Today, people's pursuit of beauty has increasingly become a growing social issue and phenomenon. Experts state that a beauty concept defined as the 'Instagram face,' which has become a worldwide standard, is gaining traction. They note that, especially during the pandemic, people frequently seeing themselves on screens, coupled with emulating celebrities, has led them to undergo surgical procedures. Sociologist Prof. Dr. Barış Erdoğan emphasizes that, regardless of social background, profession, or age, people worldwide are making more effort than ever before to look younger and more beautiful, drawing attention to the fact that this collective aesthetic craze has now become a public health problem.
The collective aesthetic craze has become a public health problem…
Prof. Dr. Barış Erdoğan, Head of the Sociology Department at Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, evaluated aesthetic addiction and its sociological effects.
They are making efforts to look beautiful
Prof. Dr. Barış Erdoğan pointed out that, regardless of social background, profession, or age, women and men around the world are making more effort than ever before to look younger and more beautiful, stating, “They sacrifice their time and economic resources for this. Approximately 45 billion dollars were spent on the global cosmetic surgery market last year. While the number of procedures performed by aesthetic surgeons worldwide was 14 million in 2010, this figure rose to 24 million last year. Medical procedures without therapeutic benefits, such as laser treatments and peels, have become the norm. From this perspective, people's pursuit of beauty has increasingly become a growing social issue and a social phenomenon, as much as it is an aesthetic medical discipline.”
The Instagram face has become a standard
Prof. Dr. Barış Erdoğan stated that a beauty concept defined as the 'Instagram face,' which has become a worldwide standard, is gaining traction, saying, “An ethnically ambiguous, flawless face with smooth skin and full cheekbones, as if produced by an algorithm, is being created. Of course, possessing such a face naturally, especially above a certain age, is hardly possible in real life. For this reason, at the 2010 Golden Globes ceremony, host Ricky Gervais had mocked this ironic situation by saying, ‘Looking at all the amazing faces gathered here today reminds me of the wonderful work done by plastic surgeons this year.’”
Our beauty obsession existed even before Botox
Prof. Dr. Barış Erdoğan reminded that the love for beauty existed long before Botox, and even before capitalism turned the perception of beauty into a profitable market, stating, “Throughout history, there has always been immense pressure on women in various cultures to be beautiful. In China, women's feet were prevented from growing; in some African tribes, rings were placed around women's necks to elongate them; and in Europe, women were confined to corseted waists. However, at no point in history did the ideal of beauty become as universal and almost oppressive, tyrannical, as it is today. Because as we transitioned from a text-based culture to a visual culture, we began to think more about our bodies. Visuals replaced ideas.” he said.
The collective aesthetic craze has now become a public health problem…
Prof. Dr. Barış Erdoğan emphasized that a new generation has emerged today, living dependent on social networks, obsessed with appearance under the bombardment of the beauty market there, experiencing anxiety about not being liked, and caring about nothing other than their image, and he continued:
“But it's not just young people; especially during the pandemic, middle-aged and older individuals working on networks like Zoom saw their moving bodies on screen. They compared their own bodies, which they saw on screen, with celebrities from the show business world they also saw on screen. Since they too were now on screen, they felt they needed to make their noses, the area around their eyes, and their lips resemble those of celebrities. They thought so and flocked to get Botox and other surgical procedures. This collective aesthetic craze occurring all over the world has now become a public health problem.”
The struggle against biological aging begins
Prof. Dr. Barış Erdoğan stated that with the widespread adoption of aesthetic surgery and procedures in recent years, there has been a relative decrease in prices and increased access to these opportunities, saying, “The market has become democratized. People can undergo certain operations, just like the stars they see on television or social media. However, the effects of these procedures do not last a lifetime. Botox needs to be renewed at least every six months. The process doesn't end with Botox. Those who get it then feel the need for fillers, and then want to try another procedure. Ultimately, the struggle begins with an irreversible reality like biological aging.” he said.
Not financially sustainable
Prof. Dr. Barış Erdoğan stated that those who start these procedures spend a significant portion of their income on Botox or other aesthetic interventions, saying, “Since it is an endless process, it is difficult to sustain economically and psychologically. For this cause, people give up some basic needs and spend their resources on these operations. When financial resources are insufficient for the process started with aesthetic surgeons, people can eventually resort to illicit places.” he said.
Beauty also brings returns
Prof. Dr. Barış Erdoğan stated that the beauty craze has its returns, saying, “Many studies show that a pleasant face is effective in getting better grades in school, being less penalized, finding jobs more easily, advancing in careers, and earning higher salaries. A study conducted with 10,000 men in England shows that unattractive men earn 15 percent less salary than others. Many people who lose their jobs in their 50s get Botox or resort to other aesthetic operations to maintain their competitive positions in the market against younger individuals. Because in modern society, beauty is equated with youth and energy.” he stated.
Women under pressure to look young and beautiful
Prof. Dr. Barış Erdoğan, Head of the Sociology Department at Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, concluded his remarks by drawing attention to the immense pressure on women regarding beauty, especially in patriarchal societies:
“In all cultures, men place great importance on the external appearance of their partners. While men are allowed to age gracefully in society, women are not even permitted to age in peace. Throughout her life, a woman remains under pressure to always look young and beautiful. Today, women openly condemn sexual harassment. They speak out. However, studies show that if women encounter a negative comment about their appearance, they cannot say, ‘How dare you say that to me?,’ they remain silent and suffer.”