Girls as young as 11 in Northern Ireland consider future cosmetic procedures as appearance pressures

The new research, supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, reveals that girls are finding their own negative thoughts about their looks to be all consuming, and over half (61%) of girls aged 11-21 in Northern Ireland (N.I) say that these thoughts are negatively impacting their confidence.

Girls also say that they feel they are held to a different beauty standard than boys of their age, and that they face more appearance-based scrutiny. More than 1 in 3 (34%) girls across the UK aged 7-10 years feel there are different expectations of how they should look, compared to boys of their age. Girls across the age range also say that receiving compliments about how they look helps boost their confidence and makes them feel more positive about themselves (54% of girls aged 7-21 in Northern Ireland vs 50% across the UK), accentuating the external pressures they feel as girls and young women.

The gender disparities, felt from such a young age, are contributing to the confidence gap that exists between boys and girls, with girls experiencing significantly lower confidence at every age, a gap that only widens as they get older.[1]

Due to this low self-esteem, and widening confidence gap, older girls are going to extreme measures to alter their appearances. Over three quarters (79%) of girls aged 11-21 in Northern Ireland said that girls they know worry about the way their body looks and are reporting that they are willing to go to concerning lengths to change it.

In a plea to change their appearance, we know that for girls in Northern Ireland:

Over half (65%) of 11–16-year-old girls said they’d like to lose weight

More than 1 in 3 (42%) girls aged 11-16 said they have been on a diet

63% of 11–21-year-old girls are aware of friends or peers who have experienced an eating disorder

Over a third of girls aged 11-21 (41%) they would consider cosmetic changes to their appearance at some point in the next 20 years

Online harms are contributing to rising appearance pressures for girls

As teenage girls continue to spend more of their time online, this appears to be contributing to a decline in self-esteem levels. Girls are reporting negative views of their own appearance and concerns about things they see online, from harmful comments to filtered images.

In the last year, 48% of girls aged 11-21 in N.I say they’ve seen images that made them feel insecure, and over half (57%) of all 11–21-year-old girls said they wished they looked like they do with the filters online. More than 1 in 3 (33%) of girls this age said they feel pressure to use filters when posting on social media.

The research reveals, for girls in marginalised groups, their negative experience online is disproportionately greater. The pressure to use filters online is higher for girls who are neurodiverse, disabled, LGBTQ+ and living in areas of high deprivation across the UK[2].

When asked about what would make them feel safer online, 46% of 11-21-year-old girls in Northern Ireland said that they would if there were more unedited images and content. To help protect girls, Girlguiding is calling for more transparency online and is urging the newly elected Government to make it a requirement for advertisers, including influencers, to make it clear when filters, editing software or artificial intelligence have been used to change of create an image.

Erin, 16, Girlguiding advocate, said: “I am saddened by these early findings, however, a part of me is not surprised at all. The rise in the usage of filters on social media is significantly knocking the confidence of young girls all over the UK. It is clear to see that immediate action is required.

“In a world where we are trying to promote body positivity and self-love, why is it that young women are allowed to continue to chase unrealistic beauty standards? We cannot move forward with unmarked, heavily edited photos as the norm, or we risk girls’ confidence plummeting further. It is time for advertisers and content creators to take accountability to ensure that girls of today, and of the future, can be protected from the harm edited images can cause and feel unapologetic about who they are and how they look.”

Laura Chow, Head of Charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, said: “Our players have been supporting Girlguiding for over a decade, raising more than £15 million for the charity. This support is helping girls escape some of the pressures they face, have fun, explore, and learn without judgement.

“We are delighted that Girlguiding is continuing to offer a safe space for girls as well as advocating for changes that protect their future.”

Angela Salt, CEO of Girlguiding, added: “It is so disheartening to see the devastating impact appearance pressures continue to have on girls in our society, and just how young these girls are. Our research shows that these worries are consuming for girls, which inevitably affects their day-to-day wellbeing and confidence. That’s why it’s so important for this issue to be addressed and more transparency is required online.

“For us at Girlguiding, it’s crucial we to continue to offer a safe space for girls where they are free to be themselves, have fun, learn, explore, and feel empowered to know they can do anything.”

“We are once again thanking players of People’s Postcode Lottery for supporting us to carry out this important research, where we listen to girls, and learn more about how we can continue to help them flourish.”

As the UK’s largest youth organisation dedicated completely to girls, Girlguiding works with decision makers, funders and other stakeholders across society to shape an equal world where all girls can be happy, safe and fulfil their potential.

Girls in Girlguiding are up to 23% more confident than girls in the UK on average. They can be themselves and feel at home in its relaxed and welcoming all-girl spaces. They have fun and try new things, without so many of the pressures girls face in today’s world: everyday sexism, online pressures and social anxieties. This is supported through the charity’s innovative peer education programme and core programme, and wellbeing and resilience resources. One of the charity’s six core themes is ‘Be Well’, which aims to help girls and young women explore how to stay safe, healthy and happy, with badges ranging anywhere from ‘Healthy Mind’ to ‘Self Care’.

Girlguiding’s full Girls’ Attitudes Survey 2024 will be released in October. The research will explore how girls feel about specific and emerging pressures facing them today, including comparisons addressing how girls’ lives have changed in the last 10 years.