How the Brazilian bum lift replaced the tummy tuck: Rise of plus-sized models like Ashley Graham and Jordyn Woods is causing surge in demand for plastic surgeries that accentuate curves, study claims
- Researchers compared social media in plus-sized and mainstream models
- They found no difference between likes, comments and posts in both groups
- Boston University academics claimed it may cause more bum lifts and boob jobs
The increasing popularity of plus-sized models may be driving a surge in bum lifts and breast implants in the West, a study suggests.
Researchers said the rise of curvy celebrities like Ashley Graham could be behind growing demand for the sometimes dangerous procedures.
A study compared the social media presence and body measurements of more than 100 models.
It found no significant difference in the share of likes, comments and posts among plus-sized or traditionally thin models.
This, the researchers claim, indicates that voluptuous women are becoming increasingly popular.
The modelling industry was previously accused of promoting unhealthily slim body-types, which was linked to eating disorders like anorexia in young girls.
But there has been a rise in the number of British women going abroad to get procedures that accentuate women’s curves over the last decade.
Lead researcher Dr Neelam Vashi, a dermatologist at Boston University, said the results showed the changing standard of beauty in pop culture.
He added: ‘Plastic surgeons may see an increased interest in procedures, including breast and buttock augmentation, that embrace a curvaceous plus size body type.’
Boston University academics said the presence of larger models like Ashley Graham (left) and Jordyn Woods (right) could be increasing demand for bum lifts and breast implants
The modelling industry was previously accused of promoting unhealthily thin body-types, which was linked to eating disorders like anorexia in young girls. Pictured: Kate Moss at the Elite Model Agency party in London in 1993
But the newly popular cosmetic surgeries have been linked to a host of health problems.
Brazilian bum lifts — when fat is taken from one part of the body and injected into the rear — have the highest risk of death of any cosmetic procedure.
The injected fat can cause blockages in blood vessels in the lungs.
The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons has advised against carrying them out until more is known about risks.
Despite this, they are still available in the UK as well as the US for up to £8,000 ($9,600).
At least three women in Britain have died in the last three years from complications of surgeries carried out in Turkey, where procedures are often cheaper.
The latest study, published in the scientific journal Cureus, tracked the social media presence of 159 plus-sized models.
They were compared to the highest paid 10 mainstream models in the world.
Researchers looked at their follower count, average number of likes, comments and posts on Instagram to see how their social media presences differed.
The top 10 plus-sized models had an average of 3.8million followers each, compared to 38million in the mainstream models.
But, relative to their follower counts, there was no significant difference between the average likes per post, average comments per post, and total posts between the top mainstream models and top plus-size models.
Ashley Graham had the largest amount of followers of all plus-sized models, with more than 12 million.
She was followed by Jordyn Woods (11.7million), who was formerly best friends with Kylie Jenner.
Iskra Lawrence (4.6million), a 31-year-old British model, and Ashley Alexis Smith (2.2million), an American model and swimwear entrepreneur, were the next most popular curvy models.
For comparison, the largest accounts for mainstream models were Kendall Jenner (154million) — who has a 24in waist — and Gigi Hadid (64.4million).
Writing in the journal, the researchers said: ‘Over time, the presence of plus-size models has increased within the fashion industry.
‘Societal pressures on retailers to incorporate an increased body diversity that fully represents their consumer base of society with an average dress size of 14 to 16 and BMI of 26.5 is likely contributory to the increasing presence of plus-size models.
‘This shift can be seen within the results of this study, as many of the top plus-size models had a significant social media presence.’
Plus size modelling kicked off in the mid-2000s, after Jean-Paul Gaultier and John Galliano used larger women in their Spring 2006 showings in Paris.
