The world of fashion is the area, which lures and charms both men and women. But very few people really know what it means to be a model and how much modeling industry negatively affects health of tender young women. Modeling industry is much criticized for that negative impact it has on the health of girls wishing to look as perfect as models and have such tender bodies as their favorite models. In the paper, we are going to concentrate on the topic how modeling industry affects models` health and discuss whether this industry shall be regarded responsible for thousands of girls` broken lives and cases of disability which resulted from the pursuit of model body by these girls.
Fashion designers have a great pool of models when selecting some for their shows. Consequently, perfect appearance is a necessity for model`s work. Girls who are enrolled in modeling industry strictly watch their weight and appearance. Needless to say, most of them are always on diets and go for exhaustible training at gyms every day. Models` flawless appearance lies in constant, hard and routine work. Two or three extra kilos seem to be not a problem for someone else, but for a model this “extra” weight might become a disaster. Often, in pursuit of what is thought to be “ideals of the world of fashion”, models sacrifice their health. Sometimes this may lead to their disability.
Many believe that in order to be a successful model, a girl needs only to have long legs, porcelain face and wasp waist. In fact, modeling industry is one of the most brutal and ruthless occupations, in which only iron-character, strong-willed and intelligent individuals can survive. Only those who are willing to sacrifice everything for the sake of becoming a model can become such. Below, most wide spread health issues resulting from modeling industry will be discussed.
It shall be noted, most of the problems on the mental health level arise precisely from the fact that girls get into the modeling business at a rather young age, being not finally mentally-shaped. Their education and inculcation of moral values are not yet completed, while the model environment can completely distort children's perception of the world. In addition to problems with health that may be noticed at such a young age, young models` ideals get distorted, which brings them more problems in adult life. Modeling industry for kids is a place where they can be corrupted with impunity (O'Donnell 49).
Next, we will discuss the most widespread health problems that occur among models. Often, models get varicose veins due to the constant wearing of heels. Naturally, everyone knows about underweight of models which results from anorexia and bulimia. These diseases imply gastritis. Then, cystitis often develops because of a lot of filming in light dresses in the cold. Injuries, both mechanical and psychological, come along with beautiful image of being a model (Mears 142). As we can see, there are plenty of occupational hazards in modeling industry.
Kirstie Clements, unexpectedly dismissed from the post of editor at Vogue Australia in 2013, revealed everything about life of models and shared how top models managed to keep fit. Clements released a provocative book “The Vogue Factor” (Wintour, “Former Vogue editor: The truth about size zero”). The book describes professional secrets of the fashion business. For most beauties, who ever wanted to get into the modeling industry, Clements` book became shocking and even frightening revelation. After all, if to read and believe everything that is written there, a reader comes to the conclusion that the eye-popping models, that so cheerfully walk at the catwalk and pose in front of cameras, who are objects of jealousy of millions of girls, often suffer from weakness, which does not allow them to live to the fullest (Wintour, “Former Vogue editor: The truth about size zero”).
Kirstie Clements explained to the readers some other fashionable terms. It turns out there are the concepts of "normal thinness" and "Paris thinness". The latter describes the situation when originally thin Australian model dropped another two sizes to get on the show overseas (Wintour, “Former Vogue editor: The truth about size zero”).
There are far more tragic examples from life of models than those described in Clements` book. In 2007, in South America, three high-profile scandals erupted. First, 22-year-old model Lusiel died right on the podium in Argentina. The girl died from exhaustion (Barnard 101). A month later, a death of 21-year-old Brazilian top model Ana Carolina Reston, who starred for Ford and Armani, perturbed the world of fashion. With growth of 174 cm, Ana Carolina weighed only 40 kilograms, and during last months of her life, she ate only apples and tomatoes (Barnard 102). A couple of weeks later, 18-year-old top model Eliana Ramos was found dead in the bedroom in the capital of Uruguay (Barnard 102). Diagnosis in all these three cases was common – anorexia. Initially, the deaths were attributed simply to lack of consciousness. But later, the police found that models were losing weight under pressure from their agencies (Barnard 102).
Anorexia is a syndrome that is characterized with the complete absence of appetite under the objective need of the body in food. Anorexia may be accompanied with metabolic disorders, infectious diseases, diseases of the digestive system, parasitic infestations, and psychiatric conditions (Nordqvist, “Eating Disorders Among Fashion Models Rising”).
In recent years, anorexia nervosa, which usually accompanies anxiety disorders of the psyche, is rather wide spread. Under anorexia nervosa, a model thinks that she is overweight and is completely dissatisfied with her body. Patients with anorexia nervosa refuse to eat and expose themselves to excessive exercise.
Main symptoms of this disease include a significant weight loss, decreased appetite. Such patients have disturbed sleep, they experience weakness of their bodies and muscle cramps. Loose or atrophied muscles, thin subcutaneous fat layer, flat stomach, and sunken eyes, shakiness or tooth loss, brittle nails, pigment spots on the skin, bleeding body, hair loss, low blood pressure, decreased sexual desire, unstable mood, and pallor are characteristic features of anorexia which is commonly spread among models (Nordqvist, “Eating Disorders Among Fashion Models Rising”). Under anorexia, due to a lack of magnesium, potassium and other minerals and vitamins, cardiac arrhythmia occurs, which may be manifested through dizziness, faintness, and sudden cardiac arrests in some cases. With the malfunctioning of the digestive system, pains in stomach, constipation, nausea and vomiting occur among models who brought themselves to such conditions. Anorexia always leads to grave depression (Nordqvist, “Eating Disorders Among Fashion Models Rising”).
A process of overcoming anorexia is rather long and problematic. Anorexia patients take low-calorie foods in small doses gradually moving to more nutritious food and increasing portions. Often, at late stages of anorexia, models are forced to undergo treatment through taking intravenous nutrients (Barnard 184).
Anorexia is always a repercussion of a diet undertaken by a model (Barnard 184). Most diets are too stringent and restrictive. Models, alongside with diets, constantly use pills designed for weight loss which leads to dangerous disturbances in body metabolism. In addition, such rigid procedures significantly slow down all the processes of recovery and healing of the body with a variety of diseases. Of course, diets to a large extent reduce the overall activity of any person. Taking into account that models are to spend sometimes more than a day on a catwalk, we can only imagine how dangerous such diets are. The most serious and dangerous health consequences of excessive and uncontrolled weight loss for models are infertility or even interruption of pregnancy (Barnard 184).
It is also important to understand that the lack of normal fat tissue, some irregularities in the operation of ovarian subsequently may lead to excessively early onset of climax (Barnard 185). And, unfortunately, the lack of weight of their bodies in certain situations increases the risk of death associated with the development of various cardiovascular and oncologic disease patterns.
Models often take in various pills. For example, one of them is a hormone which is contained in the urine of pregnant women: it is believed that it has the ability to reduce appetite. Typically, it is injected into the thigh or taken in tablets. However, there is no scientific evidence proving the effectiveness of this method (O'Donnell 93). According to various evidences, modeling agencies also widely promote drugs, such as cocaine. The girls take it in a desperate attempt not to gain weight.
According to doctors, most of today's fashion models have a body mass index which is close to the index of anorexia (Mears 258). In addition to the lack of weight, the eating disorder is reflected in the mood and mentality and destroys normal metabolism potentially leading to an inability to have a child (Mears 258). Despite fashion houses` promises to end up with anorexia, we continue to see on the catwalks horrifically thin nymphs. According to statistics, twenty years ago, a fashion model weighed 8% less than an average woman. Today, a model weighs 23% less than an average woman (Mears 258).
Another health problem of models is bulimia which is a sharp increase of appetite, usually accompanied by a sudden feeling of agonizing hunger (Lippey, “Bulimia and Models: Prevalence, Causes & Solutions”). Bulimia is a huge appetite, uncontrolled either by the volume of food or by common sense. Models often experience bulimia after long diets, when they simply cannot stop eating after a long period without food. Most often, models artificially induce vomiting or use laxatives, diuretics and enemas (Lippey, “Bulimia and Models: Prevalence, Causes & Solutions”). But worst of all, when models are exposed to bulimia, is remorse lack of control over the amount of food eaten and heavy damage to health because of this. Depression, guilt, and low self-esteem are the main feeling of a model affected by bulimia (Lippey, “Bulimia and Models: Prevalence, Causes & Solutions”).
The consequences of bulimia nervosa are very unpleasant and largely affect models` health: dental caries, periodontal disease, erosion of tooth enamel, sometimes parotid salivary glands; menstrual disorders; decreased intestinal motility, gastritis or stomach ulcers, disruption of the pancreas and kidneys, a variety of endocrine and metabolic disorders – these are only those which are most widely spread (Lippey, “Bulimia and Models: Prevalence, Causes & Solutions”). To solve this problem alone is extremely difficult and almost impossible. Deep psychological issues and constantly disturbing feelings lead to the development of bulimia among models.
Only psychotherapy can help models with bulimia, during which such models become more confident with increased self-esteem. Group therapy is rather effective in such instances when recovering patients communicate with each other, share their experiences and talk about how they managed to cope with the disease (Lippey, “Bulimia and Models: Prevalence, Causes & Solutions”).
Being deeply concerned, in late 2015, French government obliged models to obtain a doctor's certificate allowing them to work in modeling industry (Willsher, “Models in France must provide doctor's note to work”). By this initiative, French fashion industry together with French authorities took strict measures to prevent the appearance of too thin models on the stage. Under this regulation, if a model has too little weight, it is necessary for her to provide a health certificate confirming that she is healthy and can work (Willsher, “Models in France must provide doctor's note to work”).
It is expected that the law will help in the fight against the desperate girls who undertake extreme measures and have torturing diets with prejudice to their health only to work as models. The new law prescribes a mandatory health check by models on the basis of their body mass index. The authors of the bill explain that the law applies only to models. This is because the contemporary culture idealizes thinness and people's desire to lose weight. Mainly fashion industry spreads this stereotype among young people which brings more and more troubles to the modeling industry and society as a whole (Willsher, “Models in France must provide doctor's note to work”).
It should be noted that the working schedule of models is very tight and absolutely not comfortable at all, because much traveling is needed, not to mention endless castings and shows that are to be spent on feet. This often leads to other diseases related thereto. One of them is varicose veins which is a disease of increased danger. Every man and a woman is under danger of acquiring it, not to mention models who spend days and nights on their feet (Mears 282).
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), diseases of the veins are included in the list of "diseases of civilization" (Spotless Vein Care, “Chronic Venous Insufficiency: A Common Disease of the Western Civilization”). Some patients with varicose disease believe that the main trouble of it is a cosmetic defect. For this reason, they prefer to wear clothes covering the legs and take no action. However, models cannot allow this with their profession. Varicose veins are fraught with serious complications: phlebitis, thrombosis, thrombophlebitis, thromboembolism and trophic ulcers (Spotless Vein Care, “Chronic Venous Insufficiency: A Common Disease of the Western Civilization”). Most models do not know this and do not understand how largely varicose is dangerous. And they prefer to use only creams hoping they will help. Many models unconsciously fear a surgery and try not to think about this disease in general, as if the problem does not exist at all. Sometimes it appears to be too late.
When varicose veins, a slowing of the blood flow through the veins occurs (Spotless Vein Care, “Chronic Venous Insufficiency: A Common Disease of the Western Civilization”). This leads to such consequences as high fatigue, tendency to edema due to the constant accumulation of excess fluid and the possibility of formation of blood clots that can completely block the movement of blood through the vein. Under particularly unfortunate circumstances, a clot can proceed to the main vessel and cork it, which is a direct threat to life (Spotless Vein Care, “Chronic Venous Insufficiency: A Common Disease of the Western Civilization”).
As it became known, in 2010, 40-year-old Naomi Campbell was diagnosed with arthritis earned at the catwalk. Arthritis is an inflammation of the joints and their deformation which is brought by constant wearing of high heels and uncomfortable shoes – an ordinary problem of all models (Barnard 201).
Under arthritis, joint swells become stiff. If arthritis is left untreated, the probability of becoming a disabled person is 70% (Barnard 201). The disease progresses rapidly and leads to a decrease in disability and quality of life.
In most cases, under rheumatoid arthritis, deformations of joints occur, because of which the movements bring much difficulty. The pathology progresses if untreated or insufficiently treated. Over time, kidney amyloidosis and renal failure develop. The reason for the development of amyloidosis is the formation of an excessive amount of inflammatory proteins that are deposited in the kidneys and disrupt kidneys` functioning (Barnard 201). Among those who suffer rheumatoid arthritis, vascular atherosclerosis occurs rather often which leads to its complications, such as stroke or myocardial infarction. Lifespan under rheumatoid arthritis is reduced for several years. In many ways, the danger of the disease is determined by its ability to cause undetected serious disorders of many internal organs. If untreated, after 5 years probability to become a disabled person reaches 40% (Barnard 202-203).
All these examples show how largely dangerous modeling industry can be. What is considered to be a simple walking on a catwalk being dressed in fashionable skirts and dresses has way more drawbacks if not to be careful with this occupation. To look up to models, keep fit in order to look like them and wear clothes they demonstrate – these are the best that could be taken from models` careers. However, for any girl, choosing career of a model is rather responsible decision and all sides of this decision should be thoroughly thought before opting for a life of a model. Additionally, it can be concluded that modeling industry has enormous influence not only on women`s habits of how to dress, but also on women`s life styles which often results in exhaustible diets of such women. This, in its turn, leads to their health problems for which modeling industry shall be responsible.
Works Cited
Barnard, M. Fashion Theory: An Introduction. Routledge, 2014. Print.
Lippey, M. “Bulimia and Models: Prevalence, Causes & Solutions”. Eating Disorder Hope. N.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2016. Available at http://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/information/bulimia/bulimia-and-models-prevalence-causes-solutions
Mears, A. Pricing Beauty: The Making of a Fashion Model. University of California Press, 2011. Print.
Nordqvist, C. “Eating Disorders Among Fashion Models Rising”. Medical News Today. 8 Jul. 2007. Web. 29 Apr. 2016. Available at http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/76241.php
O'Donnell, K. Careers in Modeling. The Rosen Publishing Group, 2001. Print.
Spotless Vein Care. “Chronic Venous Insufficiency: A Common Disease of the Western Civilization”. spotlessveincare.com. 2015. Web. 29 Apr. 2016. Available at http://www.spotlessveincare.com/featured/chronic-venous-insufficiency-a-common-disease-of-the-western-civilization/
Willsher, K. “Models in France must provide doctor's note to work”. The Guardian. 18 Dec. 2015. Web. 29 Apr. 2016. Available at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/dec/18/models-doctors-note-prove-not-too-thin-france
Wintour, A. “Former Vogue editor: The truth about size zero”. The Guardian. 5 Jul 2013. Web. 29 Apr. 2016. Available at http://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2013/jul/05/vogue-truth-size-zero-kirstie-clements
