Beyond the smartphone

This article forms part of The Eyes Don't Lie, Youmanity's international awareness campaign and photographic project exploring the impact of digital culture on body image and adolescent well-being.

Understanding How Adolescents Learn to See Themselves

The research of Dr Neelan Vashi and the importance of body image in the digital age

When a teenager looks at their reflection, they are not only seeing a face or a body. They are also seeing memories, expectations, comparisons and messages received from the world around them.

During adolescence, the relationship with one’s own body becomes a fundamental part of identity. It is a period when young people naturally ask: "Am I accepted?" "Do I look good enough?" "How do others see me?"

Today, these questions increasingly exist in a digital environment where images are constantly present, shared and compared.

This is the area explored by Neelan Vashi, researcher and expert on Snapchat Dysmorphia and the psychological impact of digital filters. His work focuses on how filtered images and social media beauty standards affect body image and self-perception among adolescents.

His research helps us understand an important reality: the way young people see their bodies is not created by one single factor. It develops through the interaction between personal experiences, relationships, cultural messages and the images they encounter every day.

The body we see, and the body we experience

Body image is more than appearance. It includes the thoughts and emotions a person has about their own body: how they feel looking at themselves, how much value they attach to appearance and whether they can appreciate their body beyond external judgement.

Research by Neelan Vashi has examined how social and cultural influences — particularly those coming from filtered images on platforms like Snapchat and Instagram — can shape adolescents’ attitudes towards appearance. His work highlights the growing phenomenon known as “Snapchat Dysmorphia”.

In a world dominated by images, the danger is that the body can gradually become something to be constantly evaluated rather than something to be lived. A teenager may begin to think: "How do I look?" before asking: "How do I feel?"

The pressure of comparison

One of the challenges of the digital age is that young people are often exposed to carefully selected and heavily filtered versions of reality.

The problem is not the existence of images. The problem appears when idealised, filtered images become the standard against which real people judge themselves.

Scientific research on adolescent body image, including the work of Neelan Vashi, shows that appearance comparisons and sociocultural pressures amplified by digital filters can play an important role in shaping how young people evaluate themselves.

This does not mean that every teenager who uses social media will experience difficulties. Young people are individuals, with different personalities, environments and levels of resilience. But understanding these influences allows families, schools and communities to create better support.

From body criticism to body appreciation

An important contribution of Neelan Vashi’s work is the emphasis on moving beyond prevention of negative body image toward the development of positive body image.

Positive body image means developing a healthier relationship with oneself: appreciating the body not only for how it looks, but also for what it allows us to experience, create and do.

Why this research matters for "The Eyes Don’t Lie"

The exhibition The Eyes Don’t Lie explores a simple but powerful idea: In a world where almost everything can be modified, filtered or perfected, the human gaze remains a place of authenticity.

The research of Neelan Vashi provides an important scientific perspective behind this artistic vision.

The challenge facing adolescents today is not simply learning how to create better images of themselves. It is learning that their value exists beyond any image.

Behind every photograph there is a person. Behind every face there is a story. And beyond the mirror, there is an identity that cannot be measured by likes, filters or appearances.

Scientific background This article draws on the work of Neelan Vashi on Snapchat Dysmorphia, digital filters and their impact on adolescent body image and self-perception.