As risky “beauty” fads like waist trainers, detox diets, and digital alteration apps trend among youth, experts warn these can promote unrealistic expectations and even pose health dangers.

“Many of the popular ‘beauty’ trends among youth these days, like waist trainers and Facetune, promote unrealistic and unhealthy standards that teens feel pressured to achieve,” said adolescent psychologist Dr. Aubriana Teeley. “This can negatively impact self-esteem and body image during the already challenging teenage years.”

Waist trainers:

The tight-fitting garments claim to help lose belly fat and reshape the body by compressing the waist. But medical groups caution improper use risks breathing difficulty and organ damage.

“I tried wearing a waist trainer because all the girls were doing it,” said Bekah K. “But it made it really hard to breathe and left bruises. When I took it off, my stomach looked the exact same anyway.”

Additional waist trainer risks include numbness, rashes, and weakened core muscles leading to injury. Experts advise wearing it loosely for only a few hours and avoiding it during exercise or sleep.

Detox diets and teas:

While touting bodily “cleansing,” these diets severely restrict calories or rely on fasting, laxatives, and diuretics. But experts caution they are ineffective for long-term weight loss and can even harm still-developing adolescents.

“After following models on Instagram who promoted detox teas, I was convinced I needed to lose weight fast,” said Morgan S. “I drank them for months but just felt sick, shaky, and developed some scary bathroom issues. I ended up even more unhealthy than when I started.”

Potential side effects include dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, slowed metabolism, and interference with medical treatments for conditions like diabetes.

While some green teas may slightly raise metabolism, most “detox” claims remain scientifically unfounded.

Facetune app:

This photo editing app lets users alter their appearance with a swipe. But the focus on digital perfection raises self-image concerns, especially for impressionable young audiences.

“My friend uses Facetune and is constantly editing her selfies,” said Tom B. ”Now she is convinced her nose is gigantic in real life and wants plastic surgery. I wish she could see how beautiful she already is without the edits.”

Experts worry teens may feel pressured to mimic unrealistic social media imagery, increasing risks for anxiety, depression and body dysmorphia disorders tied to appearance perceptions.

Parental oversight is key, says Dr. Teeley, who advises “focus on self-acceptance rather than changing your looks to fit some unrealistic ideal.”