Fears over plastic surgery ‘games’
A MANCHESTER University professor has criticised online plastic surgery games aimed at children as young as nine.
There are fears the apps – with names like Plastic Surgery Princess, Little Skin Doctor and Pimp My Face – could be contributing to an epidemic of mental health problems in young people.
While stopping short of calling for a legal ban, the Nuffield Council on Bioethics is urging app stores to clamp down on cosmetic surgery games.
And Jeanette Edwards, Professor of Social Anthropology at the University of Manchester, who chaired the council’s inquiry into ethical issues surrounding cosmetic procedures, said: “We’ve been shocked by some of the evidence we’ve seen, including make-over apps and cosmetic surgery ‘games’ that target girls as young as nine.
“There is a daily bombardment from advertising and through social media channels like Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat that relentlessly promote unrealistic and often discriminatory messages on how people, especially girls and women, ‘should’ look.”
Princess Plastic Surgery is centred around an ‘evil witch’ who has made the princesses ‘ugly.’ It says: “SOS! Princesses are cursed by evil witch! The witch made them ugly! Only you can help them! Don’t miss the chance to become a professional plastic surgery doctor! Making fantastic surgery and give what princesses dream of.
“Face, nose, eyes, lip, make any plastic surgery that you can imagine!”
Katharine Wright, the Nuffield Council’s assistant director, said: “These things should not be available online.”
The M.E.N. has contacted the games manufactures for a comment.