What is the cost of toxic beauty standards?

New research from Dove reveals that appearance hate and discrimination caused by toxic beauty standards is a public health crisis that costs Americans more than $500 billion per year*.

Discover the interactive report

The Real Cost of Beauty: A Dove Film

Body dissatsifaction and appearance-based discrimination cost young people their self-esteem and their health – and can even cost their lives. Dove invited them to share their stories.

Pennie's story

"I was severely bullied in school because of my weight. I was called horrible names, and I would get picked last for sports teams. If I told people I was trying out for something, they would laugh at me.”

Watch the film

Meet the young people affected by appearance hate

Appearance hate and discrimination caused by toxic beauty standards is a public health crisis that is costing young people their health, happiness and even their lives. Hear their personal stories and learn why we need to end appearance hate together.

“I felt like an imposter in my own skin. And just to like, feel completely like I wasn’t Jameson, it was impacting, disabling […] Just being forced to be in one place forever, because that’s easier for people to understand. It’s not who I am."

Hear Jameson's story

"One of them looked at me and told me that my hair looks like burnt spaghetti. Later, when I got home, it kind of sank in and that was the first time that I noticed that there was some type of discrimination or like some kind of othering going on just because of my physical features.”

Hear Morgann's story

"Looking at social media, I felt self-conscious knowing that my body didn’t look like theirs and I felt somewhat less than… It affected my life because I wouldn’t go to the beach or have fun with my friends.”

Hear Ana's story

"Being you is all you have to do. You are gorgeous, you are loved and you are important."

Ashton's story

Dove Read The Real Cost of Beauty Ideals Report

Discover The Real Cost of Beauty Report

Discover the real cost of body dissatisfaction and appearance-based discrimination in the ‘Real Cost of Beauty Ideals’ – a groundbreaking new report from Dove.*

Download the full report (.PDF) (3.11MB)

Our commitments to end appearance hate

The Dove Self-Esteem Project is working alongside youth activists, researchers, experts and likeminded organizations on their mission to build body confidence and fight the toxic beauty standards fuelling appearance hate and discrimination.

Get involved and take action

The Dove Self-Esteem Project
Together we can empower every girl to reach her full potential
Confidence Kit: A tool to help build positive body confidence in your child
For young people, building self-esteem and body confidence is a journey. That’s why we created the Confidence Kit: a guide to navigate these issues together.

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*Study conducted by Dove, in collaboration with Deloitte Access Economics, and researchers from the
Strategic Training Initiatve for the Prevention of Eating Disorders: A Public Health Incubator (STRIPED) at the Harvard Chan School of Public Health.