How Social Media Affects Women's Body Image

Women's Health

Dec 30

Written By

Our body image is a complex mix of our feelings and thoughts that create a picture of how we see ourselves.

A positive self image is linked to better overall wellbeing, while a lower image can lead to a poorer quality of life and negative side effects.1 Social media can have an impact on our body image, and that impact is often negative.

Body Image And Social Media

Unfortunately, having a negative body image is common. It does not necessarily lead to mental health problems, but poor body satisfaction can be a risk factor for those issues and possibly lead to unhealthy behaviors like eating disorders. In fact, research shows higher body dissatisfaction is associated with a poorer quality of life and psychological distress.1

Social media impact on body image can inspire or harm, depending on how it is used. This article by the Pelvic Awareness Project explores the connection between online content and body image, especially for women navigating changes in their 30s to 50s. Readers will gain strategies to build a healthier digital environment and protect self-esteem.

How You Feel About Your Body

Your body image is an inner picture of how you see yourself, created by a mix of your own perceptions, thoughts, beliefs, and feelings. Your body image is also impacted by several factors, including your own physical build and features, how your physique changes, and influences from others. Cultural standards about what is considered beautiful make a big impression on us too.2

That’s where social media body image comes into play.

Self-acceptance can be challenging when it includes meeting society’s — often unrealistic — expectations. The “perfect body” often defines certain physical characteristics, sizes, and shapes, as more desirable than others. Our society also encourages us to judge and evaluate our own bodies, comparing ourselves against others.2

Body Image As We Get Older

As women age, our body naturally goes through a transformation. We develop wrinkles and get grey hair, we may gain weight or see other physical shifts through menopause, and our body changes after having children. That type of change to our bodies can be hard, especially since society typically deems youth to be more beautiful.

We can’t alter our personal characteristics, and we shouldn’t feel we have to, but we can learn to accept ourselves. We should never let ourselves get so low that we practice harmful behaviors. 2

Social Media Impact On Body Image

The era of smart phones and social media has had a tremendous impact on our self image. As one doctor describes it:

“For the first time in human history, we’re carrying around devices that we use to take and share photographs. That has led to an obsession with appearance as it appears on a screen, which has fundamentally changed the challenges people face.”3

It might be normal to feel self-conscious from time to time, but social media makes it far too easy to judge ourselves on an ongoing basis. Selfies and filters have created a “culture of insecurity and comparison.” We also forget that there are filters and photo editing behind those “perfect” photographs that we see online.3

Taken to the extreme, your anxiety and shame can negatively impact your self-esteem, and even lead to eating disorders, other harmful behaviors, or a condition known as body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). This mental health condition disrupts how you see and feel about your own body and appearance, undermining your mental and physical well-being.4

The Positive Impact of Social Media Body Image

Social media isn’t going away, and we seem to be scrolling even more. One study showed that we are using social media more than in the past, and spending significantly more time on “image-based” platforms such as Snapchat, and TikTok.

The same study also noted that it was the content that negatively impacted body image, even more than how long someone spends on social media, or the type of platforms accessed.5

So what to do about social media and body image? First, it’s important to remind yourself that the photos are taken by professionals, probably filtered, and likely edited to look “perfect.”

Here are some other tips to mitigate the social media impact on body image:

Limit use of social media:

This is an easy one to figure out, but not always easy to do. It can have a big impact, however. In one study cited by the American Psychological Association, those who reduced their social media use by 50% for just a few weeks saw significant improvement in how they felt about their overall appearance compared with peers who didn’t change how much they were using social media.6 Consider “unplug” days where you don’t look at social media at all, or set a timer for when you are scrolling.

Use social media to have a positive impact on body image:

You can also be intentional about what social media accounts you’re following. One study showed that small changes to social media usage could have a large impact.7

Researchers looked at three groups of young women following different types of social media. Those who viewed pages that celebrated different body sizes, shapes, colours and abilities, known as “‘body positivity” pages, saw an improvement to their own body image.8 By being intentional about our choices, we can benefit from social media.

Practice body gratitude

Rather than comparing yourself to an unrealistic expectation, practice self care and love your body. Some ideas are to enjoy exercise you love, eat healthy foods, and buy clothes that you like and that fit comfortably. Start a gratitude journal to note what you love about yourself, since you are worth much more than your looks. Be grateful about certain aspects of your body, including good health.2

Maintain Good Health, Outside and Inside

It’s important to look after all aspects of our health, not just our outside appearance. For instance, pelvic health is an important aspect of women’s overall health throughout our lives, but not one we often think about until there’s an issue. To find out more, take a few minutes to complete the Pelvic Awareness Project’s pelvic floor health quiz.

If your self-image is causing health impacts, such as anxiety, depression, or eating disorders, see your doctor immediately. The Pelvic Awareness Project can connect you to a trusted provider with expertise in women’s health. Find a doctor near you with our Physician Finder Tool.

With a few intentional steps, we can limit social media impact on body image, and continue to love ourselves as we age gracefully.