Beauty filters have become as commonplace as the cameras in our phones. With a simple swipe, we can smooth our skin, enlarge our eyes, or slim our faces. But what happens when these seemingly harmless tools begin to change how we feel about our real, unfiltered selves? A new study by researchers Makenzie Schroeder and Elizabeth Behm-Morawitz at the University of Missouri reveals some concerning answers to this question.
The Study And The Results
To understand these effects, the researchers randomly divided 187 participants into three groups:
- One group used a slimming filter on their own image.
- Another group watched someone else use a slimming filter.
- A control group used a neutral filter that only changed the color of their image to blue.
After their assigned activities, participants answered questions about how they felt about their bodies, their desire to lose weight, and their attitudes toward different body sizes.
The results revealed clear differences between the groups. Participants who used the slimming filter on themselves showed significantly higher levels of body dysmorphic thoughts and beliefs compared to those using the neutral blue filter. This means they were more likely to focus on perceived flaws in their appearance after seeing themselves through a beauty filter.
Even more striking were the differences in what researchers called “social self-comparison”—the tendency to compare oneself to the filtered image. Participants who used the slimming filter themselves engaged in much more social self-comparison than both the control group and those who merely observed someone else using a filter.
Interestingly, those who merely watched someone else use a slimming filter also showed somewhat elevated body dysmorphic thinking compared to the control group, though the difference was not significant.
The data showed a clear pattern: actively using a slimming filter on your own image creates the strongest negative effects, triggering both unhealthy thoughts about your appearance and an increased tendency to compare yourself to your digitally enhanced version.
The study also revealed concerning effects on attitudes toward different body sizes. The higher levels of body dysmorphic thoughts in participants who used the slimming filter on themselves resulted in them having stronger anti-fat attitudes compared to those in the control group. They were also more likely to want to lose weight after seeing themselves in a slimmer way and to evaluate their self-worth based on their appearance. These findings suggest that beauty filters don’t just affect how we see ourselves, but can potentially reinforce broader negative societal attitudes about weight and body size, contributing to weight stigma that already permeates much of our culture.
Why This Matters: Beyond “Just a Filter”
“It’s just a filter” might be a common defense, but this research suggests the impact goes deeper than we might think. The study identified two key processes that explain why filters affect us:
First, social self-comparison—comparing ourselves to our filtered image—appears to be even more powerful than traditional social comparison (comparing ourselves to other people). This makes sense when you think about it: seeing a “better version” of yourself feels more personally relevant than seeing an attractive stranger.
Second, beauty filters can trigger body dysmorphic thinking—a heightened focus on perceived flaws in your appearance. This pattern of thinking connects filter use to several negative outcomes, including greater dissatisfaction with your current body and stronger anti-fat attitudes.
The researchers explain that these processes might not just affect how we see ourselves in the moment. They potentially contribute to a cycle where users increasingly prefer their filtered appearance, leading to greater disappointment with their natural look.
Beyond Individual Effects: Social Media and Beauty Standards
The implications of this research extend beyond individual psychology. When millions of people use slimming filters daily, it changes our collective understanding of beauty.
The researchers noted that beauty filters allow users to conform to societal beauty expectations—appearing thinner, having smoother skin, and displaying other idealized characteristics. As more people share filtered images, these become the new normal, creating a cycle where people expect to see filtered images and feel pressure to use filters themselves.
This normalization of digitally altered appearances may be driving a narrower definition of beauty—one that excludes the natural diversity of human bodies, particularly larger body sizes.
Limitations and Future Questions
Like all research, this study has limitations worth noting. The participants had an average age of 36, meaning the findings might not fully represent how younger users—who grew up with these technologies—experience beauty filters. Additionally, the sample consisted mostly of women, leaving questions about how men respond to similar filters, particularly those enhancing muscularity rather than slimness.
The study also used a relatively subtle slimming filter. Many popular filters on platforms like TikTok and Instagram create more dramatic transformations, potentially causing even stronger effects than those observed in the study.
Looking ahead, this research raises important questions:
- How do beauty filter effects accumulate over time with repeated use?
- Are certain individuals more vulnerable to negative impacts from beauty filters?
- How might these digital tools affect the development of body image in adolescents?
- Could filters designed to celebrate natural features rather than alter them provide a healthier alternative?
Perhaps most importantly, this research challenges social media platforms to consider the ethical implications of the tools they provide. The researchers suggest that developers should consider eliminating or reducing body-altering filters in favor of more body-neutral options.
What Can We Do?
While more research continues, this study reminds us to be more conscious of how digital tools might be shaping our self-perception. Being aware of the comparison process happening when we use beauty filters might help us resist their negative influence.
For parents and educators, talking openly about how filters work and the unrealistic standards they create could help young people develop healthier relationships with these technologies.
And for social media users of all ages, occasionally stepping back to appreciate our unfiltered selves might be the most radical act of all in a world increasingly viewed through a digitally enhanced lens.
As beauty filters become more advanced and widespread, understanding their psychological impact becomes not just interesting but essential for protecting our collective well-being in the digital age.
