Now Reading: Children’s cosmetic obsession alarms mental health experts
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Children’s cosmetic obsession alarms mental health experts
The Hindu reports that children as young as eight are developing clinical dependency on cosmetics, a phenomenon experts call ‘cosmeticorexia.’ Social media feeds and young influencers drive multi-step skincare routines and adult…
The Story in Brief
The Hindu reports that children as young as eight are developing clinical dependency on cosmetics, a phenomenon experts call ‘cosmeticorexia.’ Social media feeds and young influencers drive multi-step skincare routines and adult make-up use among children. Teachers say the obsession is not a phase but a dependency, causing academic disengagement, anxiety, and body dysmorphia. One eighth-grader said without make-up her face ‘looks dirty and dark.’ A parent whose eight-year-old collected ₹3,000 worth of ‘safe’ organic products now consults a child psychiatrist.
A teacher in Malappuram recounted a student whose unmarked whitening cream caused severe skin reactions under sunlight. Schools face a dilemma, confiscating cosmetics risks accusations of harassment under child rights rules, while ignoring the problem allows the addiction to grow. The rush of harsh chemical products, especially unlabelled ones, poses physical and psychological dangers that experts say are reshaping modern childhood.
The Indian Opinion
The idea that this is just harmless ‘grooming’ or a mother’s innocent wish to see her daughter ‘look pretty’ ignores the clinical dependency described. Claiming it is simply about discipline or parental failure also misses the deeper social media influence. The real test is whether schools and parents can collectively enforce age-appropriate norms without lawsuits or denial. Will a single national guideline on children’s cosmetic use emerge, or will the marketplace continue to target children unchecked?
Source: thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
