Why are we self-conscious about our appearance?

Why Women Are More Self Conscious About Looks than Men

Men and women face society’s standards and expectations, and usually, they succumb to the pressure. Undoubtedly, all people have parts of the body they’re self-conscious about, but women tend to underestimate their attractiveness while men simply accept theirs. But it’s not a matter of power imbalance. The explanation is that women care more about how they look because appearances have a stronger impact on their lives.

Women’s Concerns About Appearance

Women’s worries about their physical attractiveness are not caused by a lack of confidence which psychologists treat as a symbol of low social status. And despite they have higher self-esteem than in the past, women still don’t feel good about their looks, especially in terms of weight and breast size. And concerns about weight are unlikely to fade during a woman’s lifetime. It’s because weight issues become an objective problem as time passes and because slender standards get extreme as women progress in their careers. Women also tend to worry about the size of their breasts. According to Statista, the annual number of breast enlargement UK procedures peaked in 2013 at more than 11,000, while in 2018 doctors performed over 8,000 breast enhancement operations. But, because the prices for breast enlargement in the UK are high, you can decide on having surgery in Poland.

Why Do Women Care More About Looks?

Generally, women care more about their looks than men. It’s because of how their appearance affects how they’re perceived by others. The phenomenon is called “lookism” and it originates from the evolutionary process of attraction. For example, men’s beards make them more attractive to women, just like bright coloured peacock feathers attract female peacocks.

Society’s standards have altered the definition of attractiveness in women and promote youthful and fresh faces. That’s why celebrities focus on looking younger than they’re actual age. You’ll also find that the beauty industry has developed both invasive and non-invasive procedures to help women look younger.

How to Overcome Anxiety About Looks

Have you ever stared at yourself in a store window or mirror and suddenly saw that your face is pale, or your roots are grey? Maybe until that moment, you hadn’t noticed. As much as people try to focus on inner beauty, it’s difficult not to judge people by their appearance. And some women base a large part of their self-esteem on how they look. It’s called appearance-contingent self-worth. It’s why some women will do anything in their power to maintain an attractive look. And because society stresses the importance of appearance, it’s easy to let your self-esteem be dictated by your looks. But you can overcome anxiety about your looks by practicing some good habits such as:

  • Discarding the traditional ideal of beauty as defined by the media;
  • Making your self-esteem contingent on inner qualities and values;
  • Don’t get stressed if you feel that you look bad;
  • Smile as much as you can;
  • Try a couple of make-up free days;
  • Take a break from mirrors and focus on being healthy.

Wrapping It Up

Men and women have a level of self-consciousness about their looks. But because of society’s pressure, women tend to be more concerned about their physical appearance. It’s because women are judge more according to their appearance rather than their inner qualities. So, most women link their self-esteem and worth on their looks and will do anything they can to maintain a fresh and attractive appearance including plastic surgery and non-invasive beauty procedures.