Top 5 Most Digitally Altered Body Parts

Posted: March 4, 2010

The “did they or didn’t they?” digitally altered debate was kicked into full gear this past fall with Ralph Lauren’s controversial ad showing model Filippa Hamilton’s body severely digitally altered, fueling the body image discussion once again in today’s beauty-obsessed culture. Media is also not impervious to this cultural squabble. This past summer, SELF magazine was highly criticized for digitally slimming down an image of singer Kelly Clarkson on the cover of the magazine. Countless supermodels and celebrities have been accused of being digitally enhanced in photos to slim their waist, smooth signs of cellulite or add a little extra cleavage. Although it may seem harmless for stars to under go digital nips and tucks here and there, it’s causing women who idolize these celebs to undergo unrealistic lengths to attain a so-called “perfect body.”

“Many magazines, billboards and advertisements falsely portray cultural icons by ‘doctoring’ images that are viewed by the public,” says Brian S. Glatt, MD, FACS, of Premier Plastic Surgery Center of New Jersey. ”Women look at these photos and ask their surgeons to make them look “just like them.” This is usually impossible because the desired body doesn’t even exist!

Glatt discloses and explains the top five most digitally altered body parts.

1. Breasts. In photos, it seems as though every supermodel and celebrity has perfect curvature on her chest by the way their assets are accentuated. “Most of these appearances are a result of a push-up bra, supportive undergarments and digital retouching,” says Glatt. “Breast implants are pervasive throughout the modeling profession, and are usually easily spotted as someone who is supermodel thin does not suddenly develop C-cup breasts. In addition, implants in very thin women appear more rounded than teardrop shaped and can be pushed up to create a full, high cleavage area.”

2. Waist. To make celebs look even thinner than they are in person, many are digitally altered so the sides of their body actually become an extra shadow or gets blended in with the background. “If they really looked like this,” says Glatt, “their torsos would likely not be able to adequately support their shoulders. Although aggressive liposuction techniques can create a much slimmer waist and take off inches, even liposuction cannot create some of the digitally altered and corset-assisted cartoon-type waists frequently seen in consumer magazines.”