13th Dec 09 Body Image Surgery

[Aled]

One of the most popular subjects because we ALL have something we're not happy with! Sunday 13th is a Body Image special with Dr Mel.

If you need to talk to someone, this Sunday from 10pm on BBC Radio 1

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[Ajayrious]

Will you continue to have your Photoshopped picture as your "on air now" pic on the front page for this topic?

[Aled]

lol. That's not the photoshopped photo! But that is very funny.

[Yudster]

Body image. What a can of worms. I've had two periods in my life where, due to ill health (psychological and physical), I've gained a LOT of weight. I'm actually just on the outward edge of the second one of these, having lost about 4 stone after two years of persistent illness. Problem is, as far as I'm concerned, I don't think I appear any different. Intellectually and realistically I KNOW that I am, but I don't feel that I as I am now impact visually (or any other way) differently on other people than I did before. I can say this isn't so until I am blue in the face, and other people can tell me too, but I just can't FEEL it.

Mess, eh?!

[Ajayrious]

lol. That's not the photoshopped photo! But that is very funny.

Really? I thought the teeth looked too bright to be real... although now i think about it, it was Comedy Dave who had his teeth done wasnt it.

*hugs Yudster*

[Andrew80]

Hi Yuds..it is how you feel i agree....
hugs and heres to 2010 x

[BabyB]

body image is so warped, I am 5'8" and am usually a size 14-16, 6 months after having my son (who's now 5), through breastfeeding and generally not having time to eat, I dropped down to just over 9 stone, I loved it at the time, i fit into size 10 clothing - but now looking back at photos, I looked absolutely AWFUL, even a friend with a diagnosed eating disorder commented on how drawn in and malnourished I looked, but back then I didn't see it, all I saw was the label in my clothes.
I came across a pair of trousers the other week that I used to be able to fit into and I cannot believe I used to be that thin!

part of my issue now is mainly down the fact that despite having a "typical" woman figure of having boobs and bum and a tiny waist, I really really struggle to get clothes to fit properly, everything that fits at the hips gapes at the waist....

clothing just isn't designed for "normal" women - they're designed for size 6 sticks and then simply made bigger.

no wonder so many of us have a low esteem on our body image when we're pretty much constantly being told from numerous angles that what we are isn't normal. :(

I am thankful that there are a lot of pop stars on the scene just now such a Beyonce and Alexandra Burke, who do have curves, who aren't size 8s, showing girls that you can be successful and beautiful even if you're not a twig. even a lot of news readers etc aren't sticks anymore... it's changing, slowly but surely, but there are so many of us now who have it locked into our heads that if we don't look like a boy with breasts, we're not normal.

[VivAyrshire]

Body image - again.... how many Surgeries is this going to take....

The media are to blame for all the focus on looks.... it's v. tedious and boring, and I'm tired of it all.

I'm a size 10 clothes, I'm actually quite happy with my shape - I don't even own a set of scales.

No matter how great you look though, these days, it never seems quite enough.

So many of the pictures in the magazines are air-brushed. People forget that, and try to live up to unrealistic expectations, resulting in unhappiness, and not being able to look in mirrors at all. We're all nice in someway - some more than others - it's just in different ways. Simple as.

I think there's also something called "body dysmorphia" (something like that) - where you would never, ever think you look OK, even if everyone else tells you you're just fine!! That must be an actual nightmare.

[Ajayrious]

I think there's also something called "body dysmorphia" (something like that) - where you would never, ever think you look OK, even if everyone else tells you you're just fine!! That must be an actual nightmare.

That just sounds like being female to me. *hides*

[Yudster]

I'm actually quite happy with my shape - I don't even own a set of scales.

That's the attitude I aspire to.

[Samual]

I don't know if anybody watches Hollyoaks (im guessing not) but one of the new characters, who is by no means fat is being portrayed as such. I think it wholly irresponsible to do this when so many millions of young people watch the show and inevitably will be influenced by the shows warped idea of weight and what is and is not normal.

Does he look demonstrably large to you?

http://estb.msn.com/i/C8/7F1353B3891DCAE23631E5762912B2.jpg

[Ajayrious]

I don't know if anybody watches Hollyoaks (im guessing not) but one of the new characters, who is by no means fat is being portrayed as such. I think it wholly irresponsible to do this when so many millions of young people watch the show and inevitably will be influenced by the shows warped idea of weight and what is and is not normal.

Does he look demonstrably large to you?

http://estb.msn.com/i/C8/7F1353B3891DCAE23631E5762912B2.jpg

In what way is he portrayed as fat though? Do other characters refer to him as being fat? or does he think of himself as being fat?

[Samual]

Yes other characters. Snide comments and insults etc.

[BabyB]

I'm actually quite happy with my shape

as am I, I am continually told by people they would love my figure as I am your typical hourglass shape, but trying to find clothes that actually fit my "normal" shape is virtually impossible, what message does that send to those of us with curves? no wonder so many girls suffer with body dismorphia, they're trying to compare themselves to unrealistic ideals set by the fashion industry.

I am always an hour glass figure, back when I was a 10 and now as a 16, and getting clothes that fit at either of these sizes or any in between is murder, i can't change my structure but the media is always telling me i'm not "normal"... some days I could cry for trying to find something nice and feminine that suits my shape... most dresses out there for those of us with curves resemble potato sacks... even if they are pretty colours...

the only items of clothing I own which i well and truely feel fits my shape are my nurses tunics...

[halon]

I've always been one of those people who goes 'stupid people who think they have to look like celebrities' however, we all know cheryl cole is drop-dead gorgeous. I asked my doctor last week when will i stop growing? and she says 3-4 years after my period started, which means i only have about 1 1/2 years left!! now this means i'll be about 5 2"-3" so about the same height as Cheryl Cole. I'm size 6, as i know she is, and i aspire to be this size for a looong time - even tho this is obviously me thinking it's good to look like a certain celebrity! i have struggled with my weight for a while, but knowing that someone like cheryl cole - who was orginally about a size 10 when she was on PSTR - can be happy at that size makes me feel good. i know it sounds stupid but ah well. part of the reason i think i have these body issues tho is that i was always the one with slightly chubbier legs since i was born and since i was about...5? I got teased for it, now i can only focus on that....i guess this has had a big impact on me!! lya xxx

[Yudster]

........part of the reason i think i have these body issues tho is that i was always the one with slightly chubbier legs since i was born and since i was about...5? I got teased for it, now i can only focus on that....i guess this has had a big impact on me!! lya xxx
Ah, the things people say without realising the impact they have on small children. I clearly remember exactly when my body image issues began, it was when I was four years old and had tonsillitis. I couldn't eat, and my mum asked the doctor if this was going to be a problem. He replied "Not at all, she's got enough fat on her to live for two weeks without eating".

[bbb]

i just tweeted you aled saying i just got a tatto 3 weeks ago and i love hower i like many people can write a list of what i dont like about myself with out being vain