Teenage girls aspire to look like airbrushed celebrities

Aug. 10, 2010 - PRLog -- Due to the success of the Girlguiding airbrush campaign and the support they received from the Equalities Minister, the UK’s fastest growing cosmetic surgery review website, http://www.goodsurgeonguide.co.uk conducted a poll of 1,078 teenage girls to discover how they feel about airbrushing.

The Girlguiding campaign is calling for the media to be honest about the use of airbrushing on celebrity images. The study by http://www.goodsurgeonguide.co.uk found that over two thirds of the teenage respondents, 68%, agree with the idea of the campaign.  

According to the study by http://www.goodsurgeonguide.co.uk, 87% of those asked believe that the ‘majority’ of celebrity images are airbrushed and therefore not an honest representation of the celebrities appearance. However, 62% admitted that they ‘aspire’ to look like their favourite celebrity.

When asked the multi-answer question ‘which celebrities do you aspire to look like?’ below are the top 10 most popular answers:

1.       Katy Perry – 69%
2.       Frankie Sandford – 64%
3.       Cheryl Cole – 61%
4.       Beyonce – 57%
5.       Britney Spears – 54%
6.       Abbey Clancy – 53%
7.       Fergie – 51%
8.       Nicole Scherzinger – 48%
9.       Victoria Beckham – 46%
10.   Rihanna  - 44%

In contrast, when the same list of celebrities were given with the multi-answer question, ‘which of the below celebrities do you think are regularly airbrushed in images?’ many of the women whose looks inspire the respondents are the same celebrities that the teenagers believe are airbrushed.

Below are the top 10 female celebrities teenagers think are regularly airbrushed:  
1.       Britney Spears – 71%
2.      Kim Kardashian – 69%
3.       Victoria Beckham  – 67%
4.       Nicole Scherzinger – 59%
5.       Katy Perry – 57%
6.       Keira Knightley – 53%
7.       Cheryl Cole – 51%
8.       Jessica Simpson – 49%
9.       Fergie – 48%
10.   Sarah Jessica Parker– 44%

1 in 3, 34%, of the girls asked admitted that they are on a diet and a further 41% claim to want to lose weight. The study also found that 79% of the respondents would like to change at least one part of their body.

When asked by http://www.goodsurgeonguide.co.uk ‘would you like to undergo a cosmetic procedure?’ over 1 in 5, 22% answered ‘yes’.  A further 62% thought that ‘most’ female celebrities have had a cosmetic procedure of some kind.

58% of the teenage girls asked admitted to having a celebrity as a role model.
Christiana Clogg, founder of http://www.goodsurgeonguide.co.uk had the following to say about the findings;

“I am completely behind the campaign that encourages the media to be more honest about airbrushed images. Although we are all aware that airbrushing happens, it doesn’t stop us beating ourselves up for not looking like the women in the magazines. Celebrities are role models for adults as well as teenagers; they have a responsibility to the public to be honest, as do the publications that feature them.”

She continued,

“The Good Surgeon Guide is not for or against cosmetic surgery; it is simply about finding the right surgeon and ensuring that the person is completely sure about the procedure and the risks in can entail. One of the reasons for starting the site is to spread awareness of procedures and inform people, such as impressionable teenagers, that it shouldn’t be a decision to be made lightly.”

***ENDS***

If you would like any more information, or to arrange an interview with Christiana Clogg please contact Charlotte Horsfall on 01452 348211 or email charlotte@10yetis.co.uk      
Link http://www.goodsurgeonguide.co.uk    

Notes to editors

Goodsurgeonguide.co.uk was launched in September 2009 and is the first website of its kind; users can visit the website to read or provide reviews and recommendations of cosmetic surgeons, cosmetic dentists, clinics and aesthetic treatment providers.

The site recently re-launched intruding a number of new site features, including the latest industry news and affiliate links with retailers. The new site is now much easier to use and more interactive, allowing users to ask specific questions about certain procedures and be given information on practitioners that are local to them that are experts in that field.  

An ideal way to describe the website would be to compare it to TripAdvisore.com, however The Good Surgeon Guide allows people to leave reviews of cosmetic treatments, rather than holidays. Reviews can be left about any aspect of the procedure from the cleanliness of the practice to the aftercare, the quality of the food to the standard of the consultations.

The Good Surgeon Guide should be the first port of call for anyone considering a cosmetic treatment or procedure, as it offers inside knowledge from people who have already had surgery and this is key in helping others make an informed choice about where to go and who to turn to for their procedure.