I’ve slowly become aware that i’m one of the few women of my peers who’s never had a so-called “tweakment”—botox and fillers for lips, cheeks or brows. Salons offering these treatments seem to be popping up on every high street, with them even available at dentists and hairdressers.

I wanted to find out why so many women are turning to these procedures—personally and culturally. What is the effect of this newfound ubiquity on those choosing to have them and on future generations of young women?

Instinctively i assumed that this trend was shaped by patriarchal, unrealistic societal expectations. But as I began to talk to women, a more complex picture emerged. Rather than conformity, this was often about self-determination. many felt “empowered”. Tweakments may reflect mainstream beauty ideals but so do choices around body hair removal, make-up and hair dye, none of which we judge as harshly.

Arguably, accessibility and affordability democratises what was once an unseen marker of privilege. And yet, because stigma remains, they’re rarely discussed publicly or even privately. This secrecy can lead to medical and emotional health risks.

I was fascinated by the breadth of thinking and introspection, from the women I met. I don’t think this project can, or should, reach a definitive conclusion. Instead, I’d like it to open a conversation. On the surface, tweakments are about appearance. But their deeper impact is multi-faceted and nuanced, with wide-reaching consequences.