The term “Heroin Chic” emerged in the early 1990s to describe models who appeared extremely thin, pale, and hollow‐eyed — features associated with heroin use. The aesthetic glamorized this fragile look and turned thinness into the ultimate beauty ideal. Icons like Kate Moss embodied that era.
Alongside it came the Y2K and “Y2K skinny” aesthetic: low-rise jeans, tiny tops, magazines promoting calorie restriction, and harmful methods to lose weight. Today, hashtags like #y2k dominates fashion searches on social media, but they also revive the toxic habits of the early 2000s. The renewed popularity of these aesthetics has contributed to a resurgence of the “size zero” ideal.
In the 2010s, the trend shifted. The ultra-thin body gave way to the rise of the curvy, muscular silhouette, popularized by figures like Kim Kardashian. Body positivity gained strength, and brands expanded their size ranges. But the truth is: thinness never stopped being the standard.
Now, a decade later, the extremely thin body is back in the spotlight. Many brands that once embraced “diversity” have returned to exclusively showcasing skeletal models. This affects the public’s body image and self-esteem, since people compare themselves to what they’re told is the “ideal.”
The GLAMORIzATION of Suffering
Social media amplifies body dissatisfaction and turns unhealthy behaviors into trends. On platforms like TikTok, audios such as “Magras, magras, magras!” or “So you think I’m skinny?” have been used tens of thousands of times.
Algorithms reinforce “body trends” and comparison culture, especially among young women and teenagers. Content that seems harmless often hides triggers for disordered eating, from extreme diet challenges to misinformation about nutrition.
On X (formerly Twitter), communities like pro-ana, pro-mia, and edtwt openly encourage eating disorders. They share restrictive diets, rapid weight-loss tips, and “thinspiration” images of underweight celebrities, while framing anything above skeletal as “lack of discipline.”
To combat the spread of this content, TikTok recently blocked searches for “skinnytok” , an extremely harmful hashtag promoting extreme thinness.
The Entertainment Industry and the Sick Body Aesthetic
The ideal of thinness is imprinted early. In cartoons, Disney princesses share the same tiny waist and delicate frame, shaping early ideas of what it means to be “beautiful” or “worthy of love”. Male characters, on the other hand, are rarely judged by appearance; their value lies in bravery or strength.
Hollywood continues this pattern. Leading ladies, popular girls, or “the pretty one” in movies almost always fit the thin ideal.
Recently, public concern resurfaced after Lily Collins and Ariana Grande appeared noticeably thinner. Collins has spoken about her past struggle with anorexia, which intensified public worry. Grande has also faced online criticism, with debates about whether her current appearance signals health issues.
Celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Oprah Winfrey, and Megan Thee Stallion also sparked attention after reappearing in noticeably smaller bodies, fuelling the conversation.
What Would Your Doctor Say?
People increasingly sacrifice their health to lose a few kilos. The pursuit of thinness feeds multimillion-dollar industries: weight-loss drugs, aesthetic clinics, restrictive-diet coaches, and influencers posing as “wellness experts.”
Ozempic, originally for diabetes, suppresses appetite and reduces glucose absorption. Weight loss is only a side effect — but it has become a widely misused “quick fix” . Without medical supervision, it can cause nausea, pancreatitis, gallbladder problems, and cardiovascular issues. Weight often returns once the medication is discontinued.
Along with medication misuse, the boom in cosmetic surgeries and hormonal implants pursued solely for appearance further endangers young people. More adolescents undergo liposuction or implants as if they were routine procedures.
This culture of comparison fuels eating disorders, which often coexist with anxiety, depression, and, in severe cases, suicidal behaviours.
Bodies Are Not a Trend
Bodies are not consumer products and should not follow the same trend cycle as clothes. As long as certain body types become “trendy”, people will continue chasing unhealthy ideals.
The way forward is not pursuing impossible standards, but fostering a mature, realistic discourse around body acceptance — one that values health, diversity, and self-perception. When we broaden our idea of beauty, more people see themselves reflected, without needing to shrink, reshape, or punish their bodies to belong.
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The article above was edited by Giovanna Rodrigues. Liked this type of content? Check out Her Campus Cásper Líbero for more!