Are Dating Apps Changing the Face of Beauty?
In today’s swipe-right world, finding love is only a profile picture away. But behind the filtered photos and witty bios, a new study is revealing a
more complex reality: dating apps may be fuelling a rising obsession with cosmetic procedures, particularly among women.
Researchers from the University of South Australia have found that women who use dating apps are 20% more likely to consider or undergo
cosmetic enhancements like dermal fillers and anti-wrinkle injections. The reason? The pressure to look perfect in a digital-first dating world.
Dating apps have reduced the stigma around meeting partners online, but they’ve also created new kinds of social pressure – especially when
it comes to how we look. While social media’s impact on body image is well-documented, this study is among the first to specifically examine
the effect of dating apps.
The visual nature of dating apps prioritises photo-based profiles, placing pressure, particularly on women, to project an idealised and perfect
version of themselves. The connection between dating apps and appearance-altering choices isn’t just skin-deep. Women who use dating apps
also reported more positive attitudes towards cosmetic surgery than non-users. What’s more, those who frequently use filters or digitally edit
their images were also more likely to consider real-life cosmetic procedures.
When you are so used to seeing yourself through a range of filters and airbrushing, it can be tempting to make those edits come to life through
cosmetic enhancements.
The research surveyed over 300 Australian women aged 18 to 72. Nearly half had used a dating app within the past two years, and one in five
reported having had at least one cosmetic procedure.
Introducing more personality-based matching algorithms could also be considered to reduce the emphasis on physical looks, and apps could
offer built-in body image interventions such as self-compassion exercises to mitigate the pressures to alter one’s appearance.
With dating app usage growing rapidly – eHarmony predicts more than 70% of relationships will begin online by 2040 – these concerns are
becoming increasingly relevant. The culture of digital dating is changing not only how people meet, but how they see themselves.
