Dr Karishni Chittarvu, Dermatologist and General Secretary of RDA Telangana, offered a generational perspective on the psychological toll of constantly curated beauty standards.
Published Nov 13, 2025 | 10:22 AM ⚊ Updated Nov 13, 2025 | 10:22 AM
Dr Karishni and Dr Avinash Praveen.
Synopsis: A Gen Z dermatologist revealed the profound mental health impact of social media’s “flawless skin” culture on her generation, introducing the term “Snapchat dysmorphia” to describe how young people are seeking cosmetic procedures to match their filtered online appearances.
A Gen Z dermatologist revealed the profound mental health impact of social media’s “flawless skin” culture on her generation, introducing the term “Snapchat dysmorphia” to describe how young people are seeking cosmetic procedures to match their filtered online appearances, whilst also highlighting an unexpected positive shift toward preventive skincare.
At the second edition of South First‘s Dakshin Health Summit, during a panel discussion on ‘Social Media and Skin & Hair Health’ held at the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology (AIG), Gachibowli, on Sunday, 9 November, Dr Karishni Chittarvu, Dermatologist and General Secretary of RDA Telangana, Hyderabad, offered a generational perspective on the psychological toll of constantly curated beauty standards.
Dakshin Health Summit 2025. (Supplied)
Dr K Sai Sandeepthi, Dermatologist at Eudermiz Skin, Hair and Laser Clinic, Hyderabad, who moderated the discussion, framed the question: “Karishni, since you’re also part of Gen Z, I’d love to hear your perspective. Social media often creates this illusion of perfect, filter-free, poreless skin — something that doesn’t actually exist. How do you think this ‘flawless skin’ culture is affecting the self-image and mental health of Gen Z, who are growing up constantly comparing themselves to these filtered standards?”
Dr Karishni responded with candour about her generation’s experience: “Yes, there’s definitely a major mental-health impact caused by social media, especially among Gen Z. We are constantly maintaining an online presence — sometimes out of peer pressure — and, nowadays, even parents are creating social-media accounts for their newborns. That shows how deeply ingrained social media has become in our culture.”
She outlined how digital culture perpetuates impossible standards: “Because of this constant exposure, we develop unrealistic expectations about beauty — particularly the idea of flawless skin. Every few months, there’s a new skincare trend like the ‘Korean glass skin’ inspired by K-dramas, and these fads fuel the pressure to look perfect.”
“Korean glass skin” captures another dimension of social media’s influence on beauty standards. Popularised through K-dramas and Korean beauty influencers, the “glass skin” trend promotes an appearance of perfectly translucent, poreless, dewy skin — a look achievable primarily through professional lighting, makeup techniques, and digital filters, yet marketed as attainable through specific product routines.
Rather than simply criticising the phenomenon, Dr Karishni proposed a constructive approach: “But as a Gen Z dermatologist, I’ve realised that instead of simply criticising this trend, we can actually use social media as a tool to promote awareness. If qualified dermatologists like us put out evidence-based information, people do respond positively.”
“The audience on social media doesn’t necessarily care who’s speaking—they want quick, engaging, and informative content. When they see credible professionals offering that, they appreciate it,” she added.
Dr Karishni cited research documenting the psychological harm: “Several studies have shown a clear link between social-media use and increased anxiety, low self-esteem, and even body-dysmorphic symptoms among adolescents. There’s even a term now — Snapchat dysmorphia — describing how people want to alter their appearance to match their filtered images.”
Snapchat dysmorphia, a disturbing evolution in body dysmorphic disorder. Unlike traditional cases where patients brought celebrity photos to cosmetic surgeons, Gen Z patients are increasingly requesting procedures to make them look like their own filtered selfies.
The phenomenon highlights how digital manipulation tools — once understood as fantasy — have become internalised as achievable beauty standards, driving young people to seek surgical or cosmetic interventions to bridge the gap between their real faces and their filtered online personas.
Despite documenting serious harms, Dr Karishni identified a silver lining: “However, there’s also a positive side. Social media has helped promote body positivity and a shift toward preventive skincare rather than quick fixes. Many young people today are more educated about sun protection, retinoids, and evidence-based routines. So while there are definitely negative mental-health effects, there’s also an encouraging trend toward awareness and healthier skincare habits among Gen Z.”
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
