Kendall Jenner, Adriana Lima, Cara Delevigne, Miranda Kerr. These women are anything but average. The media is a very influential source in a young person’s life, and beauty standards are everywhere. No wonder many young women have constant negative thoughts about their appearance. Teenage girls receive constant reminders that a model's body can hardly ever be attained. It is heartbreaking that young ladies do not feel as though they are beautiful. Photoshop’s popularity has had a significant increase in the media. The media needs to place a restriction, and even a ban on Photoshop.
   

Photoshop is a popular technique used to, “perfect” the bodies of models to increase product sales. Victoria’s Secret, known to employ the, "most beautiful women in the world," use these women to make products sell.  Since the brand's main focus is sex appeal, consumers believe they could look like the model if they purchase the product. In her article, Kaitlin Menza said that "retouched images are also false advertisements for the magazines or products they sell" (Menza). As the saying goes, "buyers beware." Alternatively, the only thing viewer focuses on in the retouched images is the sculpted, tall, and lean physique of these models. Whether consciously or subconsciously, thoughts of “that’s what I should look like?” sneak into the minds of women. Instead of feeling confident and comfortable in one’s own skin, women feel inferior and menial in comparison to supermodels. Catherine, an eleven year old from Massachusetts said, “Modeling can help you become more self-confident. But when model photos are altered, it makes the viewer think that they should be that skinny or ‘beautiful’” (New Moon Girl Media). With Photoshop  everywhere the eye turns, it is no surprise that girls across the nation are unhappy with their appearance. Third, the beauty standards of today are so unrealistic. Lauren Mckeon, author of the article “Mirror, Mirror” states, “By the time we are 17, we’ve seen 250,000 commercial images-- and many of those are really heavily retouched ... It creates a sense of reality that’s not actually real” (McKeon). Since birth, everyone sees commercials and magazine covers that create a sense of unrealistic beauty. How does it feel to be bombarded with images of bodies that are so rarely attainable? Something to consider.

In spite of models with altered bodies plastered over every magazine and television commercial, many people believe that these women and men are not photoshopped, and that the unrealistic beauty standards portrayed have no effect on a young person. Carrie Arnold in her piece What’s Photoshop Got To Do With It? Says that there is, along with breaking down one’s self confidence, “little scientific evidence to support the statement that photoshop causes eating disorders,” (Carrie Arnold). While some of this may be true; children, teens, and young adults are still very impressionable. By seeing the half naked bodies of models everywhere, this can begin to take a toll on their overall self esteem. Recently, celebrities have taken a stand against altering their bodies in photoshoots. Kate Winslet and Brad Pitt have taken this stand and have refused to have their bodies retouched in certain magazines. Winslet says that she, “wants to set a good example for the younger women,” (Kate Winslet). In an interview for USA Today, Winslet explains that “it does feel important to me because I do think we have a responsibility to the younger generation of women,” (Kate Winslet). The media is a major source of connection in any young person’s life and it is the media’s responsibility to realize that what they post has an impact on all who view it, which it is often a negative one.
“We’ve all seen those Photoshop disasters--like when someone’s arm or leg has been erased. We laugh at them, but it speaks to the obsession we have with making women skinnier and skinnier,” says Mckeon. She also stated that, “they’re really deciding what beautiful is. It creates this dangerous facade of what we can achieve as women.” (This Magazine). Seeing unrealistic beauty and retouched images creates the sense of inferiority for any woman. The self esteem of a young person-- obliterated. The self confidence of a young person-- obliterated. The self love of a young person-- obliterated. A regulation or even a ban on Photoshop in the media needs to happen.