Women are feeling the pressure to look forever young, but some are pushing back

Red light face masks, Botox, filler, injectable moisturizers and wrinkle patches.

Anti-aging products and procedures are everywhere — and new research indicates women are feeling the pressure to look perpetually younger earlier.

Noticing a wave of anti-aging content “taking over” social media, Megan Lindloff, a Western University PhD in psychology, decided to investigate.

Whether it’s pushing miracle wrinkle cures or shaming natural looks, her research found exposure to aging stigma — especially on social media — is fuelling aging anxiety in younger women, driving them toward anti-aging products and procedures such as preventive Botox or fillers.

“It was just being increasingly pushed at younger women that you need to be getting these preventative procedures,” Lindloff said, “putting a lot of pressure on women and making them feel more worried about their appearance.”

Lindloff surveyed 415 women aged 18 to 35 about exposure to aging stigma, and found 84 per cent were using products like retinol and wrinkle patches, and about 28 per cent were using Botox, fillers and chemical peels.

However, she also found overall that the use of anti-aging products or procedures didn’t increase appearance satisfaction. Instead, it left them feeling less authentic.

“I also think it’s pressuring women who’ve already invested in so much beauty work to spend even more time — and even more of their money — on these procedures, and so I do find that a bit concerning.”

Some struggle with aging anxiety

The pressure to look perpetually younger is something registered psychotherapist Katie McKeown sees first hand.

She said conversations about body image and aging come up regularly with clients.

“What we see clinically is a lot of women that are struggling with body dissatisfaction and anxiety about aging — and obsessive routines about trying to maintain or keep a youthful appearance,” said McKeown, founder of Modern Psych.

She’s seen women in their early 20s getting lip fillers, under-eye fillers and Botox for foreheads, marketed as something preventable, with the messaging that we need to “stay ahead” of the aging process.

Many people feel a temporary confidence after a procedure, but over time, the improvement becomes a new baseline and attention shifts to the next thing, McKeown said.

The pressure to stay young actually ignores the growth and wisdom that comes with age.– Katie McKeown, founder of Modern Psych

“We fix this problem — and now we’re fixating and moving on to the next one. The goal post keeps moving.

“The pressure to stay young actually ignores the growth and wisdom that comes with age,” McKeown said.

“The goal should never be to fight aging right. The goal should be to be building a life where how your look is only one small part of how you value yourself.”

Self-care or a new standard?

Amanda Giorgini is getting behind that message.

The London-area social media influencer is part of the “pro-aging movement” that doesn’t strive to reverse the natural aging process, but shifts focus to embracing aging and the good it brings.

Embracing her grey hair and encouraging women to feel free to “age gracefully” is part of that, she said.

Giorgini said checking in with yourself about why you are doing something is important: “Are you doing it for yourself or are you doing it because of the pressure?”

“Aging is inevitable,” Giorgini said.

“The freedom comes with you realizing you can define beauty for yourself, and it does not have to fit into the box that is being sold to you on social media or on products. You can decide: ‘I think this is beautiful.'”

She stressed it’s important that women lift each other up and don’t judge each other.

“We all have had the same pressures. I get it. I understand why people do it.”

But she warns that it can go too far.

‘Your body, your choice’

Dr. Anthony Nichols is a facial plastic surgeon who does reconstructive surgery for cancer and trauma patients at London Health Sciences Centre for cancer.

There are huge beauty pressures in this social media era, especially for women, said Nichols, who also runs a private practice in London and is a professor at Western University.

“We certainly do see a lot of younger women and young people, some men, do cosmetic procedures.”

His clinic is always screening for the “right motivation” for procedures, he said, along with signs of body dysmorphia, and applies extreme caution around any invasive procedures for younger women.

“Your body, your choice, as long as it’s not medically dangerous.”

But when it comes to aging stigma, there’s still work to be done.

Lindloff said we need to confront and challenge age-related stigma, and increase the positive representation of older women.