Editing selfies thinking that they will make you look better could actually make you feel more dissatisfied with how you look according to new research.
The participants were also asked to report on their mood, body dissatisfaction and facial dissatisfaction before viewing the images of the women, after viewing the images and after editing their selfies. Moreover, the extent to which the women edited their selfies — which included smoothing and changing their skin tone, removing dark circles from under the eyes, shaping their faces and removing flaws — predicted the increase in their facial dissatisfaction.
“Many women and girls spend considerable time and effort in taking and selecting their selfies, for example, finding the best lighting and most flattering angle, which can then be further enhanced by filters or digital editing to maximise their appearance and appeal,” added Prof Tiggemann, who says that teenagers and young women should be discouraged from using software such as apps and filters to edit their selfies.