The worrying rise of the 'ballet body'.

Something we all know: the standard of beauty for women has always been unrealistic.

It's nothing new. Just look back at the waif-like body image ideals of the '90s and mid-2000s — being impossibly thin was the celebrity criteria for success. From 'heroin chic' to weekly mags and tabloids slapped with fat-shaming and "how to be a size zero" covers, the ultra-thin standard was everywhere.

In recent times, we saw curvier bodies and bigger buttocks dominate thanks to celebrities like the Kardashians, with a rise in procedures like Brazilian Butt Lifts (BBLs) and exaggerated, sculpted bodies.

But after years of body positivity movements, the so-called 'ideal' body continues to shift shape. And if recent research proves anything, diet culture and the pressure on improving your body image is just as prevalent as ever.

Which brings us to where we are now, in 2024.

Watch: How to improve your daughter's body image. Post continues below.

Off the back of the Ozempic movement, research is showing that women now feel the increasing pressure to meet a new standard of beauty — and the gap to meet the 'ideal' female body image seems even further.

In its annual report of cosmetic procedures, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons reported a shift towards a new trend dubbed the 'ballet body'. According to the ASPS, it combines "an idealisation of thinness with a vogue for fitness that arose in the wake of the pandemic".

Leaning towards a fit and athletic-looking physique, as opposed to the curvier aesthetic that has dominated the past decade (again, this includes the explosion of BBLs in recent years), the elegance of the subtle, svelte silhouette is coming out on top as the preference gravitates towards more subtle and 'undetectable' cosmetic enhancements.

And if celebrities and social media are anything to go by, it now seems that the so-called 'desired' body of the moment is one that is visibly toned (but not too muscular), has a low body fat percentage with smaller breasts and buttocks.

Because according to the Washington Post, thinness appears to be making a comeback in the cycle of body 'trends'. And whether it's a shift in body ideals or the increased availability of weight loss drugs like Ozempic, one thing is for certain: something feels very different.

Why are we seeing a rise in 'ballet body'?

Mamamia spoke with Dr Anoop Rastogi, the past president and current Dean of Surgery for the Australasian College of Cosmetic Surgery and Medicine (ACCSM). He is also a Fellow of the Australasian College of Cosmetic Surgery and Medicine (FACCSM) and a Bachelor of Medicine (B.Med).

When asked if 'thinness' is making a comeback, he simply told us, "Very much so."

In Australia, Dr Rastogi said the reigning plastic surgery procedures remain liposuction and breast augmentation, but there's been a shift in what people are requesting.

"What we are seeing is a reduction in the volume and projection of breast implants that are requested, in keeping with a change in style from a more rounded, fuller breast to a more elegant and natural shape. Consultations for liposuction surgery in our practice are also on the rise."

With plastic surgery trends like 'yoga boobs' or 'ballerina breasts' on the up, we're witnessing the birth of a new look. And it's as worrying as it sounds.

Of course, the driving force behind why women are now pursuing a different physique can be attributed to a growing landscape of rapid weight loss, and the uptick of cosmetic procedures due to weight-loss medications. Because while body shapes have gone in an out of fashion for decades, the rise of Ozempic has undoubtably influenced where we find ourselves today.

"The use of slimming medications is controversial. They have significant health benefits in terms of diabetes, cancers and heart disease, and make it easier for some women to achieve their desired body shape. However, this has to be balanced against the as-yet unknown long-term effects of these medications."

However, according to Dr Rastogi, the shift to a more athletic physique is, at its foundation, a far more positively driven pursuit than that of the previously championed "ideal female physiques" of the past — more specifically, the exaggerated surgically sculpted body of the past decade.

"The pendulum is swinging back to a more central position," he told us. "It is important for women and impressionable young girls to feel proud of their bodies at a healthy and realistic weight.

"However, rates of obesity in the Australian community have been raising sharply since the 1970s. Primarily due to changes in the food we consume, and a decrease in the amount of ambient exercise in daily work and life. A swing of the pendulum back towards the centre allows for the dual necessities of pride in a realistic and healthy body shape, and a conscious desire to strive for healthy eating and exercise.

"What we know is that there are health issues associated with being overweight, [such as] an increase in the rate of heart disease, cancers and diabetes, etc. Therefore, a healthy weight is important."

As Dr Rastogi added, "It must be stressed that this relates to a realistic and healthy body shape and not a return to the Twiggy figure of the 1970s."

So, where does this leave us?

The issue with 'ballet body.'

The issue with the ever-changing trends in women's body shapes, Dr Rastogi said, is the worrying impact of social media — particularly on young women. Because at the other end of the spectrum, for some women, the pressure and negative emotions surrounding the push towards being 'lean' and 'athletic' is the same as the 'skinny' culture of the past.

"The problem is a body image aspiration fuelled by edited images on social media that are unobtainable," said Dr Rastogi. "This produces unreasonable anxiety and body insecurity in an impressionable population."

In a previous article we wrote on the concept of 'strong is the new skinny', experts said that by creating this new ideal, we've essentially added an extra dimension onto a standard that's already difficult for most people to obtain.

"It feels as though the diet culture is masked underneath the 'wellness' culture. There is certainly a move towards holistic wellbeing, or being 'strong' and healthy, however, how that plays out in each individual is different (unfortunately it's not always healthy)," psychologist Nancy Sokarno from Lysn told Mamamia previously.

She added, "In the age of the digital era, there does seem to be a lot of pressure on women to maintain a certain physique. However, if we look back through history, women still had pressure, but just from different mediums. It used to be coming from the pages of a magazine, whereas these days it seems to be coming through our screens.

"It's a lot of pressure, both physically and mentally, to feel as though you need to continually meet these body standards. We all have different body types and it's sometimes completely impossible — and unhealthy — to reach that aspiration."

The fact is, despite a growing movement towards body positivity, young women (and men) continue to develop body dysmorphia and disordered eating at an alarming rate. Studies have investigated the impact of 'fitspiration' images on women's body image, finding that exposure to this sort of content led to increased negative mood and body dissatisfaction, and decreased self-esteem.

Sokarno said this is reflective of what she sees in her consulting rooms. "Throughout the years there are always different patterns, and it really depends on the individual. There's definitely a pattern within younger people who feel pressure about looking good for social media, but this also affects older people as well.

"I think for every person, the body ideal should be you, at your best. As long as you're living a healthy lifestyle and not putting pressure on yourself, try to learn to be okay about being confident in your own skin," said Sokarno.

"Remind yourself that, most of the time, what you see on social media or in the pages of a magazine isn't real life — and if it is, it's generally just the highlight reel. Also, oftentimes these body ideals that we're aspiring to do take a lot of work, and that person usually has a host of people that help them to get there (personal trainers, chefs, etc.)! Certain standards are just not attainable for regular folk!"

Whichever way you want to look at it, it's worth the reminder that our bodies are our bodies — not a trend.

Anyone looking for support with eating disorders or body image issues is encouraged to contact the Butterfly Foundation on 1800 33 4673, or email support@thebutterflyfoundation.org.au.

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Feature image: Getty.