Imagine someone saying to another, “You're ugly just the way you are. That maybe if you lost 20 pounds and wore a nice tie like me, you could look and be fabulous. Well, this is told to everyone every day, but in a more subtle way, through the media. Media is the means of communication, such as television, newspapers, magazines and advertising that reach or influence people. Society today is surrounded by the media. But these media attack teenagers with false images. Think of all the advertisements for cosmetics, clothes, nutritional supplements or muscle enhancers, how many times would the thought arise of "I would look so much better if I wore that Maybelline mascara that would make me look like Scarlet Johansson?" If my muscles were bigger would I look like that guy who plays Thor?" The media has a powerful influence on society and has negative effects on young people and their body image. Teens are struggling with their body image. These insecurities are put highlighted when looking at “perfect” women and men in the media (Gandhi). It is difficult to feel that teenagers would do anything to become an image that does not exist. 130,502 plastic surgeries were performed on teenagers under the age of 18 in the United States” (ASAPS). The reason most teenagers do it is to get this perfect image; And in reality, these models they see in advertisements give up their health to help create a false image. In the 1970s, models weighed 8% less than the average woman, and in the 1990s, the models weighed 23% less than the average woman (The Negative Side of Media). In fact the kids compare them... in the middle of the paper...). It's no wonder why eating disorders exist now more than ever. All people must become aware of this problem embraced by the media and not encourage the traits of an image that degrades that of another human being. Works Cited "ASAPS". Press releases. Np, nd Web. April 16, 2014Cruz, Jamie Santa. "Body image pressure is increasingly affecting young people." The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, March 10, 2014. Web. April 15, 2014."Eating Disorders." PBS. PBS and Web. April 13, 2014. Gandhi, Kiara. "The Photoshop Effect." Ghana HomePage, Resource for News, Sports, Facts, "The Bad Side of the Media". The negative side of the media. Np, nd Web. April 15, 2014."Oprah.com." Oprah.com. Np, 01 January 2008. Web. 15 April 2014. “Self-image/Media Influences.” Just say yes RSS. Np, nd Web. April 22, 2014 "Solutions for Eating Disorders." - Body image. Np, nd Web. April 15. 2014.