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I thought forum members may be interested to see this: it's from a campaign to improve body image in young girls, and it shows how "fake" and photoshopped most perfect beauty really is. And this model is only 14 years old, they are still removing "shadows that highlight sagging cheeks and bags under the eyes"!
http://demo.fb.se/e/girlpower/retouch/ - click on the image, and a window will pop up containing a Flash demo. It may take a couple of minutes to load, but it is well worth it.
I have also created an image to show what they do to her teeth:
1st - normal
2nd - lips plumped up
3rd - cyber veneers (if only it was this simple for all of us!!)
For those that can't get it to load, here is the text:
Lips - Small creases and wrinkles are removed, and the contours of the lips are sharpened. The glossiness of the lips in enhanced so they look fuller. The upper lip is made bigger and the Cupid's bow becomes deeper and clearer.
Teeth - The gaps are filled and imperfections are removed. The length and width of the teeth are evened out. The colour of the teeth is changed from grey-yellow to chalk white.
Wow! Its pretty sad that our world thinks that our world thinks thats important but I wish I could get my smile to do that in real life and be permanent!! I was just watching tv at our hotel for the first time in about 5 years and I noticed that really most people on commercials and tv shows have absolutely perfect smile! I guess that could just be photo shop though. I'm so jealous of the smiles!
Thanks for sharing this! Its quite intersting!
-Hannah
Top braces: 4/28/04
Bottom braces: 11/16/05
Next Adjustment 1/11/06
Last edited by hannah164 on Mon Jan 02, 2006 12:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Good Lord, that's kind of sad. It'd sure be nice if kids could just be kids and not worry about stuff like that. For crying out loud, does no one else think that removing 'shadows and bags' on a freaking 14 year old is insane?
Man, I worry about my girls when I see stuff like this.
Full upper and lower metal braces put on May 12, 2005.
Braces free as of April 18, 2006!
Temporarily rebraced Nov. 21, 2006. ( I think I've moved past temporary. )
The girl looked more attractive BEFORE the touch-ups. How I wish our society would stop making teenage girls feel "imperfect" by doing things like this. Yes, I'm having my teeth straightened and it took me a long long time to do it, but we need to see the real beauty in the differences we all have. If everyone had so-called perfect teeth, it would be boring.
I actually discussed with my ortho whether it was possible to simply close up the side gaps, fix the flared teeth, and leave my front-teeth gap in place (although a bit smaller). She said if I were going to do this, the gap would have to be closed so that it could be held in place properly with a retainer. Without a retainer, the teeth will eventually drift back to where they were.
She did tell me there's a possibility the big gap on the side will never fully close, and I told her that was no problem. I'm going to miss the front gap! But not the flaring teeth and not the gigantic side gaps.
Good Lord, that's kind of sad. It'd sure be nice if kids could just be kids and not worry about stuff like that.
True it is sad. At the same time people are sueing McDonalds, and some schools are making junk food off limits. While I don't believe people should expect perfection from themselves, I do think people need to make the most of themselves.
Marzipan wrote:The girl looked more attractive BEFORE the touch-ups. How I wish our society would stop making teenage girls feel "imperfect" by doing things like this.
mtbrncofn wrote:For crying out loud, does no one else think that removing 'shadows and bags' on a freaking 14 year old is insane? .
Exactly. This is the whole point of the campaign - to try and make young girls realise that magazines don't represent reality, and to try and make adults like us see how sick things have become.
I wouldn't rethink my braces decision for a moment, because my teeth are crooked and straighter teeth are healthier. But the pics are good reminder that the perfect bleached whiteness many of us strive for, after seeing celebrity teeth on TV, is unnatural - in reality, teeth are a little bit yellow.
I also thought the girl looked fine - better - before. Much less Barbie doll. It's brave of this young model to take that job on, being so honest about what photoeditors change in her.
Yup it's amazing what they can do with photo-editing programs nowadays, there are guys out there getting paid huge money to do this. Chances are if you're looking at a picture of a model in a magazine, it's been edited so much that if you saw the model in person, you wouldn barely recgognize them. Thigh trimming, wrinkle removal, covering up red spots from Acne. Plastic Surgery just isn't enough for some people anymore.
Braced November 29, 2005. Damon 3's on top and bottom
Good Lord, that's kind of sad. It'd sure be nice if kids could just be kids and not worry about stuff like that.
True it is sad. At the same time people are sueing McDonalds, and some schools are making junk food off limits. While I don't believe people should expect perfection from themselves, I do think people need to make the most of themselves.
People need to take the blame for the actions. This whole lawsuit thing against fast food is ridiculous. They know what they're eating! And parents who let their kids eat that way should be ashamed of themselves too. I think junk food should be off limits in schools, but when it gets to high school age, I think they should know enough that they can make their own choices, be they good or bad and also take the responsibility for it too.
Just seems so sad to see what should be a cute, innocent 14 year old girl feel like she has to look like the next Lindsay Lohan or something. Boob jobs for teens. That is just wrong, IMO! At least all these teens that are getting this stuff done should wait until they're done growing and see what they're going to end up with before they go under the knife.
Full upper and lower metal braces put on May 12, 2005.
Braces free as of April 18, 2006!
Temporarily rebraced Nov. 21, 2006. ( I think I've moved past temporary. )
asianflow wrote:
They have to really watch their weight, some are getting boob jobs for HS grad presents, some are already worrying about wrinkles, etc...
I'm 16 and I use an anti-wrinkle cream. I'll admit that I feel better when I feel like I look good, and I want to prevent wrinkles as much as I can for the future.
And yet I go tanning, which we all know can cause pre-mature wrinkling...
I'm 16 and I use an anti-wrinkle cream. I'll admit that I feel better when I feel like I look good, and I want to prevent wrinkles as much as I can for the future.
And yet I go tanning, which we all know can cause pre-mature wrinkling...[/quote]
If you REALLY want to prevent wrinkles on your face, take the advice of a 45-year-old woman who has a lot less wrinkles than many women her age:
1. ALWAYS wear sunscreen on your face. I use a foundation with SPF 20 and on days when I'm going to be in the sun a lot, I wear an additional matte sunscreen beneath that (oil-free gel).
2. Don't smoke and limit your drinking. Also avoid recreational drugs.
3. Get as close to 8 hours of sleep each night as you can. Continual sleep deprivation will make you look like crap as time goes on. The term "beauty sleep" is not ironic, it's true!
4. Take your vitamins daily (omega oils are good for the skin as well).
5. Eat good whole foods as much as possible with plenty of green leafy vegetables.
6. Drink plenty of water (soda, tea, coffee, and juice are not alternatives to water).
7. When you do go out in the sun (the beach, for example), use a really good high SPF sunscreen and wear a hat at least some of the time. Try very hard to avoid getting a sunburn on your face. Apply additional sunscreen several times a day.
8. If you do get a bad sunburn on your face, consult with a dermatologist if possible for proper treatment.
I'm the owner/admin of this site. Had ceramic uppers, metal lowers ~3 years in my early 40's. Now in Hawley retainers at night!
Wow! That's fascinating! Thanks so much for posting it, it's really interesting.
As a high schooler right now I have to say that I think it's absolutely awful how much is placed on appearence and how so many people compare themselves to models...and the worst part is that so many high schoolers look like models themselves due to the wonderful world of boob jobs and other fake-ities that seem to be sadly so popular today.
It sucks for the rests of us because we're left comparing ourselves to those so called perfect people-and always come up short.
Whoever said high school was the best four years of your life had to be drunk or something
Braced September 9, 2002
Debanding: JULY 5!!!!!!!!
Just look at Kate Moss, her teeth aren't that great.
A friend of mine is a professional photographer and he spends so much time touching up photos of seemingly 'perfect' people. HE hates doing it, but the publications and agencies insist. They like the models to almost have that plastic, unattainable look.
I guess that could just be photo shop though. 
I'm so jealous of the smiles! 
