On Friday, reality TV phenomenon and Geordie Shore star Holly Hagan posted an image on Instagram of her chin. Or, if we’re going to be technical about it, her new chin.
“Can’t thank Dr Tijion Esho @theeshoclinic enough for filling out my chin was always so self conscious about it on photos and a tiny bit of filler has made a huge difference. You will forever be my one and only face doctor,” she wrote alongside a composite image of her chin transformation.
Hagan has been open about the fact she’s had a boob job, lip fillers, botox, work done on her nose and now chin. Hagan also has 3.4 million Instagram followers.
Just a few thumb scrolls down the feed comes fellow reality TV star Charlotte Crosby. On that same Friday, Crosby boasts about her own visit to Dr Tijion Esho.
Crosby has been equally transparent about her love of lip fillers, her nose job and her desire to get “more” botox. Crosby has 5.6 million Instagram followers.
Marnie Simpson, Chloe Ferry and Sophie Kasaei aren’t far down the feed, stars of the same show. They each have millions of fans whose feeds are consistently flooded with images of filled lips, the odd boob job and clear use of botox.
The changing faces of these women captured in real time with the scroll of a finger, their changing lips and eyes and chins treated as insignificant as a new hair colour.
The fact these women demand so much air time and social media space is one thing, and the fact their faces have essentially been reconstructed from the ground up is another. We could spend hours discussing semantics around Hagan's own argument that much of the alterations are "non-surgical".
But perhaps most interesting is the intersection between Hagan and Crosby's desire to make serious coin from weight-loss programs and the consistent work they get done on their faces.
For those who have loosely followed the duo's rise to prominence, their weight loss stories won't be new information. In the last few years, both have dropped significant weight in the pursuit of healthier bodies and happier minds. Following this, both girls leveraged their new frames, launching weight loss programs so other young females can follow their lead and find, what one would assume, to be the 'best' versions of themselves.
Mia Freedman discusses botox with Gender studies Professor and feminist Dana Berkowitz. Post continues after audio.
Hagan has created "Holly's Body Bible", while Crosby is selling "Charlotte Crosby's 3 Minute Belly Blitz".
And taking that information as it is, without much of a critical eye, you could let it slide. These "stars" are helping young girls find a new found sense of confidence, and making a little cash to boot.
But if we're going to be critical of the way their faces have so shamelessly changed, then we need to cast the same kind of analysis over their weight loss programs, too.
In the context of their ever-changing faces, Crosby and Hagan are inherently saying that weight loss is only cosmetic.
Every corner of these Instagram feeds are telling women to change. With every caption, every photo, every filter and every accusation of heavily photoshopped images, Crosby and Hagan are spreading an insidious message that weight loss isn't for health or well being or happiness. With every surgical, or "non-surgical" procedure, they're telling women that every change to the body is a for cosmetic purposes. To look hotter. To photograph better.
Crosby and Hagan are hand picking every insecurity about themselves, projecting it on millions of other young girls, and asking for cash in return.
The changing faces and bodies of Crosby and Hagan aren't just damaging young women. They're making money off damaged women.
Those in their corner will yell they should be able to exist in a vacuum, and make decisions that are best for themselves and no-one else. The women would no doubt argue that they are just reality stars, and they never asked to be role models. Who do they owe anything? Who are they responsible for?
But there's one overriding flaw in that thought process: You don't have to ask to be a role model to become one.
Top Comments
I'm 40 and when I was in my 20's botox and fillers for the average woman was unheard of. We all looked ourselves with all our natural, not so perfect, individual beauty. Some of us had thin lips, some had big luscious lips, some had medium noses, some small and others were on the larger side. Some were pale, some dark etc. Normal women of all different shapes and sizes from different backgrounds and heritages that shaped who were as individuals.
Now if you don't have your lips filled, the perfect eyebrows and petite nose (not to mention the breasts and body) you are somehow not enough. The pressures to be perfect in every way in this kardashian/celebrity culture are damaging women young and old and creating a whole other kind of insecurity. And what is 'perfect' anyway? Who makes these rules? Why do we all have to morph into each other getting procedure after procedure until our individuality is eradicated and our faces have the same dimensions? A lot of younger men are getting a skewed idea of what a woman should look like and some of those girls that don't buy into the plastic fantastic are becoming the wall flowers left behind. This makes me feel incredibly sad and worried for my young daughters. I don't see this culture getting any better. It's only going to get worse as procedures become more readily available and affordable and celebrities keep endorsing them. Why do we take advice from the craziest individuals on the planet? None of it makes any sense. It only brings more harm.
Jokes on them, they look ridiculous now.