Beneath the skin: Wrinkles, beauty and ageing from a transdisciplinary perspective
Short description
This research project examines how aesthetic treatments, such as Botox and fillers, influence modern perceptions of ageing, beauty, and the body. With a particular focus on wrinkles, the study examines them as both biological signs of ageing and cultural and economic phenomena. Through the analysis of advertising, social media, industry materials and personal narratives, the study investigates the production and negotiation of ideals of youth, change and authenticity. Adopting a transdisciplinary approach that combines the humanities and social sciences, the project sheds light on the interaction between technology and economics in shaping beauty ideals. It provides new insights into how norms and treatment options are changing perceptions of the ageing body.
Our skin serves both biological protective functions and social boundary-setting functions, separating the individual from the surrounding world. At the same time, however, skin has also become an increasingly important surface on which to project commercial and technological interests, with treatments such as Botox, fillers and energy-based technologies continuing to develop. These interventions alter not only how we look, but also our understanding of ageing, beauty, and the body as a malleable surface.
This research project examines how aesthetic treatments influence our perception of ageing and bodily change. Particular attention is paid to wrinkles, considering them not only as biological markers of the passage of time, but also as cultural and economic objects. Through the analysis of advertising, industry media, social media and individuals' own narratives, the study will investigate how ideas of youthfulness, transformation and authenticity are shaped and contested.
The project draws on theories from the humanities and social sciences, focusing particularly on the interaction between technology and economics in the creation of beauty ideals. Using qualitative and ethnographic methods, the research sheds light on how individuals' experiences of ageing skin are influenced by new treatment options and the surrounding norms. This contributes to a deeper understanding of the relationship between the body and technology in contemporary society. By analysing how aesthetic interventions transform perceptions of ageing and identity, the research engages with broader interdisciplinary discussions on embodiment, consumption, and scientific progress.
At the same time, it offers new insights into how medical and commercial discourses interact to redefine what is considered a 'normal' or 'desirable' ageing body. Thus, the project highlights the wider cultural and societal implications of beauty technology development and its shaping of our views of ourselves and others in an era where the body is increasingly malleable through technical interventions and scientific innovation.