Male beauty standards and their impact on self-esteem

We cannot talk about self-esteem without mentioning the importance of self-image. And they are intrinsically related: how you see yourself influences how you feel about yourself (and vice versa). However, male beauty standards impose increasingly unattainable models, which gives rise to feelings of insecurity that end up affecting a man's perception of himself.

If you feel that your self-image is not going through its best moment or you would like to improve it even more, stay tuned because in this article, we will explore how these aesthetic ideals influence your self-esteem and what strategies can help you build a healthier relationship with your body image.

What are the standards of male beauty?

Although we tend to focus on female canons, male beauty standards have also evolved over time. But nowadays, as a result of the news and social media, a rather unattainable ideal is promoted, which consists of an athletic, muscular body with little body fat . Also, a symmetrical face, flawless skin and a youthful appearance become more and more valued.

These types of representations are very exclusive, which ends up generating the perception that only those who meet these criteria are attractive or successful in life, leaving out the majority of men and can affect their self-esteem. In fact, there are several recent studies that have shown that exposure to these ideals increases body dissatisfaction in men (Parent, Schwartz, & Bradstreet, 2016). This has caused men to join in when it comes to cosmetic touch-ups and interventions to resemble these unrealistic standards as closely as possible.

The Impact of Beauty Standards on Male Self-Esteem

By now you've probably gotten the idea that men's self-esteem is influenced more than it seems by how they perceive their physical appearance compared to the ideals imposed by society . Those who feel they do not meet these standards can experience insecurity, anxiety and even depression.

According to a study by Griffiths et al. (2018), men who internalize the canons of male beauty tend to present higher levels of body dissatisfaction and lower self-esteem . This gives rise to the development of unhealthy behaviors, such as extreme dieting, compulsive exercise or the use of supplements and steroids  to try to achieve a physique considered “ideal”.

Social media and the pressure to look perfect

Social media has intensified the pressure on male image, as you constantly see highly defined bodies, filtered faces that look like magazine covers and seemingly perfect lifestyles. Comparison to these unrealistic standards gives rise to feelings of inadequacy and diminished self-esteem.

A study by Pop, Iorga, and Iurcov (2022) revealed that excessive social media use is linked to increased body dissatisfaction in men , especially those who follow fitness and fashion-related accounts. Constant exposure to these images creates a distortion of reality and reinforces the idea that physical appearance is the main indicator of personal value.

Strategies to improve self-esteem and challenge beauty standards

How to achieve body acceptance

One of the first steps to improving self-esteem is to develop a more positive attitude towards one's own body. How can we achieve this? Instead of focusing on those aspects of your body that do not conform to beauty standards, it is important to recognize and value the personal characteristics that set you apart. Ultimately, beauty standards make everyone who pursues the same standards more and more similar to each other.

Reduce exposure to unrealistic content

Without a doubt, one tip recommended by many professionals is to filter the type of content we consume on social media. This action helps many men to reduce the pressure to reach an unattainable ideal. If you want to improve your perception of yourself, you can follow accounts that promote body diversity and positive messages.

Seek professional help

If body dissatisfaction significantly affects self-esteem and emotional well-being, it is time for you to consider seeing a psychological professional. Cognitive behavioral therapy has been shown to be effective in improving self-image and reducing appearance-related anxiety (Murphy et al., 2010).

Conclusion

If there is one thing we can make clear after all that we have discussed, it is that male beauty standards also have a great influence on self-esteem . Your relationship with your self-image can either be your ally and give you the confidence you need to face new experiences, or it can be your enemy and provoke insecurity and unrealistic comparisons.

However, it is possible to challenge these ideals by developing a positive body image and adopting strategies that build self-esteem . The key is to recognize that self-worth is not just about physical appearance, but about the diversity of qualities and experiences that make each individual unique.

Sources

• Parent, M. C., Schwartz, E. N., & Bradstreet, T. C. (2016). Men's body image. In Y. J. Wong & S. R. Wester (Eds.), APA handbook of men and masculinities (pp. 591–614). American Psychological Association.  https://doi.org/10.1037/14594-027

• Griffiths, S., Murray, S. B., Krug, I., & McLean, S. A. (2018). The Contribution of Social Media to Body Dissatisfaction, Eating Disorder Symptoms, and Anabolic Steroid Use Among Sexual Minority Men. Cyberpsychology, behavior and social networking, 21(3), 149–156.  https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2017.0375  

• Pop, L. M., Iorga, M., & Iurcov, R. (2022). Body-Esteem, Self-Esteem and Loneliness among Social Media Young Users. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(9), 5064.  https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095064  

• Murphy, R., Straebler, S., Cooper, Z., & Fairburn, C. G. (2010). Cognitive behavioral therapy for eating disorders. The Psychiatric clinics of North America, 33(3), 611–627. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psc.2010.04.004