 40% said the adverts made them feel self-conscious about their appearance.

More than a quarter said they were left feeling inadequate and 20% said they were less confident in their daily lives as a result of such images.

The Dove research follows a similar study undertaken five years ago when the brand first launched its Campaign for Real Beauty.

The research also revealed an increase in the number of female consumers who want to see "real women" used in beauty advertising — up from 74% in 2004 to 95% in 2009.

"On a daily basis women are bombarded with impossibly perfect images created by artifice, which they will always aspire towards but can rarely achieve, because these images depend on serious transformation by photographers," Sky News quoted psychotherapist Susie Orbach as saying.

The women surveyed for Dove were split as to whether they could tell the difference between images which had been airbrushed, with 58% thinking they could and 42% admitting they could not.

The study also found that the overwhelming majority — 96% — would like advertisers to be honest about the extent to which they airbrush or digitally manipulate images.

"Our research shows that women want to see more realistic representations of beauty in the media and advertising," Dove senior brand manager Katie Adams said.

"It is no wonder that [our] campaign has continued to resonate with millions of women worldwide," she added.