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Love Island 2021 is over – but its influence on young viewers isn’t...

Safety In Beauty Campaign studies reveal that after watching this years’ series, 87% of girls aged 15-18 surveyed would want cosmetic treatments

While this years’ Love Island may now be over, the aftermath of the series continues to impact viewers – recent studies conducted by the Safety in Beauty Campaign have revealed:
 
  • 87% of girls aged 15-18 would want cosmetic treatments after watching Love Island

  • 92% of these girls stated they would have a treatment irrespective of it being legally allowed or not – and would lie to access the treatment or provider 

  •  79% believe that female contestants on the popular TV show represent what boys look for in girls in relation to beauty

The popularity of cosmetic procedures in the UK continues to grow year-on-year. Botulinum toxin (Botox) and lip fillers are two treatments whose popularity never wavers – 26 year-old contestant Faye Winter even commented on the amount of Botox she’d had in one of the episodes.

However, as TV series' such as Love Island air, a spike in demand for certain procedures within certain age groups and genders is noted simultaneously. The latest season sparked a surge of +37 per cent searches for lip fillers, and a spike in demand in teens seeking cosmetic procedures.

A survey conducted of 100 females across the UK by Safety in Beauty revealed that popular procedures and enhancements included:

  • Lip fillers
  • Hair extensions 
  • Breast augmentation surgery 
  • Permanent makeup (such as eyebrow tattooing and lip blush)
  • Cosmetic nose enhancements
  • Fat reduction treatments
 
Worryingly, the survey also revealed that 92 per cent of female teenagers believe that female Love Island contestants represent the kind of beauty that males are attracted to.

Body Image Expert, Counsellor and Founder of The Safety in Beauty Campaign, Antonia Mariconda says, ”The fact that girls think that reality figures on TV shows represent a realistic profile of what beauty is, is quite sad, skewed and fundamentally unreal.

"I am disappointed that a healthier, more realistic representation of both males and females is not favoured by the show, and that in a world where our teenage generation is already growing under the shadow and pressure of the perfect Instagram and TikTok culture, we now have TV reality shows adding to the pressure of self esteem and body image,” continues Mariconda.

"Real girls are not all a perfect size 6 with unrealistic body proportions, perfect hair, nails, teeth or skin. In fact, real beauty is far from that... it's real. I would like to see curvier girls on the show – shapes and sizes that are real, and a more diverse array of real people; together with all their imperfections that make them human.

"All Love Island is doing is pressuring young people, at a time when there is enough pressure already. It's no wonder mental health issues amongst the younger generation are increasing – including image-related disorders in boys."

Mariconda adds: "I urge young people to think about the potential consequences of seeking treatments at such a young age – and that more importantly, that those providing such treatments to underage teenagers should be held accountable legally.”

If you’re over 18 and considering investing in a non-surgical procedure, here’s a few pointers to keep you safe when picking your injector; you can also find leading accredited practitioners here.

One way to reduce the risk of a botched aesthetic procedure is to source a safe practitioner and business,” says Mariconda.

“Look for a business or a practitioner with a proven track record – plus the prerequisite qualifications to perform the specific treatment that you are interested in undergoing. Don't select a practitioner based on their Instagram popularity. Anyone can buy followers and 'appear' to be successful – ask yourself what do you REALLY know about them?”

Dr Magdalena Bejma, Founder of the Dr Bejma Clinic reveals, “Many young people shop for aesthetic treatments on Instagram, where every single picture looks perfect. Sadly, in many cases this is all thanks to Photoshop – yes there are many edited before and after pictures on Instagram.

“My patients often bring me a picture of their dream lips, where clearly the images have been doctored. A large percentage of the general public don’t know – or struggle to believe – that someone would edit images like this, or that Instagram would allow it!”




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