Real men discuss cosmetic surgery and the pressure fitness influencers have on their body image
As the UK fitness industry continues to grow, body image issues among young people are directly impacted. We spoke to three real men to hear their views on fitness influencers, body image and cosmetic surgery.
Social media platforms often bombards users with images of fitness influencers, showcasing perfectly toned and extreme bodybuilding physiques. This trend affects everyone however, we interviewed real men who discussed the real impact it has on them. The growing presence of fitness influencers and how issues surrounding male body image has led to a rise in cosmetic surgery de to body and muscle dysmorphia.
What is muscle dysmorphia?
Muscle dysmorphia is defined by feeling that your body is too small and not muscular enough, mainly affecting males in their late teens or early adulthood. The fitness industry contributes significantly to this normalisation of ‘the perfect body’, which drastically affects some men’s mental health. Masculinity is largely defined by this idea of muscle and strength, making the male body this symbol of masculinity. In turn, some young men feel a certain duty to maintain a physique to fit this stereotype.
According to reports there has been an increase in the popularity of gynecomastia reduction (liposuction of the breast area) amongst men. Many fitness influencers keep quiet about the procedures they’ve had done, deceiving their audience into thinking this is natural. Young people are therefore uneducated on this relationship between the fitness industry and cosmetic surgery, and the specific procedures they undergo.
This increased exposure to the ‘superhuman’ physique promoted by fitness influencers normalises an unrealistic body type for young men through the immediacy of social media. People are deceived by these supposedly transparent influencers who have undergone cosmetic surgery, leading young men to believe they can attain a physique which is naturally unattainable.
Alfie Lee, 18, Bartender
Alfie Lee follows a lot of fitness accounts but feels that they’re “targeted quite heavily towards young men”. He added that he feels pressure to “fit into that stereotype of a young, well-built young man” which may lead to men wanting to look at cosmetic surgery. Alfie explained: “[the] pressure society places nowadays on young people needing to have a certain physique.” He states how this pressure is what turns people to cosmetic surgery rather than wanting to get it done for themselves.
Louis Healy, 20, Student
Louis Healy believes that the standards regarding body image being projected by fitness influencers was unattainable, he said: “I think [fitness influencers] can give people false and unrealistic expectations that they’re striving towards in the gym, but it’s quite unachievable for most people.” He held more sceptical views on the future reliance on cosmetic surgery as people are saying: “I need to look like that’ and turning to cosmetic surgery instead of acceptance.”
There is a stigma surrounding men undergoing cosmetic surgery in general, as Louis explained there would be more surprise if a man got cosmetic surgery over a woman. But within the fitness industry, Louis said cosmetic surgery serves to be their “only option” when trying to achieve these unattainable physiques. Social media is seemingly the enemy of this exposure to this ‘superhuman’ body.
Finley Russel, 18, Retail assistant
Finley Russel described how cosmetic surgery increases self-confidence and said: “if you want to look a certain way then obviously do the thing you have to do to achieve that.” He talked about the consumerist side to social media fitness influencers, as they attempt to sell their products. People are urged to think that investing in their products will mean they will achieve the same physique, furthering the promotion of unrealistic expectations.
The future for young men’s cosmetic surgery in the fitness industry is argued to increase over time. Finley spoke of procedures now being less obvious, which may be attractive to young men. More people are influenced to fit this “bodybuilder type because it’s a lot easier to achieve than it was twenty years ago.”
The fitness industry fuels an environment of physical perfection, almost prioritising aesthetics over genuine wellbeing. For some, cosmetic surgery is the only means to fulfil this pressure of what has been decided fits a masculine physique.