Rib contouring - a cosmetic procedure aimed at creating a smaller, more defined waist - is one of the newer appearance trends on social media.
Author
- Vivienne Lewis
Clinical Psychologist and Senior Lecturer in Psychology, University of Canberra
Influencers are sharing their experiences online, bringing a procedure many of us had probably never heard of into our social media feeds.
As a clinical psychologist specialising in body image and eating disorders, what interests me is not only this procedure, but what it tells us about the way our ideas about appearance develop in the first place.
It's a type of 'looksmaxxing'
Rib contouring involves fracturing, then repositioning, the lower ribs to alter the appearance of the waist. Ribs are not removed.
This is part of the broader trend of " looksmaxxing ", essentially trying to maximise your physical attractiveness. This might involve changing your hair, skincare or exercise routine, but can extend to cosmetic procedures and surgery.
While rib contouring might be new-ish, wanting a tiny waist certainly isn't. Women have been encouraged to change their silhouette for centuries. Think of corsets designed to cinch the waist, or the hourglass figure associated with 1950s stars such as Marilyn Monroe.
The fashionable body has changed over time, but the message that women should work on their appearance is hardly new.
What social media has done is bring those messages to us more often and make new trends in appearance travel incredibly quickly.
Being exposed to social media content about ideals of what we should look like is linked to believing in these ideals, anxiety about your appearance, and considering cosmetic surgery.
Influencers add something different to the mix because they can seem much more like us than traditional celebrities.
On social media, we watch them get dressed, exercise and eat. They talk to us from their bedrooms and kitchens. When someone we follow changes their appearance, it can make doing the same seem more normal and achievable.
It invites us to compare ourselves
Social media content that focuses on our appearance also invites us to compare our appearance to other people's.
For instance, engagement with beauty content on social media has been linked with people comparing themselves with those they think look better than them, and a greater consideration of cosmetic surgery.
Often this comparison is subtle. We see somebody else's waist and suddenly notice our own. A feature we had never given much thought to can become something we inspect.
This is what I find particularly striking about rib contouring. Until recently, how many of us were thinking about our ribs as an appearance issue? Once we learn a part of our body can be altered, it can be surprisingly easy to start questioning whether ours needs changing.
Experimental studies have found exposure to appearance-focussed influencer content can make women less satisfied with their body . But this doesn't mean we should judge somebody for considering rib contouring or any other cosmetic procedure.
Adults can make decisions about their own bodies, and wanting to change something about your appearance doesn't automatically mean you have poor body image or a psychological disorder.
Why might someone consider rib contouring?
The more useful question is, what's sitting behind the decision to consider rib contouring?
There is quite a difference between "I'd prefer my waist to look different" and "if my waist looked different, I'd finally feel good about myself".
When we expect changing one physical feature to transform our confidence or self-worth, it is worth being curious about that expectation and questioning if that expectation is realistic.
At the more serious end, persistent distress about perceived flaws can be a feature of body dysmorphic disorder . This mental health disorder is more common among people seeking cosmetic procedures than in the general population. Body-image difficulties can also occur with eating disorders .
What if someone I know wants this surgery?
If your daughter, friend or partner tells you they are thinking about rib contouring, try not to rush in with "that's ridiculous", "you don't need it" or even "but you're beautiful".
Although these comments may come from a good place, they can stop the person talking. Reassuring someone they are beautiful can also unintentionally bring the conversation straight back to whether they are attractive enough.
Try curiosity instead. Ask what has led them to consider it, how long they have felt this way and what they hope will be different afterwards. Ask what they have been seeing online and whether influencers or accounts have shaped how they now see their body.
It is also useful to notice whether appearance concerns are beginning to affect everyday life. Is the person checking their body repeatedly, comparing themselves constantly, avoiding photographs or clothes, changing how they eat or exercise, or withdrawing from things they normally enjoy?
We all look in the mirror
Having a positive body image doesn't mean looking in the mirror and loving everything you see. Most of us have aspects of our appearance we would happily change. The important thing is being able to live comfortably in our body without believing it must meet an ideal before we can feel OK about ourselves.
Rib contouring may disappear or another looksmaxxing trend may replace it. Either way, when somebody we care about wants to make a significant change to their appearance, we don't need to tell them what to do.
We can help them slow down the decision, understand where it has come from, and think about what they really hope will change.
If this article raises issues for you or someone you know, contact the Butterfly Foundation on 1800 33 4673 for information and support.
Vivienne Lewis does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
