Social media pressure, Utah culture, tied to rising cosmetic surgery rates

SALT LAKE CITY  — Social media is getting much of the blame for eroding self-esteem among teen girls and contributing to a growing cosmetic surgery culture. That’s part of a recent study from the Utah Women & Leadership Project, which also points to broader cultural pressures.

Utah currently ranks 10th in the number of board-certified cosmetic surgeries performed. While that’s not as high as in the recent past, rates are up nationwide compared to recent years. As Utah shows up more in reality TV, those portrayals can shape perceptions of local culture and what a “typical Utah woman” looks like.

“There definitely is a physical appearance culture here in Utah to look the best that we can,” said Dr. Susan Madsen, director of the Utah Women & Leadership Project.

Madsen says the makeup of Utah’s population can amplify those pressures. “More homogeneous societies tend to have higher rates of cosmetic surgery. And one of the reasons is, when you’re around more white people and more people of one religion and other types of things, there tends to be more competition,” she said.

The study cites concerning national trends among teen girls. According to the findings, 96% of girls ages 14 to 19 reported experiencing cyberbullying, and 92% said they’ve considered altering their appearance.

“We know we’re a little bit higher than the nation. But that’s in the 90s,” Madsen said. “So that’s something to be concerned about,”

Recent national data also shows cosmetic surgeries up 19% since 2019, with minimally invasive procedures—such as Botox and fillers—up more than 70%. Minimally invasive procedures among men rose 253% over the same period.

Madsen believes social media can be part of the solution.

“We just have to be thoughtful about the social media that we use and how we portray people, and focus again on head, heart and hands more than looks,” she said. She points to efforts like the Dove Self-Esteem Project as an example of positive impact.

Madsen also says influencers should take note and be mindful of how women are portrayed in posts, shifting emphasis to ability over appearance. She adds that these concepts start young, and parents can change how they talk to their kids to reinforce strengths, skills, and character over looks.

“We need to figure out how to better raise our daughters and granddaughters in ways that they can get there’s a deep sense of self-worth, not necessarily dependent on their looks, but on their whole self,” Madsen said.

Related: Australia sharing tips on curbing social media for children before age limit starts in December